Welcome to the next edition of labour hire licensing news for the 2025-26 financial year!
Queensland’s labour hire licensing scheme continues to deliver strong outcomes by protecting vulnerable workers and upholding the integrity of the labour hire industry. These results are achieved through close collaboration with stakeholders, regulators, and the broader community.
This quarter the Fair Work Ombudsman shares information about its spotlight on the building and construction industry with information and a range of resources to provide guidance, support, and practical assistance to both employers and workers.
This issue also highlights the collaborative approach the Labour hire licensing compliance unit (LHLCU) takes to working with other agencies to achieve compliance and enforcement outcomes with recent joint-agency activities conducted with the Queensland Fire Department and Work Health and Safety Queensland. Our colleagues from Industrial Relations Regulation and Compliance have also provided guidance around employing workers who are classified as children.
Licensing update July to September 2025
- 209 licence applications submitted
- 160 licences granted
- 1,039 licence renewals granted
- 5 licences cancelled
Licensed labour hire providers that do not comply with their obligations may have their licence cancelled or suspended. The licensing action report from July to September 2025 includes labour hire licences suspended by the LHLCU and labour hire licences cancelled by the LHLCU.
Read about the Fair Work Ombudsman’s role in supporting workers and businesses in the building and construction sector, including guidance on entitlements, workplace protections, and the role of unions with a particular focus on apprentices and trainees in the industry.
If you are looking to employ workers who are under the age of 18, there are laws in place in Queensland that you need to comply with. Read the full article to understand your obligations and how the laws are regulated and enforced.
Read about the LHLCU’s joint operation with Queensland Fire Department in Gatton targeting compliance with fire safety laws when there are more than five unrelated persons residing in a home.
LHLCU inspectors joined with colleagues from the agricultural unit to conduct field visits at farms in Bundaberg and surrounding regions. Read the full article for details on the engagement activities undertaken.
Queensland’s labour hire licensing scheme has achieved a significant number of successful prosecutions since its commencement. To date, there have been 28 prosecutions for offences against the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2017 (LHL Act), with fines totalling $2 million imposed by the courts, including the recent notable prosecution of an unlicensed labour hire operator fined $80,000 for illegal supply of workers. These recent outcomes demonstrate the scheme’s effectiveness in enforcing the legislation.
