Australian Jobs for Australians
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 55
Australian Jobs for Australians
Having relocated to Canberra, from Sydney, a few months ago, I'm looking for work.
Last week I applied for a position with a government department, very specialised and hard to find skills required, and since I did the same kind of work consulting in Sydney and for many years with a similar government agency back home I thought I would be a perfect match.
I knew Australian citizenship was a requirement, but I thought I would be OK since I got my citizenship application approved a few weeks ago, and yes it's not final until the pledge is made, but still that's a formality I thought.
This morning I got a phone call from the department and I thought they wanted to schedule an interview. Instead I was more or less rudely informed that since I'm not yet an Australian citizen I'm not eligible to apply, and as the women said "I wouldn't even be let into the building"...!?
So here I am, in Canberra, effectively locked out from a majority of the jobs advertised, since even consulting roles require an Australian citizenship in order to get a security clearance, when working for many government agencies, where most of the work is in this town.
I have my citizenship ceremony scheduled in October so there's an end in sight to this situation I'm in, but I'm surprised how inflexible rules are applied in this country, but I guess it's a just a simple case of protectionism.
Last week I applied for a position with a government department, very specialised and hard to find skills required, and since I did the same kind of work consulting in Sydney and for many years with a similar government agency back home I thought I would be a perfect match.
I knew Australian citizenship was a requirement, but I thought I would be OK since I got my citizenship application approved a few weeks ago, and yes it's not final until the pledge is made, but still that's a formality I thought.
This morning I got a phone call from the department and I thought they wanted to schedule an interview. Instead I was more or less rudely informed that since I'm not yet an Australian citizen I'm not eligible to apply, and as the women said "I wouldn't even be let into the building"...!?
So here I am, in Canberra, effectively locked out from a majority of the jobs advertised, since even consulting roles require an Australian citizenship in order to get a security clearance, when working for many government agencies, where most of the work is in this town.
I have my citizenship ceremony scheduled in October so there's an end in sight to this situation I'm in, but I'm surprised how inflexible rules are applied in this country, but I guess it's a just a simple case of protectionism.
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 165
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
"Computer says no!"
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
Not always a 100% no, as it can depend on circumstances.
There is no absolute requirement for Australian citizenship. However, there is a general expectation that a person who is to be engaged as an Australian Public Service (APS) employee will be an Australian citizen, although non-citizens can be engaged in certain circumstances.
Like a number of other countries, the Australian Government considers that it is appropriate for government employees to be Australian citizens as a demonstration of their commitment to, and long-term stake in, the future of Australia.
Section 22(8) of the PS Act requires an agency head not to engage, as an APS employee, a person who is not an Australian citizen unless the agency head considers it appropriate to do so.
Like a number of other countries, the Australian Government considers that it is appropriate for government employees to be Australian citizens as a demonstration of their commitment to, and long-term stake in, the future of Australia.
Section 22(8) of the PS Act requires an agency head not to engage, as an APS employee, a person who is not an Australian citizen unless the agency head considers it appropriate to do so.
#5
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,054
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
Having relocated to Canberra, from Sydney, a few months ago, I'm looking for work.
Last week I applied for a position with a government department, very specialised and hard to find skills required, and since I did the same kind of work consulting in Sydney and for many years with a similar government agency back home I thought I would be a perfect match.
I knew Australian citizenship was a requirement, but I thought I would be OK since I got my citizenship application approved a few weeks ago, and yes it's not final until the pledge is made, but still that's a formality I thought.
This morning I got a phone call from the department and I thought they wanted to schedule an interview. Instead I was more or less rudely informed that since I'm not yet an Australian citizen I'm not eligible to apply, and as the women said "I wouldn't even be let into the building"...!?
So here I am, in Canberra, effectively locked out from a majority of the jobs advertised, since even consulting roles require an Australian citizenship in order to get a security clearance, when working for many government agencies, where most of the work is in this town.
I have my citizenship ceremony scheduled in October so there's an end in sight to this situation I'm in, but I'm surprised how inflexible rules are applied in this country, but I guess it's a just a simple case of protectionism.
Last week I applied for a position with a government department, very specialised and hard to find skills required, and since I did the same kind of work consulting in Sydney and for many years with a similar government agency back home I thought I would be a perfect match.
I knew Australian citizenship was a requirement, but I thought I would be OK since I got my citizenship application approved a few weeks ago, and yes it's not final until the pledge is made, but still that's a formality I thought.
This morning I got a phone call from the department and I thought they wanted to schedule an interview. Instead I was more or less rudely informed that since I'm not yet an Australian citizen I'm not eligible to apply, and as the women said "I wouldn't even be let into the building"...!?
So here I am, in Canberra, effectively locked out from a majority of the jobs advertised, since even consulting roles require an Australian citizenship in order to get a security clearance, when working for many government agencies, where most of the work is in this town.
I have my citizenship ceremony scheduled in October so there's an end in sight to this situation I'm in, but I'm surprised how inflexible rules are applied in this country, but I guess it's a just a simple case of protectionism.
You are locked out of a minority, not a majority. Most jobs aren't advertised, as in the press, but are filled through recruitment agencies and contractors.
#6
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,289
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
You are being ridiculous! As an employer, government agencies are a very small minority. There are thousands of employers all over the country and probably millions of jobs where Australian citizenship isn't a requirement.
But with government agencies it's a security issue. I would have thought that was obvious. Maybe you should have done a bit of research before moving to Canberra ...
But with government agencies it's a security issue. I would have thought that was obvious. Maybe you should have done a bit of research before moving to Canberra ...
#7
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 55
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
Yeah, that might be the fact, but I get the feeling that a majority of the jobs that has a descent match for me is for citizens only. Even in the recruitment agencies ads it says "only citizens need to apply" or "due to security clearance Australian citizenship is required" too often...
#9
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,054
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
Yeah, that might be the fact, but I get the feeling that a majority of the jobs that has a descent match for me is for citizens only. Even in the recruitment agencies ads it says "only citizens need to apply" or "due to security clearance Australian citizenship is required" too often...
#10
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 55
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
You are being ridiculous! As an employer, government agencies are a very small minority. There are thousands of employers all over the country and probably millions of jobs where Australian citizenship isn't a requirement.
But with government agencies it's a security issue. I would have thought that was obvious. Maybe you should have done a bit of research before moving to Canberra ...
But with government agencies it's a security issue. I would have thought that was obvious. Maybe you should have done a bit of research before moving to Canberra ...
#11
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
Even as a citizen myself, an application that I made to the federal public service was not considered because I was unable to get written references. My referees were ok with giving verbal references but refused to give them something that was written down.
#12
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,054
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
It most definitely is protectionism and discrimination. They are trying to tell you that as a British (?) citizen you are not good enough and they will not even consider you until you become an Australian citizen. Quite useless for you to whinge about it, especially as you will have the option of becoming a citizen in a few months.
#13
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
Yeah, that might be the fact, but I get the feeling that a majority of the jobs that has a descent match for me is for citizens only. Even in the recruitment agencies ads it says "only citizens need to apply" or "due to security clearance Australian citizenship is required" too often...
#14
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
It most definitely is protectionism and discrimination. They are trying to tell you that as a British (?) citizen you are not good enough and they will not even consider you until you become an Australian citizen. Quite useless for you to whinge about it, especially as you will have the option of becoming a citizen in a few months.
#15
Re: Australian Jobs for Australians
Oddly enough that is exactly what Zambia said about the restricition of some jobs to only British citizens in the UK, so it is not specifically an Australian thing. The US government restricts most jobs in the US to US ciitizens, ie if you want a job, you have to renounce your current citizenship and take out US citiizenship.