The SOCI Act applies to eleven critical infrastructure sectors: communications, data storage or processing, financial services and markets, water and sewerage, energy, healthcare and medical, higher education and research, food and grocery, transport, space technology, and defence industry. Organisations operating assets in these sectors may be subject to specific obligations under the Act.

Individuals who require access to critical infrastructure assets, systems, or sensitive operational information may need a SOCI Background Check. This includes employees, contractors, and service providers. Responsible entities are to determine the roles that are designated as critical workers within their organisation.

The SOCI Act defines a critical worker as an individual whose role provides them with access to critical infrastructure assets, systems, or sensitive operational information. This includes employees, contractors, and third parties whose activities (if compromised) could present a security risk to essential services.

The SOCI framework considers a range of prohibiting offences, including but not limited to fraud, theft, terrorism, cybercrime, espionage, and links to organised crime. These offences help assess whether a person poses an unacceptable risk to the security of critical infrastructure.

A SOCI Background Check does not automatically give critical workers access to critical infrastructure.

A SOCI Background Check helps assess and individual’s suitability as a critical worker, but it does not grant access on its own. The final decision to grant access remains with the organisation, based on the individual’s role, risk profile, and internal policies.

Worker consent is managed through a transparent and secure digital process. Before any background check is conducted, individuals are informed of what data will be collected, how it will be used, and why it’s required under the SOCI Act. A formal record of consent is retained for compliance and audit purposes.

If your organisation deems you as a critical worker, they will send you an invitation via email and/or SMS to apply for a SOCI Background Check.

You’ll need the following to apply for your SOCI Background Check:

• Your smartphone and/or laptop
• Three forms of ID
• Access to Wi-Fi
• 10 to 15 minutes

You’ll get an email or SMS invitation from your organisation to apply. The application takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. It includes:

• Applying via the secure hyperlink in your invitation.
• Filling in the application form, including information such as:
  • Your full name (and any previous names)
  • 5 years of residential address history
  • Date of birth
  • Contact details
• Uploading 3 ID documents and a selfie.
• Giving consent for Veritas to collect, process, and store your data.
• Submitting your application.

You must provide three documents with your application form to confirm your identity:

• One commencement document, to confirm your birth in Australia or arrival in Australia
• One primary document, to show the use of your identity in the community, and;
• One secondary document, to show the use of your identity in the community

The documentation you provide must include evidence of your full name and date of birth, and a photograph of you. The commencement and primary documents provided must include a photo of you. If your commencement and primary documents do not include a photograph you must submit a passport-style photograph certified by a person listed in Schedule 2 of the Statutory Declarations Regulations 1993 (Cth).

You will need access to a scanner or a mobile device with a camera to upload your ID documents.

You will need access to a scanner or a mobile device with a camera to upload your ID documents.

At least 1 'Commencement of Identity' document:

• Full Australian Birth Certificate (not an extract/birth card)
• Australian Citizenship Certificate
• Australian Visa (current at time of entry to Australia as a resident or tourist)
• ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs that enables the cardholder to prove their visa and/or migration status and enrol in services
• Australian Passport (current or no more than 2 years expired)

At least 1 ‘Primary Use in the Community’ document:

• Australian Passport (current or no more than 2 years expired)
• Current Australian Drivers Licence, learner permit or provisional licence issued by a state or territory, showing a signature and/or photo and the same name as claimed
• ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs that enables the cardholder to prove their visa and/or migration status and enrol in services
• Foreign/International Passport issued by a country other than Australia with a valid entry stamp or visa
• Proof of Age or Photo Identity Card issued by an Australian government agency in the name of the applicant, with a signature and photo (must be current)
• Student Identification Card (current) with a signature or photo (for persons under 18 years of age with no other Primary Use in Community Documents)

At least 1 ‘Secondary Use in the Community’ document:

• Certificate of Identity issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
• Document of Identity issued by DFAT
• United National Convention Travel Document
• Secondary Foreign Government Issued Documents (e.g. Foreign Drivers Licence)
• Medicare Card
• Enrolment with the Australian Electoral Commission
• Security Guard or Crowd Control Photo Licence
• Centrelink Health Card or Veteran’s Affairs Card (evidence of right to an Australian government benefit)
• Consular Photo Identity Card issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Photo Identity Card issued by the Australian Defence Force
• Photo Identity Card issued by the Australian Government or a state or territory
• Photo Identity Card issued to an officer by a police force
• ASIC (Aviation Security Identification Card)
• MSIC (Maritime Security Identification Card)
• Firearms licence
• Credit Reference Check
• Australian Secondary or Tertiary Student Photo Identity Document
• Academic Transcript from an Australian university (certified)
• Trusted Referees Report
• Bank card or credit card (without recording the card number/s)
• Australian tax file number

Change of name: If you provide identity documents using a former name, you must provide evidence of your name change.

This means providing a change of name certificate issued by the Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages or an Australian marriage certificate issued by a state or territory, in addition to your three identity documents. Church or celebrant-issued certificates are not accepted.

Once your background check results are returned, we’ll send you a digital copy of your results report via email.

On average, 70% of SOCI Background Check Results Reports are returned in 24 hours once lodgement is received. For the remaining 30%, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the national agency responsible for conducting these checks may have reasons as to why some checks take longer than others to process, including:

• The check subject having a common name, or a name that matches with many potential Persons of Interest on policing systems.
• The check subject having old police information that requires manual collection and processing of hardcopy records.
• The relevant police agency having inaccurate or incomplete records which need to be investigated properly before the check can be finalised.
• Transferring information between the various state and territory police agencies before the information can be vetted and/or released.
• Workloads within each police agency.

For urgent needs, please contact us and we will endeavour to assist you.

Yes, you can email your documents to soci@veritasgroup.com.au.

If you don’t have a smartphone, ask a trusted family member, friend, or colleague to help you with your application. It’s best to seek assistance from someone you trust who can help you in person to upload your documents and photos.

For help with your application, ID documents, or results please contact us. You can reach out to our friendly staff by calling 1300 837 482.

Your consent is required to protect your privacy and ensure your information is handled correctly. There are three parts to the consent you provide:

• Consent to undertake the check: You’re giving permission for Veritas, an accredited body with the ACIC to complete a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (police check) and forward your personal details to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) for processing.
• Consent to data handling and storage: You acknowledge that your personal and sensitive information will be handled in line with ACIC requirements and securely stored for 12 months from the date your check is issued, as required by law.
• Consent to how your results are shared: As part of the application process, you’ll also choose how you’d like your results shared. You control whether your results are digitally shared with your organisation (if at all) or whether it’s sent to you as a hard copy.

A SOCI Background Check Results Report lists your Disclosable Court Outcomes (DCOs), subject to relevant spent convictions or non-disclosure legislation and information release policies.

Disclosable Court Outcomes refer to records of court convictions and findings of guilt, where applicable legislation and policies have been applied.

The type and amount of information released will depend on the category and purpose of the check, and the jurisdiction where convictions are recorded and vetted. Police agencies will apply relevant legislation and policies during the vetting process.

If you have a DCO, you will have 2 business days to review your results and either consent to release them or raise a dispute. Veritas will categorise your DCO based on your organisation’s risk management plan.

If you have a DCO, you will have 2 business days to review your results and either consent to release them or raise a dispute. Veritas will categorise your DCO based on your organisation’s risk management plan.

• If your DCO does not align with your organisation’s defined security-related offences (SROs), your results will not be shared with your organisation.
• If your DCO matches the government’s SROs highlighted by your organisation, you will have 2 business days to choose one of the following:
  1. Dispute the result: If you do not agree with your results, you can submit a dispute.
  2. Withdraw your consent: Your results will not be shared.
  3. Consent to share: Your results will be sent to your organisation for assessment.

Once your SOCI Background Check is complete, we will send you an email with a secure link to download and review your results.

Please review your results carefully. If you have any concerns, you can raise a dispute using the ‘submit response’ link in your email within 2 business days. Do not contact us separately, as this may delay the process and result in your check being released before the dispute is submitted.

If you wish to dispute information recorded on your SOCI Background Check, you will be asked to outline the reason and provide supporting documentation. Disputes can be raised in the following situations:

• All police information released does not belong to you
• Part of the police information released does not belong to you
• Police information does belong to you, but the details are inaccurate
• Police information does belong to you, but should not have been released
• Police information belonging to you has not been released

We will accept and escalate any dispute about the result of the SOCI Background Check through the official dispute form provided by the ACIC.

The ACIC will investigate the dispute and determine an outcome. They may request additional information to support their investigation.

After the dispute is concluded, we will be notified of one of the following outcomes:

• Successful Dispute Outcome
  The dispute has been successful, and the SOCI Background Check results will be amended.
• Unsuccessful Dispute Outcome
  The dispute has been unsuccessful, and the results will remain unchanged. The ACIC may provide clarification under the legislation as to why the DCO was released, or provide information and instructions to apply for a spent conviction if deemed applicable.

We will advise you of the dispute outcome.

Note: Due to privacy concerns, the ACIC may not be able to provide Veritas with specific detail about why the dispute was unsuccessful.

How long is my SOCI Background Check valid? Your organisation will determine how often you must renew your SOCI Background Check based on their internal security policies and risk management framework. Roles with ongoing access to critical infrastructure may require regular renewals.

Your organisation can access your results for up to 3 months after your check is completed. If you withdraw your consent before then, your organisation won’t be able to view your results.