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Integrity checks

Find out about our pre-engagement integrity checks and what you need to do.

Published 8 September 2024

Pre-engagement integrity checks

We do pre-engagement integrity checks (PEIC) for all candidates engaged as Australian Public Service (APS) employees or contractors.

We need to ensure you're suitable to work for us and uphold a high level of integrity.

If you're engaged as a non-ongoing or casual employee, you'll need to renew your integrity check every 3 years. If you're engaged as a contingent worker, we'll renew your check periodically and let you know when.

Contingent workers include external contractors and consultants, labour-hire staff, or those hired through external agencies. They aren't hired as employees.

We can't engage you, or we may terminate your contract or services, if you fail to:

  • participate in this process
  • supply personal information
  • satisfy our PEIC.

Our video explains why we do checks before we engage you, and what is involved.

You'll need to supply us with some personal information so we can complete these checks.

Pre-engagement integrity check process

Media: The ATO Pre-engagement Integrity Check process
https://tv.ato.gov.au/ato-tv/media?v=bi9or7oduhrpi6External Link (Duration: 05:42)

Identity and citizenship check

We'll check your:

  • proof of identity, including any name changes
  • Australian citizenship (for APS employees)
  • Australian work rights and residency status of non-citizen contingent workers
  • National police records.

You'll need to consent to undergo a national police records check, and give us details of:

  • your driver's licence, firearms licence and passport (if you hold any of these)
  • any criminal charges, convictions or pecuniary penalties
  • your full continual address history of the past 5 years, including time you have lived overseas.

If you've lived overseas for a total of 12 months or longer in the past 5 years, we'll ask you to give us:

  • a national police check from the overseas countries you resided in, and
  • evidence of your overseas addresses.

If you've spent most of the past 5 years outside Australia, you may not be eligible for employment with us.

Compliance and conflicts

We need to know:

  • you're compliant with your tax, superannuation and registry obligations. When you work with us, we expect you to model the behaviour expected of the community
  • if you have any conflicts of interestExternal Link – for example, if you're a registered tax or BAS agent, tax financial adviser or SMSF auditor (we'll advise whether you need to cancel these types of registrations)
  • if you have any other financial or personal interests, including if you're undertaking work outside the ATO that may conflict with (or be seen to conflict with) your work with us.

If you're being engaged as an APS employee with us, we'll also need to know:

  • you're fit to undertake the essential duties and tasks of the position you are employed for, either with or without workplace adjustment
  • details of any workplace adjustments you need, to allow you to be able to perform your job effectively and safely
  • if you have received a redundancy payment from an APS agency or the Australian Parliamentary Service within the last 12 months.

Additional checks

If you're applying for an APS 6 role or above, or a position that is identified as higher risk, we'll do additional checks to:

  • verify your employment history with your current and previous employer within the last 5 years, including your behaviour, conduct and performance and the reasons for your separation
  • search the bankruptcy register
  • search the Tax Practitioner Board register
  • review your digital footprint, which involves an internet search to review your publicly accessible social media and online presence.

Some roles require a security clearanceExternal Link in addition to the PEIC. This is managed by the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA). We'll let you know if we need you to undertake a security clearance.

Documents you'll need

Gather the following documents so they're ready to go if you're offered a position. We'll contact you with details of how to lodge them online.

Proof of your identity and citizenship

You'll need to give us 4 identity documents – one from each of the following 4 groups:

Group 1: commencement of identity document

You must give us a copy of either:

Group 2: photo ID document issued by government

You need to give us a current copy of one of the following:

  • your Australian passport
  • a licence or permit issued under a law of the Australian Government, a state or a territory. For example, an Australian drivers licence (and the back of the licence if it includes address details)
  • your Proof of Age card
  • Australia Post Keypass identity card
  • your Department of Home Affairs (DHA) ImmicardExternal Link.

Group 3: evidence in the community

You need to give us a copy of one of the following:

  • your current Medicare card
  • a current identification card issued by the Australian Government, state or territory as evidence of entitlement to a financial benefit (for example, a Services Australia Health Care Card)
  • a current security guard or crowd control licence
  • a tertiary identification card
  • a private health care card
  • a current credit card or bank card
  • a bank account statement.

Group 4: proof of current address document

You need to give us a copy of one of the following, showing your current residential address:

  • your signed property lease or rental agreement
  • an account or notice from  
    • a utility (such as electricity, phone or gas)
    • superannuation or insurance
    • your motor vehicle registration or land rates notice
  • electoral roll registrationExternal Link – you can  
    • go online to check or update your address details on your state electoral role online
    • use the confirmation email or screen message as evidence.

Additional proof of citizenship

If you were born in Australia on or after 20 August 1986, you must give us a copy of one of the following (if not already supplied):

  • your Australian passport issued in your name on or after 1 January 2000 that was valid for at least 2 years
  • an Australian citizenship certificate in your name
  • documents that prove you're a citizen by birth - to prove you're a citizen by birth, you must give us one of the following  
    • a parent’s Australian birth certificate
    • a parent’s Australian passport that that was issued before your birth
    • a parent’s certificate of Australian citizenship issued before your birth
    • proof of a parent’s permanent residency at the time of your birth, for example a passport showing a permanent entry stamp into Australia before your birth.

If you can't give us any of these, you must apply to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for a certificate of evidence of Australian citizenshipExternal Link.

Change of name documentation

You need to give us official name change documentation for each and every name change.

Provide one of the following documents to substantiate your change of name:

If you use another name that is different to the name on your official documents, you need to complete a statutory declaration stating why your name is different. For example, if you have not changed your name legally by marriage, divorce or deed poll.

Timeframe

It can take up to 20 working days after we receive all your complete and correct documentation to process your PEIC. If there are issues with any of the checks or the documentation you provide, we'll contact you. This may mean the process could take longer.

Ongoing integrity

We may also do further integrity checks during your engagement.

To demonstrate required standards of integrity and ethical behaviour, you must:

  • comply with your personal tax, superannuation and registry obligations – modelling the behaviour we expect of the community
  • uphold your declaration of secrecy
  • follow the APS code of conductExternal Link, including actively managing conflicts of interest.

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