Employment agent licences
Access Canberra is responsible for licensing employment agents under the Agents Act 2003 (the Act).
Employment agents find work for jobseekers or assist people to find work.
It doesn’t matter whether the work or employment is to be carried out in or outside the ACT.
If you are a licenced agent in another state or territory, you may be eligible to work in the ACT under the Automatic Mutual Recognition Scheme.
Read about automatic mutual recognition.
Eligibility
There are no qualification requirements for an employment agent licence.
To apply for an agent licence, you need to:
- be at least 18 years old
- have not been disqualified from holding a licence.
A list of reasons a person is disqualified is at section 27 of the Act. Reasons include past offences, bankruptcy, and individual incapacity.
Generally, if a person is disqualified the Commissioner for Fair Trading will refuse the licence. In the case of disqualification due to bankruptcy, insolvency, administration or winding-up, if the Commissioner is satisfied a person took all reasonable steps to avoid it, the licence may be granted.
You can apply as an individual, a partnership or as a corporation.
If applying:
- as a partnership both of you need to meet the criteria
- as a corporation, none of the directors can have been disqualified, and at least one must already hold a licence of the same kind you’re applying for.
Apply for an employment agent licence
To apply for an agent licence:
- Complete the Real Estate, Business, Stock and Station and Employment Agent Licence form.
- Upload your supporting documents. What you’ll need depends on whether you’re applying as an individual, partnership or corporation.
- Pay the fee.
Applying as an individual or partnership
If you’re applying as an individual or partnership, you’ll need to upload:
- your proof of identity (at least one primary and 2 secondary)
- a police certificate for each applicant. This certificate must have been issued within 2 months of applying.
View acceptable proof of identity.
Applying as a corporation
If you’re applying as a corporation you’ll need to upload:
- a police certificate for each director. The certificates must have been issued within 2 months of applying.
- a company police certificate issued by the Australian Federal Police
- a current company extract (issued within 30 days of applying).
Notifying the public
Before granting the licence Access Canberra will notify the public of your application.
View notifications on the ACT Open Government website.
After 10 business days, if no one raises an objection with the Commissioner for Fair Trading, and there are no other issues, Access Canberra will grant the licence.
Once licenced your name will be listed on the Licensed Employment Agents register.
Renewing your licence
When you apply you can pay for either a 1-year or 3-year licence.
You can renew online.
Renew your corporation licence
Paying annual fees
If you chose the 3-year option you can either pay the full sum, or annual instalments.
You can pay annual fees online.
Fees
2022-2023 fees.
- Application for an employee agent licence: 1 year - $902.00, 3 years - $2,713.00
- Annual payment: 1 year - $902.00, 3 years - $2,713.00
- Renewal for a corporation licence: $902.00, 3 years - $2,713.00
- Renewal for an individual licence: $902.00, 3 years - $2,713.00.