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Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Import
  4. Arrival of goods in Australia
  5. Clearance and inspection of goods
  6. Highly compliant importer scheme

Sidebar first - Import

  • Clearance and inspection
    • Abandoned goods notice
    • Air courier fees
    • Cargo compliance verification
    • Documentary requirements for imported goods
      • Lodgement of import documentation via email
      • Entity Identifier (AEI)
    • Clearance of cargo containers
    • Container and break bulk discharge
      • Notification form for container and break bulk arrival/s
    • Compliance-Based Intervention Scheme (CBIS)
    • Highly Compliant Importer (HCI) scheme
    • Request for biosecurity inspection at non-Approved Arrangement site
    • Request for inspection form
    • Request for permission to dispose of goods/conveyance

Highly compliant importer scheme

The highly compliant importer (HCI) scheme is a reduced inspection intervention scheme. To qualify for the HCI scheme, importers need to ensure eligible commodities consistently comply with Australia’s biosecurity import requirements and pass inspection. The HCI scheme aligns with the Biosecurity Compliance Statement where, for certain commodities, we may reduce border control referrals when strong compliance history is demonstrated.

Benefits and cost savings

The HCI scheme provides importers with the following benefits:

  • no application process
  • reduced inspections and associated fees
  • it can be used in conjunction with the approved arrangement class 19.2 automatic entry processing for commodities (AEPCOMM).

Eligible commodities

The following table lists eligible commodities under the HCI scheme. Further commodities will be added to the scheme in future system releases.

Eligible commoditiesTariffIn scope for approved arrangement class 19.2?Date added to the HCI scheme
Green coffee beans (for processing)0901.1YesNovember 2022
New tyres401110, 401120, 401130, 401140, 401170, 401180, 401190YesAugust 2024
Whole aircraft8801, 8802, 8806YesAugust 2024
Machinery and machinery parts7307, 7326, 8409, 8412, 8413, 8414, 8423, 8427, 8428, 8429, 8430, 8432, 8433, 8437, 8467, 8479, 8483, 8501YesAugust 2024

HCI scheme exclusions

Instances where eligible commodities will not process under the HCI rules include when:

  • higher system rules and profiles have been applied to the entry (e.g.: supplier importer profiles (SIP) and Cargo Compliance Verification (CCV))
  • an Automatic Entry Processing (AEP) error has occurred on the entry
  • a class 19.1: Non-commodity for Containerised Cargo Clearance (NCCC) verification is due
  • NCCC concerns, other than rural, are declared.

HCI directions

Once an importer has qualified for the HCI scheme, directions will automatically be applied in the Agriculture Import Management System (AIMS). The following table details HCI specific directions.

Direction typeWhen the direction is applied
Documentation – HCI documentationWhen eligible commodities require a documentation assessment under the HCI scheme.
Inspection – HCI inspectionWhen eligible commodities require inspection under the HCI scheme.
Inspection – HCI Inspection – Secure Seals IntactWhen eligible goods require a secure seals intact inspection under the HCI scheme.
Final directives – Finalised and releasedWhen eligible commodities have been released from biosecurity control. The direction comments will state the goods have been released under the HCI scheme.

Compliance model

The following table details qualification numbers and how compliance will be monitored under the HCI scheme.

Commodity groupReview levelInspection rateCriteria to progress to next level
Green coffee beans (for processing)Census100%10 consecutive compliant inspections
Monitoring25%Ongoing
New tyres; Aircraft and aircraft partsCensus100%5 consecutive compliant inspections
Monitoring75%10 consecutive compliant inspections
Reduced50%Ongoing
Machinery and parts of machineryCensus100%25 consecutive compliant inspections
Monitoring75%15 consecutive compliant inspections
Reduced50%Ongoing

If an eligible commodity fails a HCI inspection, the importer will be subject to either:

  • an increased inspection rate
  • the inspection rate remaining at 100%.

Note: a HCI inspection failure is not recorded as 'non-compliance' under the HCI scheme or the approved arrangement class 19.

Contact us

Email the AEP Support team for more information on the HCI scheme.

HCI general information

The HCI scheme is applied automatically by the q-ruler to eligible products in AIMS. The q-ruler is the component of AIMS which applies rules relating to biosecurity concerns. The q-ruler checks a series of complex hierarchy system rules, based on biosecurity risk level. A consignment will process through each hierarchy until there is a 'match' and in some instances, the q-ruler will issue an automated direction. If goods are eligible for the HCI scheme, the q-ruler will group together all lines on an entry that are from the same commodity group, and will apply one outcome for those lines (i.e. inspection or a release from biosecurity control).

There is no application process to qualify for the scheme. The AIMS q-ruler will automatically monitor an importer’s compliance history count and place eligible importers onto the scheme once they meet the qualification number. Please refer to the compliance model section for more information on the qualification number.

The HCI scheme is not limited to lodgements under the approved arrangement class 19. If brokers are not class 19.2 accredited, they can submit documents to be processed and still be eligible under the HCI scheme.

Once the AIMS q-ruler processes lines in scope of the approved arrangement class 19.2, it will then check if the goods are eligible for the HCI scheme and either direct the goods for inspection or release the goods.

The AEPCOMM code 'INS' will always be the AEP outcome for goods eligible under the HCI scheme. The AIMS q-ruler will then determine if the goods are due for an inspection.

HCI is not an approved arrangement.

Goods can still be eligible for the HCI scheme if the entry is subject to an approved arrangement class 19.2 verification. Once the verification has been performed, assessment officers will determine if a HCI inspection is due or not due and either direct the goods for inspection or release the goods.

The HCI q-ruler functionality works in a similar way to the CBIS process. However, HCI functionality will monitor compliance by instance, or at entry level or commodity group level, rather than assigning a different outcome per commodity line. The HCI scheme will group together all lines on an entry that are from the same commodity group and apply one direction. The HCI scheme also has the flexibility to work in conjunction with the approved arrangement class 19, or it can work on its own.

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Page last updated: 06 August 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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