Support for the Blue Card Services Organisation Portal
The Organisation Portal helps employers and volunteer organisations manage their blue card records and obligations online.
The portal provides many benefits including:
- a quick and easy way to link employees (volunteer, student and paid)
- receiving real time information about blue card holders, including updates to their blue card status
- viewing and downloading all existing card holders linked to the organisation
- de-linking existing card holders who stop working with the organisation
- making single or multiple payments for existing cardholders and/or new applicants in the one transaction
- adding or removing portal users
- viewing notices, including renewal notices for linked card holders.
The portal assists organisations to manage applications and card holders. It does not remove any obligations for your organisation, such as maintaining an employee register.
Registering for the Organisation Portal
If your organisation would like to use the portal, you need to:
- Check your organisation is regulated by the blue card system.
- Complete ‘The Organisation Portal’ section of the online form.
Once we receive your information, we will send you the details you need to get started. We may contact you if we need more information.
Before using the Organisation Portal, organisations should nominate a portal user responsible for managing blue card obligations and review the Organisation Portal User Guide.
The Organisation Portal works best on desktop or tablet devices. Please use an up-to-date browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. You may encounter issues with older browsers.
Managing the Organisation Portal
Once your portal is set up, you can add as many portal users as needed. Portal users should have a genuine role in managing your organisations blue card records and obligations.
Portal users can view sensitive information and perform all actions available in the portal. Only provide access to authorised people.
Portal user accounts are unique to the individual and must not be shared. Each portal user should have their own account and only be granted access where they have a genuine role in managing blue card obligations.
Portal users are responsible for protecting their login credentials and should always log out when they have finished using the portal.
Refer to the Organisation Portal user guide to learn how to:
- page 7 to create a user account
- page 13 to update and verify account details
- page 20 to manage your portal users.
Regularly review links to help keep your records up to date. The portal provides real-time information about linked applicants and card holders, including application and renewal progress.
Refer to page 24 of the Organisation Portal user guide to learn how to manage your blue card register.
Linking applicants and card holders
Linking allows your organisation to receive important updates about applicants and card holders.
Volunteers and students must be linked before continuing their application.
Applicants and card holders must be linked and approved before starting child-related work.
This includes if their application is withdrawn or their card is suspended or cancelled. It is an offence for an organisation to engage someone working with children if their blue card has been cancelled or suspended—significant penalties apply.
Refer to page 27 of the Organisation Portal user guide to learn how to link applicants and card holders.
De-linking an individual
When a blue or exemption card holder stops working with an organisation, the organisation must notify us. This is a requirement under legislation and can be done through the portal.
Once you de-link a card holder, you can no longer view their blue card status or receive updates about them.
Refer to page 31 of the Organisation Portal user guide to learn how to de-link card holders.
Your organisation can pay for blue card applications and renewals for one or more employees at a time.
A payment can be made when:
- the applicant is applying for the first time, or the card holder is due for renewal and has registered for an online account
- your organisation has created a link with the applicant or card holder.
A valid blue card can only be renewed 16 weeks prior to the expiry date. You will not be able to pay for the renewal more than 16 weeks before expiry.
After making payment, the applicant or card holder will receive an email or text message confirming payment and prompting them to continue their online application.
Payments for a replacement card and volunteer to paid transfers can be made via Bpoint.
You may not be able to make a payment if:
- the applicant has not registered for an online account
- the application has already been paid for
- the card is not yet eligible for renewal.
Refer to page 33 of the Organisation Portal user guide to learn how to make payments.
Portal users can access notices in the portal. Notices provide important information about applicants and card holders.
Portal users will be able to access notices when a:
- blue or exemption card is due to expire
- card holder has submitted an on-time renewal application prior to the expiry date of the current card
- blue or exemption card is issued.
The ‘card due to expire’ notice will appear at 10 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 weeks and 2 days before the cards’ expiration. It will only be issued if the applicant has not yet submitted a renewal form.
If a card holder does not renew before their card expiry date, the link with their organisation will cease when the card expires. In this case, the applicant will need to re-apply, be re-linked to your organisation and will be subject to the No Card, No Link, No Start Laws.
Organisations using the Organisation Portal can access card issue notices, renewal notifications and card expiry reminders through the Notices tab.
Refer to page 38 of the Organisation Portal user guide to learn how to navigate the notices tab.
There are a range of terms that an organisation may come across when using the employee register in the portal.
Some of the more common terms and their meanings are outlined below.
Status | Meaning | Outcome |
Application pending | Applicant has verified identity with TMR but has not applied | Cannot work with children |
Application in progress | Blue or exemption card application is in progress | Cannot work with children (unless applying for an exemption card) |
Valid card and application in progress | Holds valid blue or exemption card and has submitted a renewal application | Can work with children |
Valid card | Blue or exemption card issued and is active | Can work with children |
Valid clearance | Blue or exemption card issued but the card is not active | Can work with children |
No valid card—contact Blue Card Services | Person does not have an application in progress, or a valid card | Cannot work with children |
Negative notice | Person has a current negative notice | Cannot work with children |
Disqualified person | Person is disqualified | Cannot work with children |
Card suspended | Blue or exemption card has been suspended | Cannot work with children |
Linking via the Organisation Portal
The Organisation Portal is an online system that allows organisations to manage their records more easily. This video shows organisations how easy it is to link applicants and card holders to their organisation via the Organisation Portal.