Are nationally coordinated criminal history checks free for volunteers?

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Volunteers who come to Australia to take up a role or other volunteering-based tasks wonder if they have to pay for their Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check. Of course, there are many unverified accounts of the government "sponsoring" Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks for volunteers. This is false.

The Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check is a paid background check that the Australian Police Agencies issue as part of their statutory functions. Every applicant must pay for their Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check during the application.

Every applicant that applies for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (including volunteers) must pay for the check. Eligible volunteers may be eligible for a discounted check.

Applicants who wish to obtain a volunteer check should approach the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) website to find organisations that are accredited to provide the volunteer check type.

What options do Volunteers have in applying for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check?

There are some standard routes to apply for the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check;

Apply through Australian Police Agencies

An intending volunteer will have to visit the local Police Office or police force website to complete their Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check application and receive their certificate.

Online processes tend to be seamless and suitable for persons with rigid schedules.

Apply through the Local Post office

The Local Post office will direct all Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check applications to the required location (National Police Checking Service).

The payment option for this is almost immediately (together with the submission of the Police Check application form).

Who pays for the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check for a Volunteer?

Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Checks are personal documents or records of a person. It is standard practice for the person themselves to fund the base fee of their Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

Any law or pact does not bind the organisation requesting a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (unless pre-signed) about covering the costs of a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

Can an Employer cover the cost of the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check?

An employer/organisation can streamline the process of a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check for their candidates. The Employer must obtain the candidate's permission and even retain the consent all through the checking process.

When employers streamline a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, it is easier for all parties to complete the assessment stages. The organisation can easily access the results by using their streamlined account to cover the costs and access the candidate's results.

However, there is no compulsion on organisations or Employers to cover the cost of the Police Check.

Is there any form of Free background checks in Australia?

All legitimate background checks in Australia have a form of a base fee or another. Payment for a background check is not necessary for profit but for covering the costs of human and technical power expended on the check.

If you are applying through accredited agencies, there are helpful payment options a volunteer could consider. Also, you can reach out to your volunteer organisation about the possibility of them funding your Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check application.

However, an employer may carry out a "general check" on the potential volunteer in the absence of any of these. This includes searching through;

• References from the previous employer

The candidate's past employer should also offer insightful remarks about them. Infer the applicant's person/character from these references, and you may do this privately through correspondence.

• The web/internet search

There is a lot of information on the internet, including the physical presence of such a person. You can also access the candidate's past life and events through their Social media accounts and other registered platforms.

• Browsing through Documents of other Australian agencies

The archives of most Australian agencies contain great information about persons in the country.

Do Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check for volunteers expire?

nationally coordinated criminal history checks are point-in-time checks, and they remain valid until the candidate requests an updated background check. The industry has tacitly adopted a standard of 3 months for any current Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check; else, the applicant (volunteer) must apply for an updated check.

Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check contains the applicant's conviction history up until the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check document is issued. The organisation will not see any recent conviction history on the Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check until the applicant updates the check.

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