Officer requires years just to get protection for work (9)
I believe the answer is:
copyright
'protection for work' is the definition.
(legal protection)
'officer requires years just' is the wordplay.
'officer' becomes 'cop' (cop is a kind of officer).
'requires' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'years' becomes 'y' (abbreviation).
'just' becomes 'right' (similar in meaning).
'cop'+'y'+'right'='COPYRIGHT'
'to get' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for copyright that I've seen before include "it gives one freedom to reproduce" , "Document granting exclusive right to publish" , "Protected" , "Protection for writer" , "Legal control of literary or artistic work" .)