9 November 2026
Who does this notice affect?
All clients who submit documentation to the department for import assessment via the Cargo Online Lodgement System (COLS) or other departmental approved systems.
Importers, customs brokers, operators of approved arrangement sites, premises with approved recurring appointments and biosecurity entry points managing goods subject to biosecurity and/or imported food inspection.
What has changed?
Import document lodgements and inspection workloads remain elevated and are expected to increase further during the 2026–27 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) season and the lead-up to Christmas. These pressures may affect the department’s ability to meet published service timeframes for non-urgent inspections.
All efforts are being made to manage increased workloads in order to meet published service standards in the Client Service Charter while also effectively managing biosecurity and imported food risks.
How can industry assist?
Industry can assist to ensure timely turnaround by:
For document assessment:
- Using approved arrangement class 19 for all eligible entries with compliant documentation. Entries processed through approved arrangement class 19 continue to increase, enabling industry to self-manage documentary requirements for certain commodities.
- Lodging documents early, well before goods arrive.
- Submitting complete and accurate documentation that meets the department’s minimum documentary requirements and applicable import conditions. Missing or incorrect documents require additional assessment and contribute to delays.
- Ensuring specific additional information is included in the ‘additional information’ field in COLS.
- Always nominating a valid Approved Arrangement (AA) inspection location, preferably with the AA registration number and name, to avoid additional processing delays.
- Do not repeatedly call or email the department checking on the status of a lodgement for document assessment. Instead, use the COLS lodgement status checker by searching your Lodgement Reference Number (LRN).
- We encourage Self Assessed Clearance (SAC) clients to participate in the Document Lodgement Service (DLS). This feature automatically retrieves documents upon referral from the Integrated Cargo System (ICS). Please see Self assessed clearance cargo: how we work with industry for further information.
For inspection bookings:
- Selecting ‘Next available’ in the preferred inspection period when requesting an inspection. This improves inspection availability and provides booking efficiencies. If you select AM or PM only, inspection bookings will be restricted to these periods. Please see the Biosecurity Portal Support guides and frequently asked questions for more information.
- Lodging inspection requests through the Biosecurity Portal. The Biosecurity Portal enables easy management of inspections with the capability to make changes and see updates instantly. Additionally, when using the Portal, clients have access to Agriculture Import Management System (AIMS) direction information and inspection bookings. More information can be found at Biosecurity Portal.
- Keeping Biosecurity Portal business profile information such as contact details, service hours, site access requirements and preferred communication methods up to date. Inaccurate or outdated information can result in delays when scheduling inspections.
- Utilising approved arrangement class 14.4 rural tailgate inspection. Approved arrangement Class 14.4 allows eligible industry participants to perform rural tailgate inspections on certain imported containers that are destined for unpack in a rural area without the need for a booking via the biosecurity portal. More information can be found at Conditions for operating approved arrangements and Class 14.4 Approved Arrangement - Industry support material.
Imported Food options for importers and their customs brokers:
- Entering into a Food Import Compliance Agreement (FICA). Industry participants on a FICA do not have to book or pay for an imported food inspection. Instead, the department monitors compliance by regularly auditing your system. You can choose to have all food commodities imported under a FICA or just certain types of food. More information can be found at Entering into a FICA
- Using virtual inspections for eligible imported foods that have been referred for label and visual inspection. A virtual inspection is conducted in real time using Microsoft Teams via a smart phone or tablet and is generally undertaken within three working days. More information can be found on the Imported food label and visual virtual inspection fact sheet or by emailing importedfood-postinspection@aff.gov.au to register to take part in virtual inspections or to ask any further questions.
Previous links to Imported Food Notices may also be useful IFN 09-23: Imported food virtual label and visual inspections information video. IFN 06-22 - Imported food virtual label and visual inspections - updated.
What are we doing to manage workload demand?
The department has implemented a range of strategies to assist with the management of workload. These include:
- The training of additional Imported Food Assessment officers to help address the increase in Imported Food lodgements.
- Continuation of industry requested service outside of business hours to assess import documents and conduct inspections, subject to resource availability.
- The department is reviewing the risk associated with various imported commodities. This has and continues to result in a lower referral and intervention rate for a number of commodities while maintaining a strong and effective biosecurity system.
- Biosecurity officers providing information during Imported Food inspections regarding the utilisation of Food Import Compliance Agreements (FICA’s) and Imported food label and visual virtual inspections.
- Supporting industry uptake of self-service digital tools, including the Biosecurity Portal's Industry Reporting and Cargo Status Tracker functionality, which provides eligible users with greater visibility of consignments being managed by the department and reduces the need for status enquiries.
Further information
Contact the department on 1800 900 090