Victoria labour hire licensing changes 2026

Last reviewed: 29 August 2026. This page is general information for hosts and workers, not legal advice. Licensing rules can change. Always check the official source before you engage a provider or accept a placement.

From 1 June 2026, stronger Victoria labour hire licensing rules apply to licence holders and applicants. The Labour Hire Authority (LHA) published the changes on its Labour hire law changes 2026 page and in what providers need to know (10 June 2026).

Orchard Tech places labour in Victoria and New South Wales only. Victorian labour hire licensing is run by LHA. New South Wales does not operate a state labour hire licensing scheme. Fair Work, work health and safety, and visa rules still apply in both states.

Orchard Tech’s Victorian labour hire licence

Victorian licence VICLHL06235 is held by Suvarnabhoomi Pty Ltd as trustee for the Suvarnabhoomi Discretionary Trust (ABN 16 102 266 894), the legal operator trading as Orchard Tech. The same details are on the employers page. Hosts should check the current licence status on the Labour Hire Authority register before engagement.

What changed on 1 June 2026

LHA says all licence holders should measure up to the new standards, including:

• Decision-makers, and anyone else who exerts control over a labour hire business, must pass a stronger fit and proper person test.
• LHA can consider a business’s history and capacity to comply with a wider range of relevant laws when it grants, refuses or cancels a licence — including laws relating to bankruptcy, consumer protection, fair trading and corporate regulation, in addition to labour hire and workplace laws.
• A business must declare that it is financially viable, and provide evidence if required.

LHA says the changes form part of the Labour Hire Legislation Amendment (Licensing) Bill 2025 (Vic), which was passed in December 2025.

For hosts (farms and other workplaces)

• Before you take labour hire workers in Victoria, confirm the provider is licensed on the LHA public register.
• Using an unlicensed provider can attract penalties. LHA states that maximum penalties per breach of the Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018 (Vic) exceed $660,000 for a company and $160,000 for an individual.
• Ask for the licence number and check it yourself. Do not rely on a screenshot or a verbal assurance.
• If the work is in New South Wales, there is no NSW labour hire licence to check. You still need a lawful engagement, correct pay, records, and safety systems.

For workers

• You can look up a Victorian provider on the LHA register. If they are not listed, ask why before you start.
• Licensing does not replace your award or agreement, payslips, visa conditions, or the right to a safe workplace.
• If pay, hours, deductions, accommodation or safety look wrong, raise it with the provider and the host. You can also contact the Fair Work Ombudsman and, for Victorian licensing questions, LHA on 1300 545 200 or enquiries@labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au.

People who control the business

LHA now considers character, professionalism and integrity when it decides whether a person is fit and proper. Providers must declare whether a nominated officer or relevant person is under the control of, or substantially influenced by, someone not already listed — for example a shareholder, an adviser whose guidance is routinely followed, a holding company, or a relative who exercises substantial influence. Failure to disclose can lead to refusal or cancellation.

Business compliance plans

LHA may request a business compliance plan that explains how the business operates and how it meets legal obligations in practice. LHA says generic, templated or marketing-style plans may not be accepted. The plan should cover the operating model (industry, workforce, hosts, subcontractors), how workplace, tax, super, work health and safety, migration and labour hire laws are met day to day, and the key controls for that model. See horticulture licence conditions and the LHA business compliance plan.

Horticulture and other high-risk industries

For horticulture, meat and poultry processing, commercial cleaning, and security, LHA applies standard conditions to new licences granted after 1 June 2026, and says it will roll them onto existing licence holders from late 2026. Those conditions include worker information sheets, limits on subcontracting and cash payments, PPE without charge, and (for horticulture and meat and poultry processing) accommodation standards when the provider provides or procures accommodation.

What is not in force yet

LHA says that later in 2026, further changes will clarify the definition of labour hire services, cover more supply-chain arrangements, and define specified construction activities as labour hire in the Regulations. Those construction and definition changes should not be treated as commenced until LHA says they are.

How to check before you engage

1. Open the Orchard Tech register entry or search the register by name.
2. Confirm the licence is current and note any conditions.
3. Keep a copy of what you checked (date and register extract) with the labour contract.

Frequently asked questions

Does Orchard Tech hold a Victorian labour hire licence?

Yes. The licence number is VICLHL06235. Check the live status on the LHA register rather than relying on this page alone.

Does New South Wales have a labour hire licence?

No. NSW does not operate a state labour hire licensing scheme. Fair Work, safety and visa rules still apply to placements in NSW.

Does a labour hire licence replace Fair Work?

No. A Victorian licence is a permission to supply labour hire. Award pay, records, visas and workplace safety sit alongside it. See also labour hire compliance and worker rights.

Sources checked 29 August 2026: Labour Hire Authority, Labour hire law changes 2026; LHA, Changes to labour hire laws: what providers need to know (10 June 2026); Orchard Tech employers page for licence VICLHL06235. LHA recommends professional advice for specific circumstances.