The four main employers
Apply only through the official site. Nothing on a third-party site, including this one, is an application.
| Employer | Where jobs are advertised | What you're assessed against |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Public Service (federal departments and agencies) | APS Jobs (apsjobs.gov.au) and agency career pages | The role's requirements and the APS Values; often the Integrated Leadership System and APS Work Level Standards |
| NSW public service | I work for NSW (iworkfor.nsw.gov.au) | The NSW Public Sector Capability Framework |
| Victorian public service | Careers.vic (careers.vic.gov.au) | Key selection criteria and the Victorian public sector values |
| Police, Defence, Border Force, corrections, fire | Each agency's own recruiting site | Eligibility, aptitude tests, fitness, medical, psychology, integrity checks and interview |
How an APS recruitment works
- Read the job ad and information pack: title, classification (APS 1-6, Executive Level 1-2), salary range, ongoing or non-ongoing, duties and the contact officer.
- Apply online with your CV and whatever the pack asks for: a 'pitch' (often 1-2 pages or up to about 1,000 words), responses to selection criteria, or short questions.
- The panel shortlists by comparing applications. Shortlisting can include a phone or video interview, multiple-choice questions or psychometric tests.
- Shortlisted applicants do an interview (behavioural and hypothetical scenario questions), and sometimes a work sample, presentation or assessment centre.
- The panel checks referees, rates everyone on merit and recommends the most suitable person.
- Suitable candidates may go on a merit list that the agency, or other APS agencies, can use for similar jobs for 18 months.
- Pre-employment checks follow: identity, citizenship, an employment suitability check and, if the job needs it, an AGSVA security clearance.
Write an application that gets shortlisted
- Answer exactly what the pack asks for, in the format and word limit it sets.
- Back every claim with a specific example. The APSC recommends the STAR model: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Use one or two strong examples per criterion, not a list of duties.
- Don't repeat your CV in the pitch. Explain why you fit this job and this agency.
- Your CV is usually 2-6 pages, most recent job first, with real dates and referees (one ideally a current or recent supervisor).
- If something's unclear, call the contact officer named in the ad.
See where you stand in 10 minutes
Take the free APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) practice test. 15 questions, every answer explained.
Citizenship and security clearances
To be engaged in the APS you must be an Australian citizen, unless the agency head decides to waive it under section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999 (you must still have the right to work in Australia). Many state jobs accept permanent residents, and several police forces do too; check each employer.
Many federal roles need an Australian Government security clearance from AGSVA: Baseline (up to PROTECTED), Negative Vetting 1 (SECRET), Negative Vetting 2 (TOP SECRET) or Positive Vetting (TOP SECRET including caveated and codeword material). AGSVA's targets are 20, 70, 100 and 180 business days, counted from when your clearance pack is complete.
Graduate programs and entry-level pathways
- The Australian Government Graduate Program (AGGP) recruits by stream: Accounting and Financial Management, Data, Digital, Economist, Generalist, Human Resource, Indigenous Graduate Pathway, Legal and STEM, with a separate Intelligence stream. The 2027 round opened in March 2026 and has closed; agencies say the next round opens around March 2027.
- Some agencies, such as DFAT, run their own graduate programs alongside the AGGP.
- APS traineeships, cadetships and APS 1-4 jobs don't need a degree and are advertised on APS Jobs through the year.
- Volume recruiters such as the ATO and Services Australia often run rounds that fill many jobs at once from one merit list.
The values you'll be judged on
Read the framework that applies to you and make sure your examples show it. Panels score evidence, not enthusiasm.
| Service | Values or framework |
|---|---|
| APS | Impartial, Committed to service, Accountable, Respectful, Ethical, Stewardship (s10 Public Service Act 1999) |
| NSW | Capability Framework: 16 core capabilities in 4 groups (Personal Attributes, Relationships, Results, Business Enablers) plus 4 People Management capabilities, each at 5 levels |
| Victoria | Responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect, leadership, human rights (s7 Public Administration Act 2004) |
Pay
APS pay is set by each agency's enterprise agreement for each classification, so the same level pays slightly differently between agencies. The 2024 agreements gave service-wide rises of 4%, 3.8% and 3.4% (the last in March 2026). State public service, police, corrections and fire pay is set by each state's awards and agreements. Check the official pay table on the job ad or the agency's agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a degree to work in the APS?
No. Graduate programs need a degree, but traineeships, cadetships and many APS 1-4 jobs don't. Police, Defence, Border Force and corrections careers have their own education rules, often Year 10 or Year 12 or an equivalent.
Can permanent residents get government jobs?
Sometimes. The APS requires citizenship unless the agency head waives it. Several state police forces and many state public service roles accept permanent residents, and the ADF accepts some permanent residents from New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada. Check each job's eligibility section.
How long does government hiring take?
It varies by agency and role, and the APS doesn't publish one standard timeline. Jobs needing an NV1 or higher clearance take longer, because AGSVA's targets alone are 70 to 180 business days once your pack is complete. Police processes published by the forces range from about 16 weeks (QPS average to offer) to six to nine months (AFP).
What is a merit list?
A list of candidates found suitable in a recruitment process. The agency, and in some cases other APS agencies, can offer you a similar job from it for 18 months without a new process.
Is AusGovCareer part of the government?
No. AusGovCareer is an independent career-prep service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. You apply only through the agency's own website.
Official sources
- APSC: Joining the APS and Cracking the Code
- APSC: APS Values
- APSC: Citizenship in the APS
- AGSVA: Clearance timeframes
- APS Jobs
- NSW Public Service Commission: Capability Framework
- Victorian Public Sector Commission: Public sector values
Practice tests for these certifications
APS Entry-Level Jobs (APS 1 to APS 4) and the Career Starter Program
APS 1 to APS 4 jobs are the entry door to the federal public service: service officers, client engagement and contact centre roles, administration, records, compliance support and the Career Starter Program for school leavers.
Australian Government Graduate Program (APS Graduate)
APS graduates start on 12-month programs (some agencies run longer ones) in policy, programs, data, finance, law, digital and other streams, with rotations, formal training and a promotion when they finish.
NSW Public Service Jobs (Clerk Grades and the NSW Government Graduate Program)
The NSW Public Service is Australia's largest state public service, with roles from Clerk Grade 1/2 administration to senior policy jobs, plus an 18-month Graduate Program with three rotations.
Victorian Public Service (VPS) Jobs and the Victorian Government Graduate Program
The Victorian Public Service employs people in departments such as Premier and Cabinet, Treasury and Finance, Justice and Community Safety, Health and Government Services, in grades VPS 1 to VPS 6 and above.
Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Officer: Client Engagement, Graduate and School Leaver Entry
ATO officers help people and businesses meet their tax and super obligations: answering client enquiries, processing returns and payments, compliance and debt work, data and digital roles, and policy and law work for graduates.
DFAT Graduate Program (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Policy and Corporate streams)
DFAT graduates spend 18 months in Canberra completing four placements in either the Policy stream (bilateral relations, trade negotiations, development, international security, international law) or the Corporate stream (consular, finance, HR, ICT, security, passports), with training from the Diplomatic Academy.
This guide is general information, checked November 2026, not legal advice. The recruiting agency rules change; confirm with the recruiting agency before you apply.
