• Welcome articles

Licensing helps to ensure labour hire companies are operated by fit and proper people, and supports a fairer, more transparent industry.

Licensing acts as a barrier to entry – keeping unlawful and unfit operators out of the industry, and leveling the playing field for businesses who do the right thing.

As a licensing authority, LHA has access to a unique set of regulatory tools that enable effective and responsive compliance and enforcement action.

We can stop non-compliant businesses from operating, leverage significant penalties to deter unlawful conduct, and intervene where required to promptly put a stop to harmful behaviour. LHA also assists other agencies in their own compliance action, through collaboration and information sharing.

In this edition, we look at how LHA comes to decisions on licence applications, with specific examples of refusal outcomes.

Elsewhere, we look at workplace health and safety, including a case where a provider had their licence cancelled following a worker’s death, as we head into National Safe Work Month.

I hope you enjoy this edition.

Steve Dargavel
Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner

In this edition

• Protecting the industry from bad operators by refusing licences
• Avoiding worker misclassification: what licence applicants need to know
• Keeping workplace health and safety top of mind to comply with licence obligations
• Human trafficking in labour hire: what to look for and how to report it
• Educating schools on labour hire law, and engaging with the construction industry
• Providers subject to licensing action in August 2025

Licensing update

September 2025:

• 104 licence applications submitted
• 89 licence renewals granted
• 62 licences granted
• 64 licences refused or cancelled

Resources

• October is National Safe Work Month. This year’s theme is safety: every job, every day. For events in your area, visit the WorkSafe Victoria website.