Credit Checks for Employment in Australia (2026)

Quick Answer: In Australia, employers can conduct credit checks for employment, but only with your consent and only when the role involves handling money or financial responsibility. Employers do not see your full credit score — they typically access a commercial credit report showing defaults, court judgements, and serious credit infringements. Industries that commonly require employment credit checks include banking, finance, insurance, government security clearances, and senior accounting roles. If bad credit is affecting your employment prospects, Australian Credit Solutions (ASIC ACL 532003) may be able to remove unlawfully listed entries from your file — 98% success rate, No Win No Fee.

You're going for a job in finance, banking, or government — or a promotion that involves access to financial accounts — and you've been told there'll be a credit check. Here's exactly what that means and what they'll see.

Can Employers in Australia Check Your Credit?

Yes — but with important restrictions under the Privacy Act 1988.

An employer can access your credit information for employment purposes only when:

1. You have given written consent — typically included in your employment application or a separate authorisation form
2. The role involves a genuine financial responsibility — handling client money, financial authority, access to accounts, or security clearances

A general employer cannot pull your full credit file for a role that doesn't involve financial responsibility. A bank considering you for a teller position, a financial planning firm assessing you for an adviser role, or a government agency conducting a security clearance — all can conduct employment credit checks. A retail employer hiring you for a sales floor role typically cannot.

What Do Employers See in an Employment Credit Check?

Employment credit checks in Australia typically access a commercial-style credit report — different from the consumer credit report you'd pull yourself. What's usually visible:

Employers do not typically see your numerical credit score — they see whether negative entries exist on your file. A default or judgement visible in an employment credit check can disqualify a candidate from roles with financial responsibility.

Which Industries Conduct Employment Credit Checks?

Industries where employment credit checks are routine:

• Banking and financial services — including teller, lending, compliance, and management roles
• Finance brokerage and financial planning — ASIC licensing requirements make credit history relevant
• Insurance — roles involving policy management and financial authority
• Government and Defence security clearances — financial vulnerability is assessed as a security risk
• Accounting firms — particularly senior roles involving client account access
• Stockbroking and fund management
• Casino and gaming industry — staff with access to cash or chips

If you're applying for any of these roles, assume a credit check is part of the process.

Can You Work at a Bank With Bad Credit in Australia?

This depends on the severity of the credit issue and the specific role:

• Defaults from utility or telco accounts — many banks will still hire for non-financial roles; for financial roles it depends on the bank's policy and the size/age of the default
• Multiple defaults — may be disqualifying for financial roles at major banks
• Court judgement — likely disqualifying for roles with financial authority
• Bankruptcy — typically disqualifying during the active bankruptcy period; many banks reassess post-discharge

Different banks have different policies. Some will discuss credit issues openly during the hiring process and assess them contextually; others apply automatic thresholds.

If bad credit is affecting your employment prospects in a financial role, fixing the underlying file issue is the most effective path. If the defaults or negative entries were listed in breach of Australian credit reporting law, they can be removed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can employers check your credit score in Australia? Yes — with your written consent and only for roles involving financial responsibility. Most employers don't access your numerical score but rather a report showing defaults, judgements, and serious infringements.

Do employers see your credit score when they do a check? Typically no — employers don't see your numerical credit score. They see a report indicating whether negative credit events (defaults, court judgements, bankruptcy) are recorded. The specific entries are what's relevant to the employment decision, not the score itself.

Can you get a job at a bank with bad credit in Australia? It depends on the role, the bank's policy, and the nature of the credit issue. Minor or older issues may not disqualify you. Significant defaults, court judgements, or bankruptcy are more likely to be problematic for roles involving financial authority. Some banks assess contextually; others apply automatic thresholds.

Do all employers do credit checks in Australia? No — only employers in industries with genuine financial responsibility requirements conduct credit checks, and only with your consent. General employers hiring for non-financial roles do not typically conduct credit checks.

Can bad credit stop you from getting a job in Australia? In financial services, banking, insurance, and government security clearances, bad credit can affect employment prospects for specific roles. If the negative credit entries were unlawfully listed, they can be removed before your employment application — which may resolve the issue entirely.

Why Australians Trust Australian Credit Solutions

Australian Credit Solutions is lawyer-led, ASIC-licensed (ACL 532003), and has operated since 2014. We've helped over 5,000 Australians remove negative credit file entries and access the finance they deserve. Our 98% success rate on accepted cases reflects a simple approach: we only accept cases where we've identified genuine legal grounds. Every case is managed under the supervision of Principal Solicitor Elisa Rothschild BA/LLB (Monash University) — a lawyer, not a call centre. We operate on No Win No Fee: you pay the success component only when we remove an entry from your file. We've won the Industry Excellence Award three consecutive years — 2022, 2023 and 2024. Our 4.9/5 rating from 976+ verified reviews reflects what real clients experience.

All disputes are conducted under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Credit Reporting Code — the laws that govern your rights and creditors' obligations.

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Australian Credit Solutions Pty Ltd holds Australian Credit Licence ACL 532003. Credit repair services are subject to individual assessment. Results may vary. This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.