Australian Security Clearances

Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA)

The AGSVA is responsible for granting, revalidating and re-evaluating security clearances for the Commonwealth (excluding other authorised vetting agencies) in compliance with Australian Government protective security policies. The AGSVA promotes government national security objectives by assessing the eligibility and suitability of people who require access to security protected or other sensitive official information or assets to do their work.

For more information please visit: https://www.agsva.gov.au/

DISP Membership

In April 2014, HTR was first granted membership for the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP).

This facility has helped HTR to expedite the Security Clearances for Defence Personnel. Currently HTR can process clearances up to and including NV1.

Recently, in November 2021, HTR’s accreditation was assessed and renewed.

As HTR is a member of the DISP, we are able to take the following actions for our team and our contractors:

  • Sponsor existing security clearances;
  • Revalidate expiring security clearances; and
  • Request upgrades to existing security clearances.

For individuals without a security clearance wishing to apply for roles with HTR that have a security clearance requirement, HTR is also able to initiate a security clearance applications on a case-by-case basis, subject to a review and screening process.

Annual Security Awareness Training

HTR can assist individuals and organisations with the delivery and maintenance of Annual Security Awareness Training, through our online Learning Management System (LMS).

This training is a requirement for security cleared and non-security cleared personnel, contractors and others who will have access to Australian Government resources.

Contact us to discuss your training requirements via [email protected]

The four levels of personnel security clearances are:

  • BASELINE entails screening to permit ongoing access to Australian Government resources security classified up to and including the PROTECTED level. This is the mandatory minimum clearance for Defence civilians and Defence contractors;
  • NEGATIVE VETTING – LEVEL 1 (NV1); a suitability assessment that permits ongoing access up to SECRET information and assets. The suitability assessment includes BASELINE plus additional suitability checks.
  • NEGATIVE VETTING – LEVEL 2 (NV2); a background investigation that permits ongoing access to up to TOP SECRET information and assets. The investigation includes BASELINE plus additional suitability checks as well as background interviews. An NV2 security clearance will be sufficient for most roles requiring intermittent access to TOP SECRET classified resources
  • POSITIVE VETTING (PV); permits access to resources at all classification levels, including certain types of caveated and code-word information, and usually relates to employment in an Australian Intelligence Community agency. PV clearances must be approved by the appropriate authority and should only be sought where there is a demonstrated need to access extremely sensitive information, capabilities, operations and systems.

For further information regarding your responsibilities and the security clearance process, you can find the AGSVA Frequently Asked Questions and the AGSVA Security Clearance Applicant Guide Book here.

Application Timeframes

Once a clearance application is initiated, clearance applicants have up to 20 business days to complete the application via myClearance. AGSVA aims to assess the completeness of the application within 10 business days. Once the application is assessed as complete, then the assessment timeframe commences.

AGSVA aims to finalise the security clearance assessment within the below timeframes:

Baseline – 20 business days
Negative Vetting 1 – 70 business days
Negative Vetting 2 – 100 business days
Positive Vetting – 180 business days

Clearance applicants can view the progress of a security clearance assessment in myClearance.

For more guidance regarding factors that may affect the timeframe, please see:
https://www.agsva.gov.au/applicants/timeframes