The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) works with Australian police agencies to deliver the National Police Checking Service (NPCS) to protect the Australian community. This service allows people to apply for a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC).

Are you going for a job interview? You will need an NCCHC to back you up. Let’s learn the steps to apply for NCCHC and why you need it. 

Why You Need A Criminal History Check

Police background checks are essential for a number of reasons. You will need a police background check when applying for a job, registering a business, getting a license, or filing for Australian citizenship. The NPCS facilitates more than 5 million police background checks annually.

Hiring the Right Employee

Employers want to ensure the safety and integrity of their staff. A nationally coordinated criminal history check will help them identify trustworthy candidates to include in their workforce.

Boosting Personal Credibility

On the other hand, individuals can benefit from a police check when applying for a job. Police checks give proof of their trustworthiness and reliability. It enhances their job credentials and personal standing.

NCCHC is a unified system that gathers a person’s criminal records from all states and territories in Australia. Significant delays are expected when getting your police check results in Australia as the process is partially done manually.

How to Apply for NCCHC

The ACIC has accredited certain organisations to facilitate nationally coordinated criminal history checks. They do not consider applications submitted by individuals.

NPCS is under a cooperative outsourced model that allows accredited bodies to access the service on behalf of persons or organisations. Here are the steps to submit an NCCHC application:

1. Find an accredited organisation or contact the police agency.

2. Accomplish the application form and submit all the necessary documents.

4. The agency submits the check into the ACIC system.

5. ACIC reviews your records across national criminal databases.

6. Results are sent back to the processing agency.

Get your results from your processing agency. You will see all relevant convictions or pending charges against you. If no criminal records are found, it will only say no disclosed information is available.

How Long Does It Take

Standard processing time takes roughly 1 to 10 business days to complete. It is mostly quick for people with no criminal history. Manual reviews take time, thus causing the delay.

ACIC values accuracy over speed. They ensure correct records are matched with the right individuals to guarantee reliable information. That is why there may be some delays in the process.

Choosing the Right Provider

ACIC has strict criteria for accrediting agencies to facilitate NPCS. They must be a legitimate company with a valid business licence and pass certain security requirements.

The ACIC only works with the accredited agency to ensure the integrity of results. Always verify that the provider adheres to their appropriate standards and regulations.

CVCheck is an ACIC-accredited NPCS provider. They have a secure online service that lets you organise your police background checks straight from your home or office.

The results are provided electronically. You can easily get your nationally coordinated criminal history check online. Visit their website to learn more about their service or contact them for a consultation.