The department's Employment Suitability Screening (ESS) process helps to protect our information, systems, premises and people by reducing personnel security risk.
All staff must go through the ESS process to be employed or engaged by the department. This includes ongoing staff, secondees, and contractors.
There are two types of ESS processes:
- Employment Suitability Clearance (ESC) is required for all staff working in an ABF role
- Onboarding Check (OC) is required for all staff working in a departmental (non-ABF) role
All staff must also hold a minimum Baseline level Commonwealth Security Clearance.
Employment Suitability Clearance (for ABF roles)
The Employment Suitability Clearance (ESC) is a thorough pre-employment character and integrity suitability screening process managed by the Integrity and Professional Standards branch.
The ESC process can be intrusive in nature. It includes (but is not limited to) detailed background, character, employment, police and internal intelligence checks. During the ESC process, you must declare your:
- current and past drug use
- criminal/high risk associations
- conflicts of interest
- business interests
- criminal history and involvement in criminal/illegal activities
- non-compliance with border-related laws
- workplace disciplinary history
For help with your application, please read the
Employment Suitability Clearance Information Pack (5MB PDF).
As part of the process, you must complete the following documents:
Onboarding Check
The Onboarding Check is a pre-employment screening process managed by the Integrity and Professional Standards branch.
The Onboarding Check process consists of a Nationally Coordinated Police History Check and an Integrity Check with your current and previous employers (if applicable). You must declare your:
- criminal history and involvement in criminal or illegal activities
- workplace disciplinary history
For help with your application, please read the
Onboarding Check Information Pack (2MB PDF).
As part of the process, you must complete the following documents:
Maintaining your ESS
qualification
Both the ESC and Onboarding Check are 'point in time' assessments of your suitability to work with us. If something in your life changes, this may be a declarable circumstance. You must report a declarable circumstance to maintain your qualification.
A declarable circumstance is an event in, a change to, or information about your life that either:
- updates the information the department already has on file
- is relevant to your suitability to work for the department
Examples of declarable circumstances you must report include:
- changes to your name or identity
- changes to your contact details (such as your address)
- changes to your living circumstances (such as other people over 18 residing with you)
- associations with criminals or other high risk individuals (such as members of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs)
- involvement in or association with criminal activity
For more information, view our full list of all Declarable Circumstances (550KB PDF). Please note that there are different reporting requirements depending on whether you hold an ESC or OC.
Note - As a Commonwealth Security Clearance holder, you must tell the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) of changes in personal circumstances. You can do this through the MyClearance portal.
