How do I get a Rail Industry Worker card?

SCAM ALERT: Please be aware of a current job scam involving RIW cards. Please read SCAM ALERT - Job offers, RIW cards and training for more information. 


The only way to get an RIW card is through your employer, or by applying as per the process below.





RIW Card Application
Please go to https://www.riw.net.au/contact-us/request-a-service/ and select category & sub-category mentioned in the below screenshot to apply for a Rail Industry Worker card if you are completely new to rail and require only an RIW card. The cost of this application is AUD $250.00 (+GST), which includes: 
  • Your first year’s annual cardholder subscription. 
  • Mandatory ID check.
  • Physical RIW card posted to your nominated address.
  • Virtual RIW card issued to your smart device.
  • Access to myRIW, your online RIW portal.

Please refer to the terms and conditions below before applying.


RIW Card Application + Job Ready
If you already have some qualifications, competencies, or a rail health (medical) assessment, and would like these added to your RIW profile, then you can apply for a Rail Industry Worker card + Job Ready on https://www.riw.net.au/contact-us/request-a-service/ by selecting category & sub-category mentioned in the below screenshot.
The cost of this application is AUD $310.00 (+GST), which includes:
  • Your first year’s annual cardholder subscription.
  • Mandatory ID check.
  • Physical RIW card posted to your nominated address.
  • Virtual RIW card issued to your smart device.
  • Access to myRIW, your online RIW portal.
  • Qualifications and competencies added to your RIW profile.
  • Rail health (medical) assessment and drug & alcohol assessment added to your RIW profile.

Please refer to the terms and conditions below before applying.


RIW Update Existing Worker
The " Update existing RIW worker " option is intended for companies or cardholders who want to engage MTA to update their profile as a one-off. To apply for this, please go to https://www.riw.net.au/contact-us/request-a-service/ and select category & sub-category mentioned in the below screenshot:
The cost of this application will vary depending on what you request to be updated: 
  • Yearly Subscription - $140 +GST
  • 5-year card re-issue (includes yearly subscription) - $200+GST
  • 10-Year card re-issue (includes yearly subscription + ID check) - $240+GST
  • Replacement card - $90+GST
  • Upload Competencies (up to 10) – $40+GST
  • Upload Competencies (up to 20) – $80+GST
  • Assign Roles – $20+GST
  • Assign e-learning (any eLearning course cost will be incurred by the cardholder) – $10+GST
  • Emergency Contact – $10+GST
  • Update Contact Details – $10+GST 
  • Change of name documentation (stat dec) – $10+GST

Please refer to the terms and conditions below before applying.


RIW Card Application + Job Ready Small Business / Individual
If you are a Sole-Trader, small business or individual and would like assistance in getting ready to start on a Rail construction site. We can provide guidance on being job ready. We can upload your competencies, tickets and rail medical and assign any eLearning and job roles you might need. You can apply for a Rail Industry Worker card + Job Ready Sole-Traders here. To apply for this, please go to https://www.riw.net.au/contact-us/request-a-service/ and select category & sub-category mentioned in the below screenshot:To apply for this, please go to https://www.riw.net.au/contact-us/request-a-service/ and select category & sub-category mentioned in the below screenshot:
The cost of this application is AUD $420.00 (+GST), which includes:

  • Your first year’s annual cardholder subscription. 
  • Mandatory ID check.
  • Physical RIW card posted to your nominated address.
  • Virtual RIW card issued to your smart device.
  • Access to myRIW, your online RIW portal.
  • Assignment fast-tracked upload and verification of National, Network, Project, Site and where applicable employer competencies. 
  • Rail health (medical) assessment and drug & alcohol assessment added to your RIW profile.
  • Assignment of National, Network, and where applicable employer job roles.
  • Assign you the required eLearning 
  • Provide guidance on any missing training/competencies that are required
  • Provide guidance on what level of rail medical you require
  • Provide guidance and ensure you are compliant with the relevant network(s) and projects(s) you are required to access

Please refer to the terms and conditions below before applying.



RIW Small Business Administration Service
We can provide ongoing administrative support for sole traders, individuals and small businesses, offering RIW annual administration support for a nominal fee. With the RIW Sole-Traders Administration service, we will manage the administration of your RIW card, ensuring compliance on-site for you or your workers. This support ensures cardholders remain compliant and fit for duty, empowering small businesses to meet industry standards and seize job opportunities in the rail. Before you apply for this service you must already have an RIW card. You can apply for an RIW Small Business Administration Service here.  To apply for this, please go to https://www.riw.net.au/contact-us/request-a-service/ and select category & sub-category mentioned in the below screenshot:


The cost of this application is AUD $270.00 (+GST) for the first person, AUD $120 +(GST) for the extra people, which includes:
  • Management of physical and virtual RIW card issuing 
  • Assignment fast-tracked upload and verification of National, Network, Project, Site and where applicable employer competencies. 
  • Rail health (medical) assessment and drug & alcohol assessment added to the RIW cardholder profiles.
  • Management of employment and association requests 
  • On-boarding and off-boarding of new RIW cardholders
  • Assignment of e-Learning.
  • Provide relevant links to mandatory Network and Project Induction information and ensuring workers are compliant
  • Providing guidance on accepted Registered Training Organisations (RTO) for relevant network 
  • Providing guidance on accepted Authorised health professionals (AHP) for relevant networks
  • Tailored company reporting for example.
    • Competency expiry reports
    • Job roles validity reports
    • Cards new, 5-year card reissue reports
    • Medical reports
    • Workers Subscription reports
  • Management of overall workforce compliance 
  • Management of administration activities

Please refer to the terms and conditions below before applying.



What is a Rail Industry Worker (RIW) card?

A RIW card links to your RIW profile and assures Network Operators, Principal Contractors, and other rail contractors that you are fit, qualified and competent to work in rail. You can use your RIW card to swipe onto a worksite, where your RIW profile is checked for compliance in real time against the site requirements set by the rail Network Operator or Principal Contractor.

 

Your RIW profile must be managed by an employer registered in the RIW System, which may be a company you work for or yourself if you operate as a sole trader. Your RIW profile stores your competencies, qualifications, job roles, and rail health (medical) assessments. These requirements are set by the rail Network Operator or Principal Contractor where you work.


Sole traders or small businesses can also use the following services to manage their RIW profile:

  1. RIW Application + JobReady–Small Business/Individuals to initially set up your RIW profile; and 
  2. RIW Small Business Administration Services to assist with the administration and management of your RIW profile.  Click here for the list of services provided.    

 

You can monitor your RIW profile in myRIW to view current and expiring competencies or the status of your rail health assessments. Additionally, you can also view your site access history and the companies you have approved to view or manage your profile and access your details.


Terms and conditions of applying direct for a Rail Industry Worker card.

Having an RIW card does not automatically allow you to perform work as a rail safety worker.  To use your RIW card you must have an employer manage your RIW profile in the RIW System. This is either a registered RIW company or yourself as a sole trader. Employers can send you an employment request, which you can approve in myRIW, and they are responsible for adding the necessary competencies, job roles or rail health (medical) assessment to your RIW profile for the work you intend to do. These requirements are set by the rail Network Operator or Principal Contractor where you work.


If you are about to undertake training or a rail health (medical) assessment, you can provide your RIW card to the participating Registered Training Organisation or Authorised Health Professional, who can directly upload competency certificates or rail health (medical) assessments to your RIW profile. 

 

Metro Trains Australia Pty Ltd (MTA), as the operator of the RIW Program, will be listed as your initial employer in the RIW System. This listing does not create any legal relationship or other rights and obligations of employer and employee between MTA and you. Once your RIW profile and RIW card has been produced, this relationship will be immediately ended, allowing you to approve another employer in the RIW System to manage your RIW profile going forward.

 

When you directly apply for an RIW card, you agree to:

  1. Provide accurate and complete information to support your direct application for an RIW card; and
  2. The Permission Access Agreement as a condition of your participation in the RIW Program.


The information you provide in your RIW application will be managed in accordance with the Privacy Policy for the RIW Program. The identification documents you provide during your application are only used for the purpose of completing the identification check, and are not stored or retained by MTA. Identification documents are deleted after successfully verifying your identity.


Terms and conditions for JobReady 

These terms and conditions apply to the following services (collectively referred to as the JobReady Services):

  • RIW Application
  • RIW Application + JobReady
  • RIW Application + JobReady-Small Business/Individuals 
  • RIW Small Business Administration Service
  • RIW Update Existing Worker 

 

Having an RIW card does not automatically allow you to perform work as a rail safety worker.  To use your RIW card you must either: 

 

  1. Use RIW Updated Existing Worker to manage your RIW profile in the RIW System, including to renew your subscription and to add the necessary competencies, job roles or rail health (medical) assessment to your RIW profile for the work you intend to do; or
  2. Have an employer manage your RIW profile in the RIW System. This is either a registered RIW company or yourself as a sole trader. Employers can send you an employment request, which you can approve in myRIW, and they are responsible for adding the necessary competencies, job roles or rail health (medical) assessment to your RIW profile for the work you intend to do.

 

Metro Trains Australia Pty Ltd (MTA), as the operator of the RIW Program, will be listed as your employer in the RIW System for RIW Application, RIW + JobReady Application and RIW Application + JobReady–Small Business/Individuals. This listing does not create any legal relationship or other rights and obligations of employer and employee between MTA and you. Once your RIW profile and RIW card has been produced, this relationship will be immediately ended, allowing you to use RIW Updated Existing Worker or approve another employer in the RIW System to manage your RIW profile going forward.

 

When you, use JobReady Services you agree to:

  1. Provide accurate and complete information to support your application and/or RIW compliance; and
  2. The Permission Access Agreement as a condition of your participation in the RIW Program.

 

The information you provide for JobReady Services will be managed in accordance with the Privacy Policy for the RIW Program. The identification documents you provide during your application are only used for the purpose of completing the identification check and are not stored or retained by MTA. Identification documents are deleted after successfully verifying your identity.

 

IMPORTANT! 

  • Cancellation of a Rail Industry Worker card application will incur a $75.00+GST administrative fee, which will be deducted from the refund amount.
  • No refund once you have submitted a Rail Industry Worker Update Existing Worker.
  • No refund once you have submitted a Small Business Administration Service.

Article Link:

https://support.riw.net.au/support/solutions/articles/51000029877

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Why do I need a Rail Industry Worker card?


The Rail Network Operators participating in the RIW Program require all workers to maintain an RIW card to demonstrate competency to safely undertake rail work on their networks. 


The below operators are member of the RIW program:

  

All work carried out on the above rail networks is managed through the RIW cards and system. 


Where the rail environment interfaces with civil construction, you can also confirm competency and site access requirements with the relevant Network Operator or Contractor-In-Charge. 


You can also find a list of project sites which mandate RIW cards for workers here.


Article Link:

https://support.riw.net.au/support/solutions/articles/51000077547

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What are the minimum requirements to use a Rail Industry Worker card?


To use a Rail Industry Worker (RIW) card, a cardholder must have:

  • A physical or virtual RIW card;
  • A primary employer;
  • A current cardholder subscription (paid annually);
  • The necessary competencies and/or rail health (medical) category level to meet the requirements of the job role being undertaken on site.
  • No current National, Network, or site blocks placed on their profile.


Contact should be made with the Network Operator or Contractor in Charge to determine what job roles and/or competencies are required for site access prior to entry.


Article Link:

https://support.riw.net.au/support/solutions/articles/51000029916


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