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Who needs to be trained on AML/CTF?

Everyone in your business who deals with clients, handles transactions, or has compliance responsibilities needs AML/CTF training. This includes owners, managers, client-facing staff, and support staff who process documentation. Training must be ongoing - not just a one-time requirement. easyAML provides role-based training so staff only complete the modules relevant to their job.

Who Specifically Needs Training

Business Owners and Partners

Even if you don't deal with clients directly, you're responsible for compliance. You need to understand your legal obligations, what your AML program requires, potential liability, and how to recognize when something isn't right.

Compliance Officers

Your designated compliance officer needs comprehensive training on all AML/CTF requirements, risk assessments, reporting obligations to AUSTRAC, investigating suspicious activity, and record-keeping.

Client-Facing Staff

Anyone who interacts with clients needs training on what identification to collect, how to verify documents, red flags for suspicious activity, when to escalate concerns, and customer due diligence procedures.

Examples: Real estate agents, lawyers conducting client interviews, accountants meeting with clients, financial advisors, reception staff.

Administrative and Support Staff

Staff who don't meet clients but handle documentation need training on what records to maintain, how long to keep them, protecting confidential information, and when to flag unusual documentation.

Examples: Paralegals processing settlement documents, administrative staff filing records, bookkeepers handling transactions.

Senior Management

Managers and supervisors need training on oversight responsibilities, reviewing high-risk clients, handling staff concerns about suspicious activity, and when to escalate issues.

What Training Must Cover

AUSTRAC requires training to address:

  1. Your AML/CTF Program - What your specific program requires, roles and responsibilities
  2. Legal Obligations - AML/CTF laws, consequences of non-compliance, individual responsibilities
  3. Customer Due Diligence - Acceptable documents, identity verification, enhanced due diligence, beneficial owners
  4. Recognizing Suspicious Activity - Red flags, money laundering techniques, unusual transactions
  5. Reporting Requirements - What to report, how to submit, confidentiality obligations, protection from liability
  6. Record Keeping - What to maintain, retention periods (7 years minimum), protecting client information

How Often Training is Required

Initial Training:

  • All new staff before they start client-facing work
  • Existing staff when AML obligations begin (e.g., Tranche 2 from July 2026)

Ongoing Training:

  • At least annually for all staff
  • When your AML program changes
  • When laws or regulations change
  • When new risks emerge

What "Trained" Actually Means

Training isn't just sending staff a document to read. Effective training means staff understand the material, can apply it in their work, know when to ask questions, and are comfortable raising concerns.

How easyAML Makes Training Easy

easyAML provides role-based online training modules that ensure staff only complete what's relevant to their position

Benefits:

  • Staff don't waste time on irrelevant content
  • Training is tailored to actual job responsibilities
  • Completion tracking for AUSTRAC compliance
  • Automatic updates when laws change
  • Knowledge checks ensure understanding
  • Certificates generated automatically

Example: Your receptionist completes a couple of 15-minute basic modules, while your compliance officer completes multiple training modules spanning the business, act, program and risk. Everyone gets exactly what they need.

Documenting Your Training

You must keep records proving you trained staff:

  • Who was trained
  • When they were trained
  • What topics were covered
  • Evidence they completed it

Keep records for 7 years. If you can't prove you trained someone, AUSTRAC treats it as if you didn't.

easyAML automatically maintains these records for you.

The Cost of Not Training

Untrained staff can miss red flags, accept inadequate identification, fail to report suspicious activity, create compliance breaches, and expose your business to AUSTRAC penalties.

Real consequence: Many AUSTRAC enforcement actions cite "inadequate staff training" as a key failure.

Everyone who interacts with clients, handles their information, or processes transactions needs AML/CTF training appropriate to their role. Training isn't optional or one-time - it's an ongoing legal requirement.

easyAML's role-based approach means staff get exactly the training they need for their job - no more, no less.

What To Do Next

  1. Identify who needs training - List everyone who touches client work
  2. Assign appropriate modules - Use easyAML's role-based training
  3. Train before they start - No client contact until training is complete
  4. Schedule annual refreshers - easyAML manages this for you!
  5. Track completion - easyAML documents everything automatically

Remember: Well-trained staff protect your business from being exploited by criminals and from AUSTRAC penalties. With easyAML's role-based modules, training is efficient and targeted.