Verifying your work rights
Personal identity and work rights confirmation
Prior to commencing employment with the University of Sydney, you will need to provide certified copies of the following identity and work rights documentation.
To confirm Australian or New Zealand citizenship please provide documents in accordance with one of the following options:
- Australian or New Zealand passport photo identification page
- Australian full birth certificate (acceptable if born before 20 August 1986) and a form of photo identification
- Australian full birth certificate for individuals born on or after 20 August 1986, must be accompanied by evidence that one of your parents was an Australian citizen or permanent resident at the time of your birth, and a form of photo identification
- Evidence of Australian citizenship and a form of photo identification
- Certificate of Status for New Zealand citizens in Australia and a form of photo identification.
To confirm Australian permanent resident and work rights status, please provide:
- A valid photo identification page of a passport that has your current electronic Australian permanent resident visa attached to
- Your permanent visa grant notice letter or Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) check.
To confirm your citizenship and work rights status please provide:
- A valid photo identification page of a passport that has your current electronic Australian temporary resident visa attached to; and
- Your temporary visa grant notice or Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) check.
Should you have any questions in relation to documentation required prior to commencing employment, please contact the HR Service Centre on +61 (0)2 9351 2000 or hr.servicecentre@sydney.edu.au
Certification of documents
The following guidelines are applicable to the certification of any documents being submitted to the University of Sydney for the purposes of your employment. In some countries, certification of documents can also be referred to as “notarization” of documents.
A certified (or notarized) copy of a document is a photocopy (or scan) of the original that has been certified as a true copy of the original by an authorised officer.
People from the following professional and occupational groups:
- An accountant – member of a recognised professional accounting body or a Registered Tax Agent
- a judge, barrister, solicitor or patent attorney
- a Commissioner for Affidavits, Declarations or Oaths
- a bail justice or sheriff
- a police officer
- a postal manager
- a principal of an Australian secondary college, high school or primary school
- a medical practitioner
- a Justice of the Peace (with a registration number in the State in which they are registered)
- a minister of religion
Who can certify documents in Australia?
- An officer at a tertiary admissions centre: UAC, VTAC, QTAC, SATAC, TISC
- staff members of the University of Sydney
- Admissions Officer or Student Services Office at any Australian university or TAFE college
- the official records department of the institution that originally issued the document(s).
- an authorised officer of an Australia overseas diplomatic mission
- staff members of the University of Sydney
- an authorised officer of an Australian Education Centre
- an authorised agent of the University approved by the University of Sydney International Office (a list is held by the International Office)
- a school headmaster or other recognised examining authority
- a Notary Public
- authorised officer in accordance with local legislation/practice.
The original document must be viewed by the certifier and they must personally copy the original document and verify it by completing the following:
- Use a stamp or write by hand on the copy: “This is a true copy of the original document sighted by me” on each page of the document
- Sign the statement on each page
- Write by hand the following details: - name and business address - contact telephone number - profession or occupational group (as listed above) - date verified
- Affix the official stamp or seal of the verifier's organisation on the copy, if the organisation has such a stamp, and
- If the certifying officer is a Justice of the Peace the certifying officer must list the registration number and Australian state/territory of registration
These are examples of documents that we can't accept because they haven't been certified properly:
- documents verified by an immediate relative or a person residing at the same address as the applicant
- documents that are photocopies or scanned copies without certification
- documents that are certified copies of copies or scanned copies. It must be clear the certifying authority/person has sighted the original document
- documents that have not been correctly verified or
- documents verified by a Justice of the Peace without a registration number.
All of your supporting documents must be true and complete records. You should be prepared to provide original documents or original certified copies of supporting documents upon request at any time.
Detailed checking of supporting documents is an inherent element of our employment process and may involve contacting the original issuing authority, or relevant tertiary admissions centre, educational or other relevant organisation or individual, whether in Australia or overseas, to verify documents. A failure to provide documents on request, or the discovery of either fraudulent documents or a misrepresentation of true circumstances in association with your employment, may lead to the withdrawal of your offer of employment.