paulry

Looking for jobs I'm often finding myself up against the security clearance wall. To make sure that I'm not allowing jobs to slip past my fingers can someone clarify things for me please? There seems to be two types of clearance: National and Non-National. Do all applicants for these two types have to be Australian citizens or is it just for the National clearance?

Thanks

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Citizen for both mate, or at least, that's my understanding of it.
Non-national clearance just means you get cleared for access to data that's not considered to be a "threat to the nation" if it came out.
I think it would, realistically, cover 90% of Fed work, yet having said that, I had to get clearance to National 'confidential' level, to work on some boring Fed stuff.

Pollyana

If you're very lucky and the company/department wants you badly enough they can do a waiver which says they accept the responsibility for employing you when only partially checked due to not being a citizen. However they also have to accept that ASIO then do a check with the UK. Its up to them whether they employ you while that check is in progress - when there was a suggestion that our job needed security checks they dropped me off the list after being told it would take about 18 months and cost several thousand $$.
So there are ways around it, just depends how badly they want you.

paulry

That's really soul destroying. I was thinking that the non-national wouldn't exclude me.

So given that it's a lot of work to write the answers to their job requirements if there's mention of: "Security Clearance - Highly Protected (Mandatory)" then the chances are I'll be wasting my time? Almost every job that I can apply for skills and knowledge wise seems to state his kind of pre-requisite. It's tough going through the answers knowing that my citizenship probably precludes me.

There's something very unfair about these security clearances.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I would agree with that as well. Much of the clearance that is 'required' does seem to be a waste of time and looks more like a job protection scheme for the local workforce.

You're in the wrong city mate.

Pollyana

Very unfair, I agree. I guess it depends how much access you actually have to secure material, for one thing. In our role it is highly unusual, probably one document a year, so they figured there are enough people who do have clearance to deal with it, but then I had worked for the department for several years anyway which probably went in my favour.
If you can get to talk to any of the contact people for the roles you may find someone sympathetic who can see a way round it, like I say there are waivers available but it is up to the department concerned.

http://www.ema.gov.au/www/agd/rwpattach.nsf/VAP/%283A6790B96C927794AF1031D9395C5C20%29~Practitione rs++Guide+to+NSI+Act+-+FINAL1.pdf/$file/Practitioners++Guide+to+NSI+Act+-+FINAL1.pdf


Have a look at http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=666241 and the thread it links to as well

paulry

Thanks Polly