Overseas applicants

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) currently has a labour agreement with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the Department of Home Affairs. This enables the RAAF to provide sponsorship of Permanent Residency Visas for those individuals who are recommended for processing for appointment or enlistment.

Non-Australian Citizen or Non-Permanent Resident without military experience

Foreign nationals who do not have military experience, the relevant training, or conversion training that is very limited, are not eligible for recruitment via the lateral recruitment program.

The purpose of lateral recruitment

The purpose of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) lateral recruitment program is to address capability shortfalls within the Air Force that cannot otherwise be filled using Australian personnel. The program is aimed at serving or recently ex-serving foreign military personnel with specific qualifications and/or experience that are directly transferable to the RAAF, with no training, or conversion training that is very limited.

The Royal Australian Air Force has a limited number of recruiting opportunities for overseas applicants across various ranks and specialisations. As vacancies for positions change regularly, your expression of interest will be considered on an individual basis. If you meet all the eligibility requirements and vacancies are available, you will be invited to submit an application pack for further assessment.

Officers and General Entry candidates will be assessed on a number of requirements including security, medical, family/social considerations and military background. The following requirements must be met to satisfy entry into Australia under the Labour Agreement:

Officers

To be eligible for sponsorship for immigration purposes, an applicant for a position as an Officer must:

Possess a qualification equivalent to an AQF bachelor degree (or higher level qualification) requiring a minimum of three years full-time study in an appropriate discipline.

OR

Possess experience and/or training that can be readily assessed by DIAC to be equivalent to an Australian post-secondary qualification requiring at least three years full-time study.

AND

Possess a minimum of three years relevant post-qualification experience in work of the kind to be performed in the position.

AND

Be assessed as having a minimum of vocational proficiency in English (as defined in the Migration Regulation 1.15B).

Airmen / Airwomen

To be eligible for sponsorship for immigration purposes, an applicant for an Airmen / Airwomen position will:

Possess a qualification equivalent to an AQF bachelor degree (or higher level qualification) requiring a minimum of three years full-time study in an appropriate discipline.

OR

Possess experience and/or training that can be readily assessed by DIAC to be equivalent to an Australian post-secondary qualification requiring at least three years full-time study.

OR

Have completed relevant specialist Defence Force training courses and experience equivalent to at least three years full-time study (following the completion of education equivalent to an Australian Secondary School certificate (Year 10).

AND

Be assessed as having a minimum of vocational proficiency in English (as defined in the Migration Regulation 1.15B).

Education documentation

If a formal application is invited, copies of relevant educational and trade documentation are normally required. All overseas qualifications submitted must be accompanied by an assessment of Australian equivalencies. This is to be undertaken at the applicant's cost.

Qualifications recognition

Australian Education International (AEI), through the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR), provides official information and advice on the comparability of overseas qualifications with Australian qualifications. This aims to help overseas qualified people work and study in Australia.

AEI is part of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). AEI uniquely integrates the development of international government relations with support for the commercial activities of Australia's education community. To do this, AEI liaises with all sectors of the education and training industry and all levels of government.

AEI-NOOSR does not assess secondary school qualifications (these are normally assessed by State/Territory education authorities) or trade qualifications (which can be assessed by Trades Recognition Australia).

For further information about the services of AEI-NOOSR, as well as links to other assessing agencies, please refer to the AEI website.

Immigration

Applicants, particularly from the US, should consider the effect on their citizenship status should they be accepted for transfer to the RAAF and become Australian citizens.

The RAAF currently has a labour agreement to permit sponsorship of visas for those individuals who are recommended for processing for appointment or enlistment. Those applicants approved for sponsorship are responsible for obtaining a permanent resident visa. The applicant and each dependent family member must hold a permanent resident visa before appointment.

Additionally, applicants must make a written undertaking that they will apply for Australian citizenship as soon as they are eligible (normally after three months service in the Permanent Air Force). For information on accelerated citizenship for families of Defence Overseas Lateral Recruits, please refer to this document.

Resignation

Applicants must have resigned from their parent Service (including release from all Reserve Service obligations) before appointment. Applicants cannot be appointed whilst on terminal leave. Proof of discharge will be required prior to an appointment signal being released.

Security

Applicants must obtain an appropriate Australian Defence Force (ADF) security clearance (minimum Negative Vetting 1/ 'Secret') before appointment or enlistment. Australian security arrangements require that applicants have a background of at least 10 years, which can be directly verified by the Defence Security Agency. Current international agreements permit verification of applicants who have been living in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States.

Contacts

Lateral Recruitment
BP29-01-090
Brindabella Park
Canberra ACT 2609
raaf.lateralrecruitment@defence.gov.au