Clearance applicants are required to nominate professional and personal referees within the application. Referee requirements are based on the security clearance level. Referees play an important role in the security clearance assessment and assist with verifying information provided by the clearance applicant.
Process
Referees may receive a generic text message and an email requesting them to complete a referee report. The email will include instructions and a unique link to access and complete an online report. Referees have up to 15 business days to complete the report.
If the clearance applicant is undergoing a Positive Vetting (PV) assessment, referees may be contacted by an Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) representative to participate in a face-to-face, video, or phone interview.
Referees and coverage
Each level of security clearance has different referee nomination requirements:
- Baseline – 1 professional referee covering at least the last 3 months.
- Negative Vetting 1 – 1 professional referee covering at least the last 3 months and 1 personal referee who can comment on the clearance applicant’s past 10 years.
- Negative Vetting 2 – 1 professional referee covering at least the last 3 months and 1 personal referee who can comment on the clearance applicant’s past 10 years.
- Positive Vetting – 1 professional referee covering at least the last 3 months and 4 personal referees who can collectively comment on the clearance applicant’s life since the age of 16 or for the past 10 years, whichever period is greater.
Clearance applicants may nominate multiple referees to meet the requirements.
Requirements
When nominating referees, the following should be considered:
- Professional referees should be the clearance applicant’s current supervisor and have supervised them for at least the last 3 months. Where this is not possible, details of a previous supervisor who has supervised the clearance applicant for at least 3 months in the past 12 months can be nominated. If the clearance applicant is unable to provide a professional referee, because they have not worked during the past 12 months, personal referees can be nominated.
- Referees must know the clearance applicant in either a personal or professional capacity for at least 3 months and have had regular contact with over the checkable period.
- Referees must be able to comment objectively. Close relatives, partners/ex-partners, doctors and teachers may not be able to be completely objective.
- Where possible referees should be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. Where this is not possible, referees must be located in a place where a phone, video or email interview can be conducted.
- Referees must be available to be part of the process and understand the requirements.