Australian Government Jobs — How to Apply for APS Roles

The Australian Public Service (APS) is one of Australia's largest employers, with approximately 160,000 employees across federal government agencies, departments, and statutory bodies. Applying for APS roles is fundamentally different from applying for private sector positions — it is governed by merit-based legislation and requires a specific approach to your written application.

Where APS jobs are advertised

Most APS vacancies are advertised on APSJobs (apsjobs.gov.au) — the official Australian Government employment gazette. The APS Employment Gazette is also published weekly as a PDF on the same site. Individual agency websites also list roles, and some positions appear on external boards like LinkedIn and SEEK.

APSJobs is free to use for job seekers and covers all APS classifications from APS 1 through to the Senior Executive Service (SES).

APS classification levels

APS roles are classified by work level. Understanding where a role sits helps you calibrate the complexity and seniority of your application:

• APS 1–2: Entry-level, administrative and operational roles
• APS 3–4: Operational and technical roles with moderate autonomy
• APS 5–6: Senior administrative, technical, and project roles — the most commonly advertised levels
• Executive Level 1 (EL1): Middle management — section leaders, team managers, senior technical specialists
• Executive Level 2 (EL2): Senior management — branch heads, directors, senior policy leads
• Senior Executive Service (SES Band 1, 2, 3): Senior leadership and management

The APS merit principle — why this matters for your application

APS recruitment is governed by the Public Service Act 1999 and administered under merit principles set by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC). Every appointment must be made on the basis of a documented, comparative assessment of how well candidates meet the role requirements. A hiring manager's personal preference cannot override the assessment scoring — and assessors must be able to justify every score on paper.

What this means practically: your written application is the primary assessment tool. Rapport in an interview cannot compensate for a weak written application. You must demonstrate your capabilities clearly, specifically, and in the language of the role.

What APS applications require

According to the APSC's "Cracking the Code" guide, most APS agencies now ask for either:

• A CV and a pitch document: 1 to 2 pages explaining how your skills, abilities, and experience meet the role requirements. This is the most common format.
• A CV and responses to selection criteria: Each criterion is addressed separately. Still used by some agencies, particularly for specialist or technical roles.
• A CV only: Less common — usually for graduate programs or bulk recruitment rounds.

Always read the information pack for the specific vacancy. Requirements differ between agencies.

Writing your APS pitch or selection criteria

APS applications are assessed against a defined set of capabilities. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or STAR-L (adding Learning) to structure your examples:

• Situation: Brief context — where, when, what was the challenge
• Task: Your specific role and responsibility in addressing it
• Action: What you specifically did — the actions YOU took, not the team
• Result: The measurable outcome — what changed, what was achieved

Use language that mirrors the capability framework for the agency and classification level. APS 5/6 roles typically reference the APS Integrated Leadership System (ILS) capabilities. EL roles use the Executive Mindset capabilities. State government roles use different frameworks — the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework was revised in January 2026 and now has 20 capabilities.

APS eligibility requirements

Most APS jobs are open to Australian citizens. Some agencies employ non-Australian citizens for specific roles, but this is less common and will be noted in the vacancy advertisement. Many APS roles — particularly in Defence, Intelligence, and Home Affairs — require the ability to obtain an Australian Government security clearance. Eligibility for a clearance generally requires Australian citizenship.

State and territory government jobs

Each Australian state and territory runs its own public service, with its own career portal and capability framework:

• NSW: jobs.nsw.gov.au — NSW Public Sector Capability Framework
• Victoria: careers.vic.gov.au — Victorian Public Sector Commission framework
• Queensland: smartjobs.qld.gov.au — Queensland Core Capabilities
• Western Australia: jobs.wa.gov.au
• South Australia: iworkfor.sa.gov.au
• ACT: act.gov.au/employment

State and territory frameworks are different from the federal APS framework. Do not assume what worked in one jurisdiction will work in another. Research the specific framework before writing your application.