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Conditions of entry and advancement
About conditions of entry and advancement:
Under the Public Service Act 1999 (the PS Act), Agency Heads have all the rights, duties and powers of an employer. Their decisions must, of course, comply with the requirements of the PS Act and the various instruments issued under the Act including the Public Service Regulations 1999 (the PS Regulations) and the Public Service Commissioner's Directions (the Directions). Employment decisions must also take account of the requirements of the Workplace Relations Act 1996 (the WR Act), administrative law and the common law of employment.
The guidelines provide guidance on conditions of engagement dealing with citizenship, formal qualifications, and security, character and health clearances. These conditions can be imposed on the engagement of both ongoing and non-ongoing employees under section 22(6) of the PS Act.
They also include a brief discussion of the powers that an Agency Head has to impose other conditions on a person's engagement, and includes a series of frequently asked questions relating to the imposition of conditions on engagement to the APS.
Current directive publications, circulars & advices:
- Citizenship in the Australian Public Service (2007)
- Conditions of Engagement (as amended by 2006/2)
- Probation (2003) (as amended by 2003/7)
- Circular No 2007/2: The Privacy Act and employee information concerning Code of Conduct matters
- Circular No 2006/1: Use of identified criteria and special measures to fill employment opportunities (as amended by 2006/6)
- Advice No 7: Staffing actions: non-ongoing employeees (non-SES) (as amended by 2000/6, 2003/5, 2004/3, Conditions of Engagement, 2006/4)
- Circular No 2003/4: New Apprenticeships
Current good practice advice
Reference archive
Frequently asked questions
- What are the APS employment classifications?
- Do I need to sit the Public Service Board test to gain employment in the APS?
- Why is there an Australian citizenship requirement for APS jobs?
- What are conditions of engagement?
- Can I get a job in the Australian Public Service if I have a criminal record or have been declared bankrupt?
- Can I be employed in the Australian Public Service within 12 months after accepting a redundancy benefit?
- How do I apply for graduate postions in the APS?
- Can a person have dual employment in the APS?
- Does an unsuccessful election candidate have a right of return to the APS?
- When can a condition be imposed?
- Can I impose a condition after someone has been engaged?
- How long can a condition of engagement last for?
- What happens when a condition is met?
- What happens if a condition is not or cannot be met?
- How do I engage someone who is not an Australian citizen?
- What is meant by a condition of engagement relating to formal qualifications?
- Do new employees need a health, character and/or security clearance?
- How do I impose a health, character and/or security clearance as a condition of engagement?
- I am a non-ongoing (temporary) employee. How can I become an ongoing (permanent) employee?
- What is a promotion?
- I have been acting in my job for a long time – can I be automatically promoted to it?
- Must a person be released to take up other duties?
- Do opportunities to perform duties temporarily at a higher classification level (higher duties) need to be advertised?
- What is the basis for selecting a person for temporary higher duties?
- Must a person be released to take up other duties?
- What guidelines must be followed in a staff selection exercise?
- Must a selection decision be based on advertising and competitive processes?
- Can a work area use one selection exercise to select for employment opportunities at different classifications?
- Can an agency use generic selection criteria for individual selection exercises or for bulk recruitment exercises across different work areas?
- Are there any limitations on who can be included on a selection committee?
- What limitations are there on assigning different duties to an employee?
- If an applicant declines an offer of employment do they stay on the order of merit?
