Compare Australian government careers
Side-by-side comparisons of police forces, Defence entry routes, the APS and state public services: tests, fitness standards, clearances, training and how long hiring takes.
NSW Police Officer vs Victoria Police Officer
Both are large state forces with a statewide posting obligation, but the entry routes differ.
Victoria Police Officer vs AFP Police Recruit
Victoria Police polices one state, with general duties first and specialist roles later.
Queensland Police Officer vs WA Police Officer
Both forces accept applicants from 17 and a half and both post officers across huge regional areas.
SA Police Officer vs Victoria Police Officer
SAPOL's written hurdle is narrower: the SAPOL Recruitment Test through TAFE SA checks reading and writing only (60% in each), after spelling and numeracy were removed on 14 April 2025, and degree holders can be exempt.
AFP Police Recruit vs ABF Officer (BFORT)
Both are federal law enforcement careers, but the work differs.
APS Graduate Program vs APS Entry Level (APS 1-4)
The Australian Government Graduate Program is for people with a recent degree: applications open around March for the following year's intake, in streams such as Generalist, Data, Digital, Economist, Legal, HR, STEM and Accounting and Financial Management, with a structured graduate year.
APS Graduate Program vs DFAT Graduate
DFAT runs its own graduate program for policy and consular careers, with an aim of overseas postings later; the AGGP streams place graduates across many agencies.
ADF General Entry vs ADF Officer Entry
Both start with ADF Careers, aptitude testing (general and mathematical ability) and an assessment session with medical, psychology and Defence interviews.
ABF Officer (BFORT) vs Airport Screening Officer
Both work at airports, but they are different employers and powers.
Correctional Officer vs NSW Police Officer
Both are uniformed, shift-based state careers that test judgement, communication and integrity.
Career Firefighter vs 000 Call-Taker
Both are core emergency-service careers.
NSW Public Service vs Victorian Public Service
NSW government jobs are advertised on I work for NSW and assessed against the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework (16 core capabilities in 4 groups, at 5 levels), often with capability-based questions, online assessments and a targeted interview.
ATO Officer vs APS Entry Level (APS 1-4)
ATO jobs are APS jobs: the same APS Values, Code of Conduct, merit-based selection and pitch-style applications apply.
ASIO Intelligence (IDP) vs AFP Police Recruit
ASIO intelligence officers investigate threats to security and need Australian citizenship and a Positive Vetting clearance, the highest level AGSVA grants; the process is long and ASIO says little publicly about its stages.