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 commodities | Tariff | In scope for approved arrangement class 19.2? | Date added to the HCI scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green coffee beans (for processing) | 0901.1 | Yes | November 2022 |
| New tyres | 401110, 401120, 401130, 401140, 401170, 401180, 401190 | Yes | August 2024 |
| Whole aircraft | 8801, 8802, 8806 | Yes | August 2024 |
| Machinery and machinery parts | 7307, 7326, 8409, 8412, 8413, 8414, 8423, 8427, 8428, 8429, 8430, 8432, 8433, 8437, 8467, 8479, 8483, 8501 | Yes | August 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 type | When the direction is applied |
|---|---|
| Documentation – HCI documentation | When eligible commodities require a documentation assessment under the HCI scheme. |
| Inspection – HCI inspection | When eligible commodities require inspection under the HCI scheme. |
| Inspection – HCI Inspection – Secure Seals Intact | When eligible goods require a secure seals intact inspection under the HCI scheme. |
| Final directives – Finalised and released | When 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 group | Review level | Inspection rate | Criteria to progress to next level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green coffee beans (for processing) | Census | 100% | 10 consecutive compliant inspections |
| Monitoring | 25% | Ongoing | |
| New tyres; Aircraft and aircraft parts | Census | 100% | 5 consecutive compliant inspections |
| Monitoring | 75% | 10 consecutive compliant inspections | |
| Reduced | 50% | Ongoing | |
| Machinery and parts of machinery | Census | 100% | 25 consecutive compliant inspections |
| Monitoring | 75% | 15 consecutive compliant inspections | |
| Reduced | 50% | 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.