One phone call to the wrong agency. One missing check. One fine of $378,450.

That is exactly what a labour hire licence Queensland businesses can verify is meant to prevent. Most host employers do not think about it until it is too late. You bring in temp staff to solve a staffing gap, not to create a legal one, and under Queensland law, an agency’s licence status becomes your risk the moment you sign.

Here is the good news: the fix takes five minutes. A quick search of the public register tells you whether an agency is licensed, current, and safe to engage. This guide walks you through what a labour hire licence covers, what to check before you sign with any provider, and what it costs you if you skip that step.

What Is the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2017 (Qld)?

The Labour Hire Licensing Act 2017 (Qld) requires labour hire providers to hold a current licence. The Queensland Government’s labour hire licensing scheme exists to protect workers from exploitation and to give host businesses a way to check who they are dealing with.

Providers apply for a licence, meet ongoing legal obligations, and renew it regularly. The Act clearly defines what a labour hire licensing scheme breach looks like, and the Queensland Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) runs the register. The OIR can suspend, cancel, or refuse a licence at any time.

This mandatory licensing scheme is not optional. It applies to any person or company that provides labour hire services to a Queensland business. This includes providers based interstate, such as those in South Australia or Victoria, if their workers do any work in Queensland.

The scheme also asks providers to keep certain worker information on file and to submit it as part of their reporting. This is one of the ways the Queensland Office of Industrial Relations checks that a labour hire licence is being used properly, and not just held on paper.

Who Needs a Labour Hire Licence in Queensland?

A labour hire service, as defined under the Act, exists when a provider supplies a worker to a host business and pays that worker. That arrangement is what triggers the licence, not the business’s size, industry, or name. If your business supplies workers, or pays an agency to supply workers to you, assume the licensing scheme applies until you confirm otherwise.

The scope covers recruitment agencies, contractor management companies, and any entity set up to provide labour hire services to a host business on a temporary basis. It applies whether the arrangement is casual, ongoing, or project-based. It also covers providers based outside Queensland, provided their workers perform work in Queensland.

A few arrangements are excluded under section 7 of the Act, such as a sole trader supplying their own labour. Certain leasing arrangements between related companies are also excluded. These exemptions are narrow, and you can discover the full list on the OIR’s licensing scheme page. Seek advice if you are unsure whether your arrangement is covered.

If a third party pays workers who do work at your business, assume a licence is required. Then verify it.

Some business owners assume a standard industry arrangement sits outside the scheme. The exemptions are narrow enough that this assumption carries real risk. The safer approach is to look at your own arrangement directly, and if any part of it is unclear, put the question to a lawyer or the OIR rather than guess.

What a Licensed Labour Hire Provider Must Do

To be granted a licence, an applicant must prove they are a fit and proper person and demonstrate financial viability. The Office of Industrial Relations checks both before approving an application, and applicants pay fees when they apply and when they renew. Applicants are obliged to disclose accurate details, since a licence granted on incomplete information can later be reviewed or cancelled.

Applicants also have to show their business operations comply with relevant state and Commonwealth legislation. This includes tax law, workplace health and safety law, and employment law that already applies to their employees.

Once licensed, a provider must:

• Appoint a nominated officer. This person manages the labour hire services day to day and answers for the company’s compliance.
• Submit annual reports. These cover worker numbers, industries, and any notifiable events.
• Pay correct wages and superannuation. Providers must comply with the relevant Award, employment law, and safety practices.
• Keep records. These documents show compliance and can be audited at any time.
• Renew the licence. Applications and reports are submitted through the OIR’s online portal. Licences renew annually from the original grant date, not on a fixed calendar date. Check the expiry date shown on the register for each provider you engage.

A licence confirms a provider met the bar to operate legally. It does not guarantee that every placement will go smoothly. Host businesses should still check a provider’s safety practices and service quality.

Failing to meet these responsibilities is what triggers OIR action against a licensed provider. Checking the register lets you confirm a provider is still in good standing before their compliance issues become your liability too.

Not sure if your current provider meets these standards? Talk to FINDMEA about what compliant labour hire looks like.

Host Employer Checklist: What to Verify Before You Engage a Provider

This is the part that protects your business. Six checks, five minutes, done before you sign anything.

1. Search the public register. Go to labourhire.qld.gov.au and search by business name or ABN. If the provider does not appear, do not engage them.

2. Confirm the licence is current. A licence from last year may not be valid today. Check that the status shows “active” and note the expiry date.

3. Confirm it covers Queensland. A licence from South Australia, Victoria, or any other state does not satisfy Queensland’s scheme. Providers operating across state lines need a Queensland licence too.

4. Request the licence number in writing. Ask for it in your engagement documents. A properly licensed provider will supply this without hesitation.

5. Keep a record of your check. Save the register result and the date. This record can support your defence if your business is ever investigated.

6. Re-verify every year. Licences renew annually from the provider’s original grant date, not on a fixed calendar cycle. Set a reminder to re-check your current providers against the register’s listed expiry date.

Watch for advertising claims too. Under the Act, a provider must not advertise or hold itself out as offering labour hire services unless it holds a current licence. If a supplier’s marketing makes a licensing claim you cannot confirm on the register, ask more questions, not fewer.

The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

The Labour Hire Licensing Act 2017 (Qld) puts liability on both sides of the arrangement. This means the unlicensed provider and the host business that engages them.

Engaging an unlicensed labour hire provider can bring a fine of up to $378,450 for a company. An individual can face a fine of up to $130,439 or three years in prison. Operating as an unlicensed provider carries the same maximum fines. These figures change periodically. Confirm the current amounts on the Queensland Government’s labour hire licensing website before you rely on them.

There is a limited defence. The Act allows a “reasonable excuse” if the provider was listed on the public register as licensed when you engaged them. That defence only works if you actually checked and kept a record.

Not knowing is not a defence on its own. The law expects you to verify, not just to have good intentions.

Beyond the fine, enforcement actions are public. That adds reputational risk for businesses in sectors with supply-chain scrutiny, such as food, retail, and government contracting. A named business faces questions from its own clients, not just from OIR.

Reviewing a current agency and not sure where you stand? Get in touch with FINDMEA for a straight answer.

Don’t Take FINDMEA’s Word for It. Check the Register Yourself

Any labour hire provider can write “we’re licensed” on their own website. That sentence, on its own, proves nothing. It carries no more weight than the same line written by an unlicensed operator.

The only claim worth making here is a verifiable one. Search “FINDMEA” on the Queensland Labour Hire Licensing public register before you engage us. Then run the same search for any other provider on your shortlist, since a Queensland labour hire licence check works the same way for every name on it.

A provider with nothing to hide will point you to that register. One that changes the subject, or cannot produce a licence number on request, is the red flag this article already warned you about.

FINDMEA supplies temp and on-hire staff across industrial, trades and engineering, administration, retail, government, and pharmacy roles from our Brisbane office. Every worker we place is entitled to correct pay and superannuation under the relevant Award. That obligation applies in addition to licensing requirements, not in place of them.

Checked the register and have questions about your labour hire arrangements? Contact FINDMEA and we’ll walk you through what compliant staffing looks like.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it illegal to use an unlicensed labour hire provider in Queensland?

Yes. A host business commits an offence by engaging a provider without a current Queensland licence, unless a reasonable excuse applies. Corporate penalties can reach $378,450, and the obligation to check sits with the host business, not only the provider.

How do I check if a labour hire agency is licensed in Queensland?

Search the provider’s business name or ABN on the public register. It shows whether a licence is active, expired, or suspended. The check takes under five minutes and should happen before you sign any agreement.

Does a labour hire licence from another state cover Queensland?

No. Queensland’s licensing scheme is separate from schemes in South Australia and Victoria. Any provider placing workers in Queensland needs a current Queensland licence, no matter where the company is based.

What is the difference between a labour hire provider and a recruitment agency?

A labour hire provider supplies a worker to a host business and pays that worker. A recruitment agency finds candidates for direct employment with the client. Any business that supplies labour hire services, rather than simply recruiting candidates, needs the licence.

How often do Queensland labour hire licences need renewal?

Licences renew annually from the date they were originally granted, not on a set calendar date. A provider that held a valid licence last year may not hold one today if they failed to renew. Add an annual re-check to your supplier process to close this gap.

What should I do if an agency can’t provide a licence number?

Search the public register yourself. If the agency does not appear as a current licence holder, do not engage them. If you already have, seek legal advice about your exposure.

What details does a labour hire provider need to hold a licence?

A provider needs a fit and proper person outcome, proof of financial viability, and evidence its business operations comply with relevant law. This includes tax, safety, and employment obligations that already apply to any employer. The regulator can request supporting documents and material at any stage of the application or afterward.

Verify Before You Sign

A labour hire licence Queensland businesses can trust is one you have checked yourself, not one you have taken on faith. The Act places a legal obligation on host businesses, not just providers, to confirm the agency they use is licensed. Skipping that check can cost over $378,000.

FINDMEA is a Queensland labour hire and recruitment business supplying industrial, trades, professional, and administration staff from Brisbane. Transparency about licensing is part of what a client is checking when they enter a labour hire agreement, and we make that check easy by pointing you straight to the register.

If you’re reviewing your current agency relationships, or you need a licensed labour hire partner in Queensland, get in touch with our team.