NSW Public Service vs Victorian Public Service: which career suits you?
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. Victorian public service jobs are advertised on Careers.vic and scored against the Victorian public sector values (responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect, leadership and human rights) and the role's key selection criteria. Both use behavioural questions and accept STAR-style answers; tailor your examples to the framework of the state you apply in.
NSW Public Service vs Victorian Public Service at a glance
| NSW Public Service | Victorian Public Service | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | NSW Public Service Jobs (Clerk Grades and the NSW Government Graduate Program) | Victorian Public Service (VPS) Jobs and the Victorian Government Graduate Program |
| Questions | Varies by role. NSW rules require a comparative assessment of the role's focus capabilities, knowledge and experience using at least 3 capability-based assessments, one of which is an interview. Online tests may be cognitive ability, personality or situational judgement; NSW does not publish question counts | Graduate program: Cognify, a game-based online test of verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning; then a small number of pre-recorded video interview questions. The number of Cognify items is not published. Ordinary VPS jobs: no standard test |
| Time | Not published; set for each recruitment | Allow at least 30 minutes for Cognify, about one hour for the video interview, at least 30 minutes for the work sample and 1.5 to 2 hours for the virtual assessment centre (vic.gov.au) |
| Passing score | No published pass mark. Panels rate you against each focus capability at the level in the role description. Candidates who meet the standard can be placed in a talent pool for up to 18 months | No published pass mark. Each graduate stage is a hurdle; VPS jobs are filled on merit by comparing candidates against the key selection criteria in the position description |
| Format | Online tests are unsupervised and timed. The role description lists the focus capabilities and their levels: use NSW's Capability Application Tool to see the behavioural indicators and example interview questions for each | Unsupervised online assessments. Once you start the work sample you cannot pause or retake it. Reasonable adjustments (extra time, captioning, questions in advance) are available, including through the First Peoples and disability pathways |
| Cost | No fee to apply or to sit any assessment | No fee to apply or to sit any assessment |
| Languages | English | English |
| Where | Online application on I Work for NSW. Assessments chosen per role: online capability tests (cognitive ability, personality questionnaires, situational judgement tests), work samples, video or live interviews and assessment centres. The Graduate Program uses online assessment tasks and a virtual assessment centre | Online application on careers.vic.gov.au (graduate program through grads.vic.gov.au). Graduate assessments are online: Cognify game-based cognitive test and a recorded video interview (both by Criteria), then a virtual assessment centre with a work sample and a live virtual interview panel. Ordinary VPS jobs mostly use a panel interview, sometimes with a written test or work sample |
| Level | State Public Service | State Public Service |
What each exam covers
NSW Public Service
- The Job and Eligibility
- Capability Framework and Targeted Questions
- Online Assessments: Cognitive Ability
- Situational Judgement and the Ethical Framework
- Pre-employment Checks
- Interview and Assessment Centre
- Application Strategy, Talent Pools and Timeline
- Graduate Program and First Year
Victorian Public Service
- The Job and Eligibility
- Cognitive Ability Test: Verbal and Numerical Reasoning
- Cognitive Ability Test: Abstract Reasoning
- Key Selection Criteria, Cover Letter and Work Sample
- Pre-employment and Misconduct Screening
- Interviews and the Public Sector Values
- Application Strategy and Timeline
- Graduate Program and VPS Career Path
Which should you take?
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. Victorian public service jobs are advertised on Careers.vic and scored against the Victorian public sector values (responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect, leadership and human rights) and the role's key selection criteria. Both use behavioural questions and accept STAR-style answers; tailor your examples to the framework of the state you apply in.
Try both, free
Each free practice test takes about 10 minutes and shows your score by topic. No signup.
FAQ
What is the difference between NSW Public Service and 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. Victorian public service jobs are advertised on Careers.vic and scored against the Victorian public sector values (responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect, leadership and human rights) and the role's key selection criteria. Both use behavioural questions and accept STAR-style answers; tailor your examples to the framework of the state you apply in.
Which is harder, NSW Public Service or Victorian Public Service?
NSW Public Service: varies by role. nsw rules require a comparative assessment of the role's focus capabilities, knowledge and experience using at least 3 capability-based assessments, one of which is an interview. online tests may be cognitive ability, personality or situational judgement; nsw does not publish question counts in not published; set for each recruitment. Victorian Public Service: graduate program: cognify, a game-based online test of verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning; then a small number of pre-recorded video interview questions. the number of cognify items is not published. ordinary vps jobs: no standard test in allow at least 30 minutes for cognify, about one hour for the video interview, at least 30 minutes for the work sample and 1.5 to 2 hours for the virtual assessment centre (vic.gov.au). The longer exam covers more ground, but the harder one is the one further from your daily work. Take both free practice tests to see where you stand.
Can I hold both NSW Public Service and Victorian Public Service?
You can usually apply to more than one agency at the same time, and many candidates do. You can only work in one full-time role at once, though, and each agency runs its own tests, checks and merit list, so plan your preparation around the test you'll sit first.
How do I prepare for NSW Public Service and Victorian Public Service?
Start with the free practice test for each, then study by topic. Premium is per exam (A$89 a month each), so most people start with the exam they'll sit first and add the second when they're ready.
More comparisons
Exam details are summarized from the recruiting agency's published information as of November 2026. Confirm with the recruiting agency before you book. AusGovCareer is an independent career-prep service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.