Overseas (international) criminal history checks

​​Overseas (international) criminal history checks required for applications 

Applicants not currently registered with the TRBWA are required to provide, with their application, an overseas (international) criminal history check (OCHC) from every country they have resided in for a cumulative* period of 12 months or more, from 18 years of age, during the 10 years prior to making their application for registration.  While the Board will have regard to any evidence provided with respect to an applicant’s overseas criminal history, in order to provide reasonable assurance concerning the validity of the check, applicants must obtain a check from the Board’s preferred provider.

Overseas criminal history checks as part of a fit and proper assessment

In performing its functions, the TRBWA must regard the best interests of children as the paramount consideration. As such, an essential requirement for registration in Western Australia is that the applicant is deemed a fit and proper person to teach.

As part of the fit and proper assessment, applicants are required to consent to an Australian (national) criminal history check and provide an OCHC from every country they have resided in for over 12 months or more, from 18 years of age, in the 10 years prior to making their application. OCHCs form part of the fit and proper assessment. This aligns with policy in other Australian jurisdictions.

The OCHC must have been issued in the 12 months prior to submitting the application. It must cover the entire time spent in every country from the age of 18 years and include all names by which the applicant has been known by in that country.  While the Board will have regard to any evidence provided with respect to an applicant’s overseas criminal history, in order to provide reasonable assurance concerning the validity of the check, applicants must obtain a check from the Board’s preferred provider.

Apply for an overseas criminal history check 

AIS International is the approved provider of overseas criminal history checks for the TRBWA. 

When you apply for teacher registration via Teacher Login on the TRBWA website, you will be redirected to the AIS International Applicant Portal to obtain your overseas criminal history check. Overseas criminal history checks issued by other providers or obtained directly from the country you resided in, cannot be accepted.

You can check on the progress of your overseas criminal history check by logging into your application via the AIS International Applicant Portal. AIS International will send you an email notification when the result of your overseas criminal history check is available. You can the log back into your application to access the result. The result of your overseas criminal history check will also be provided directly to the TRBWA.

Your AIS International overseas criminal history check application is separate to your teacher registration application. Payment for your overseas criminal history check will need to be made directly to AIS International. 

If you have any questions regarding your overseas criminal history check application, please contact AIS International on:

Telephone: 07 5510 4735
Email: info@aisintl.com.au
Website: www.aisintl.com.au

What if I am unable to obtain an overseas criminal history check?

AIS International offers overseas criminal history checks from over 165 countries worldwide. If AIS International does not conduct a check for the country you resided in, the TRBWA may accept a statutory declaration. You will need to provide the following details as part of your statutory declaration:

  • the reasons you are not able to obtain the overseas criminal history check
  • what steps you took to obtain the overseas criminal history check and evidence of this
  • confirm if you have or do not have a criminal history in that country.

If you are unable to obtain an overseas criminal history check from AIS International, please contact the TRBWA to request a statutory declaration. Please do not provide your own statutory declaration or obtain one from Australia Post.

*Cumulative – the total time spent in each individual country in the 10 years prior to making an application.

Example - If you are not currently registered, and you have spent 6 months in the UK in 2020 and another 6 months in 2021, the total time spent in the UK would be 12 months within the past 10 years. You would, therefore, be required to provide an overseas criminal history check from the UK.