Is NSW contract cleaning worker registration free and ongoing?

Yes—the NSW contract cleaning worker registration service has no fee, and its duration is ongoing unless it is cancelled or suspended, according to Long Service Corporation’s worker-registration guidance on ABLIS. Employers must notify the agency of a worker’s start date within 3 months of the start of employment in the industry, and the worker becomes registered when the agency processes the notification. The separate ABLIS employer-registration page, which lists The Treasury and Long Service Corporation as the administering bodies, says employers must pay a levy as part of their quarterly return; this is separate from the worker’s no-fee registration (figures checked 1 October 2026).

How does a worker become registered?

The registration process starts with the employer, not with a separate worker fee.

Is every cleaner eligible for worker registration?

The listed definition covers a person employed under a contract of service by an employer to perform commercial and domestic cleaning work. It applies to full-time, part-time and casual workers.

Examples of cleaning work listed under the scheme include:

• mopping, vacuuming, dusting and sweeping;
• carpet cleaning;
• high-pressure cleaning of pavers, walkways and buildings;
• window and gutter cleaning;
• graffiti removal;
• swimming pool cleaning, but not repair or maintenance work;
• housekeeping;
• cleaning of stadiums and public areas;
• cleaning and sanitisation of food processing plants; and
• trolley collection.

The scheme does not cover workers who are:

• office staff;
• a partner in a partnership;
• a director of a company;
• a trustee of a trust;
• employees of Commonwealth, State, Territory or Local Government bodies; or
• workers who clean their employer’s premises.

Is worker registration the same as employer registration?

No. They are separate parts of the scheme.

A business operator that employs workers to perform cleaning work on wages or salary must apply for employer registration. Employer registration provides long service leave entitlements that are portable between employers.

The employer must also pay a levy as part of its quarterly return. The ABLIS employer-registration page does not list a levy amount, so the worker registration’s no-fee status should not be treated as a waiver of that separate employer obligation. A person engaged solely to supervise workers is not eligible for employer registration.

What should workers and employers check before acting?

Check the current regulator page for the latest worker eligibility, notification, registration and employer-levy requirements. If the question relates to insurance, read the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS); registration in the long service leave scheme does not by itself confirm that insurance cover is in place.

This is general information, not financial or legal advice.

Sources

• Contract Cleaning Industry Worker Registration - Long Service Leave Scheme - NSW - Australian Business Licence and Information Service
• Contract Cleaning Industry Employer Registration - Long Service Leave - NSW - Australian Business Licence and Information Service

FAQ

Is NSW contract cleaning worker registration free?

Yes. The worker-registration service has no fee. That does not remove an employer’s separate obligation to pay a levy through its quarterly return.

How long does worker registration last?

The duration is ongoing unless the registration is cancelled or suspended.

When must an employer notify the agency?

The employer must notify the agency of the worker’s start date within 3 months of the start of employment in the industry.

When does the worker become registered?

The worker becomes registered when the agency processes the notification. The agency then supplies the worker with a unique registration number.

Does the worker pay the quarterly-return levy?

No. The quarterly-return levy is an employer obligation and is separate from the no-fee worker registration.