Check a Queensland labour hire provider by searching the official register for the correct business or licence number, opening the licence details and reviewing the register’s current status guidance. A logo, an ABN or another company’s licence is not enough.
The Queensland Register of Labour Hire Licences is the primary tool for this check. This article explains how to use it; it does not verify any named provider or vacancy.
Obtain the right identifying details
Ask for the legal entity providing the labour hire service, its trading name and licence number. Compare those details with the proposed employment or engagement documents. A recruitment brand may be used by more than one legal entity, so do not stop at a similar name.
Clarify whether the business is supplying labour hire services or performing another recruitment function. If the arrangement is unclear, ask the licensing authority whether it falls within the scheme. Do not assume every business calling itself a recruiter has the same licensing position.
Work through the register carefully
Search the exact licence number where available. Otherwise search the business name and compare the results with the legal entity supplied. Open the licence detail rather than relying on a search-result label or screenshot sent by the provider.
Review any conditions and follow the register’s links for suspended and cancelled licences. The official register explains an important distinction: an active entry can remain active despite the displayed expiry date while a renewal decision is pending, subject to the suspended and cancelled lists. Do not decide validity from the printed date alone.
If the result is missing or ambiguous, check spelling and entity details, then contact the licensing authority. Do not invent a positive result because the company appears established or has an attractive website.
Keep a dated verification record
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Business approached | Trading name and legal entity supplied |
| Licence | Number and matching register entry |
| Status check | Current entry, conditions and suspended/cancelled-list review |
| Date | When the official register was checked |
| Uncertainty | Entity mismatch or point requiring authority confirmation |
| Next action | Who will clarify the issue and through which verified contact |
Where available, use the register’s verification-document function for your permitted record. The register describes limits on use and redistribution, so keep information for its intended verification purpose rather than republishing a provider database.
Check the person and vacancy as well
A genuine licence does not prove that the person contacting you works for the licence holder. Independently locate the provider’s contact details and confirm the representative and role. A scammer can copy a licensed business’s identity.
Ask who will employ and pay you, where you will work, which conditions apply and whom to contact about problems. Licence status does not guarantee a particular vacancy, pay level, safe placement or employment outcome.
Resolve mismatches before proceeding
An original practice question is: “The entity on the proposed agreement differs from the licence details I found. Could you explain the relationship and identify the licensed provider for this arrangement?” Keep the answer and seek regulator clarification if it does not resolve the mismatch.
Do not send sensitive documents or accept work on the strength of an unresolved identity claim. Our recruitment agencies guide explains the broader search process, while the opportunity checklist covers duties and conditions beyond the licence check.
