In a speech to the annual ACT Labor conference, Chief Minister Andrew Barr said "where labour hire is engaged, people working side-by-side often don't receive the same pay or rights for the same work".

"This is why the ACT government will move to license labour hire companies who engage in work in the ACT," Mr Barr said.

The move means labour hire companies must have a licence to operate in the territory and it will be unlawful for companies to use a labour hire company without a licence.

Companies would need to prove a history of complying with work health and safety rules and correct payments in order to gain and retain a licence.

The details of the ACT scheme are yet to be confirmed, but the chief minister said the government would look at existing systems in Victoria, South Australia and Queensland in developing the program.

The chief minister denied the government was motivated to introduce the laws by the federal court case alleging $700,000 of wages hadn't been paid to construction workers on the light rail project.

"There are examples of other projects around the country that have demonstrated the need for this sort of work," Mr Barr said.

Companies found to be "serial offenders" wouldn't get a licence under the system, the chief minister said.