When do you get your White Card after an online course?
Finished your White Card online or in class? You get a Statement of Attainment first and the plastic card later. Here is the timing in your state.
Written byEdway
The short answer
No, you do not get the plastic White Card the moment you finish. You get a Statement of Attainment first, which proves you passed the training. The card follows, on a timeline set by your state. In some states you can start work on your Statement of Attainment while you wait.
One essential requirement for anyone working in the construction industry is obtaining a White Card. After all, it is proof that the holder is knowledgeable in maintaining safety in the workplace. Getting the card in your hand is the whole reason you do the White Card course, so here is exactly how it reaches you.
Statement of Attainment first, card later
Every White Card course ends with a record of your training. For most states this is a Statement of Attainment for CPCWHS1001, the national White Card unit. In NSW you also get a SafeWork NSW Statement of Training.
The plastic card is a separate step. Depending on your state, the card is issued by the regulator or by the RTO, and in some states you have to apply for it yourself. Here is how it works in each state where the course is offered:
- NSW (Training Aid Australia, RTO 91411). You get a SafeWork NSW Statement of Training on the day of a classroom session, or within 3 days for a Zoom class. Training Aid lodges the card application for you. The card is posted, usually within 30 days. If it has not arrived, call SafeWork NSW.
- Victoria (Edway Training, RTO 91401). You get your Statement of Attainment on the day. Edway applies to WorkSafe Victoria for you, and the card is mailed within 60 days.
- South Australia (Edway Training). Edway issues both the Statement of Attainment and the card. The card is printed after the course and posted. You must upload a photo, or the card cannot be printed.
- ACT (Edway Training). You apply to Access Canberra within 60 days and pay its fee. Allow up to a month for assessment, then the card is posted within 2 weeks.
- Tasmania (Edway Training). You take your Statement of Attainment, the application form and ID to Service Tasmania within 60 days and pay the fee. WorkSafe Tasmania then posts the card.
- Western Australia (Edway Training). Edway issues both the Statement of Attainment and the WA construction induction card, and posts the card. WA residents only.
Can you start work while you wait?
In several states your training record gets you on site straight away. Here is what each state allows:
- NSW. Your Statement of Training lets you work for 60 days while the card is on its way.
- Victoria. Your Statement of Attainment is valid for work for 60 days.
- ACT. You can work on your Access Canberra receipt plus your Statement of Attainment.
- Tasmania. Some employers let you start with your Statement of Attainment and the Service Tasmania receipt. Check with your employer and WorkSafe Tasmania first.
Whatever your state, your employer decides what proof they accept on their site. Ask them before your first shift.
White Card online: same timeline?
We all love the convenience of being able to do things online, and a White Card online course brings that convenience to construction induction training. Self-paced online White Card is only offered in Tasmania and Western Australia. You study at your own pace, about 6.5 hours in total, and you have 2 months from enrolment to finish. Once you pass, the card steps for your state start, the same as for a classroom course.
In NSW you cannot do the White Card self-paced online. You can do a live Zoom class instead, and you must be in NSW during the class. Being able to do your White Card training via Zoom is flexible and convenient. You don't need to travel great distances to attend training, and you still get face-to-face training with an instructor. Victoria is classroom only. South Australia and the ACT run live Zoom classes. Our guide can I do my White Card online? explains each option.
Online changes how you learn, and your state's card steps stay exactly the same. Finish your course a few weeks before you need to start work.
Once you have it, the White Card is recognised in every state. It does not have a printed expiry date, but it can lapse if you spend 2 years or more out of construction work. Our guide on how to get a White Card covers the whole process from booking to card.
Next step
Book now and get your White Card as soon as possible. Pick your state on the course page to see the study options, the issuing RTO and the card steps that apply to you. The price is on the course page. That way you see the White Card cost for your state before you book. Go to the White Card course page to book.
Sources
- Edway knowledge base — courses/white-card/index.mdCourse facts, delivery modes, self-paced study time
- Edway knowledge base — courses/white-card/offerings.yamlWhich states offer self-paced online, Zoom and classroom; issuing RTO per state
- Edway knowledge base — courses/white-card/recognition.mdPer-state card issue steps and timing, working before the card arrives
- Edway knowledge base — courses/white-card/faq.yamlCard timing and interim proof questions
