Security-cleared roles, handled with discretion.
Permanent technology and cyber security roles that need an Australian Government security clearance. For employers hiring into them, and for people who hold a clearance or are eligible to obtain one.
For employers
Hiring for a role that needs a clearance?
Government agencies, Defence industry, critical infrastructure operators and their technology partners. We recruit permanent people for roles where an Australian Government clearance is a condition of the job, from security analysts and engineers to architects, project leads and technology managers.
We'll talk early about the level the role genuinely needs, how long a new clearance or an upgrade might take, and how that shapes the shortlist.
For candidates
Hold a clearance, or able to obtain one?
If you already hold a clearance, or you're an Australian citizen open to being sponsored for one by a future employer, we can talk about permanent roles where that matters.
Your clearance details stay private. You tell us on the registration form, and they're never published or shown on this site.
01 · Clearance levels
The four levels, in plain terms.
Choose a level to see what it allows access to, how far back vetting looks, the minimum checks involved and how often it's revalidated.
Baseline
- Access
- Ongoing access to security classified information and assets up to and including PROTECTED.
- History checked
- The past 5 years
- Revalidation
- Every 15 years
Minimum checks at this level
- Identity and Australian citizenship
- Background checks
- Referee checks
- Digital footprint check
- National police check
NV1 Negative Vetting Level 1
- Access
- Ongoing access up to and including SECRET, and temporary access to TOP SECRET in certain circumstances.
- History checked
- The past 10 years
- Revalidation
- Every 10 years
Minimum checks at this level
- Identity and Australian citizenship
- Background checks
- Referee checks
- Digital footprint check
- National police check
- Financial history and a financial statement
- ASIO security assessment
NV2 Negative Vetting Level 2
- Access
- Ongoing access up to and including TOP SECRET.
- History checked
- The past 10 years
- Revalidation
- Every 5 to 7 years
Minimum checks at this level
- Identity and Australian citizenship
- Background checks
- Referee checks
- Digital footprint check
- National police check
- Financial history and a financial statement
- ASIO security assessment
- Security assessment interview
TS-PA Top Secret-Privileged Access (formerly PV)
- Access
- Australia's highest-level clearance: access to the Australian Government's most sensitive resources, capabilities and information, up to and including TOP SECRET and some caveated information.
- History checked
- Extensive. The vetting covers all aspects of your life, including relationships, finances, travel, legal history, drug use, mental health and personal behaviour
- Revalidation
- Not published for TS-PA. Existing PV holders move to TS-PA at revalidation
Minimum checks at this level
- Australian citizenship and a checkable background
- Personal relationships, finances and travel
- Legal history, drug use and personal behaviour
- Mental health
- Psychological testing and a psychological interview
TS-PA has replaced Positive Vetting (PV) as Australia's highest-level clearance. It is granted and maintained by the TS-PA Vetting Authority within ASIO, not by AGSVA. Existing PV holders move to TS-PA at revalidation, or under other agreed transition arrangements, and PV clearances remain recognised at the highest level in the meantime. NV1 and NV2 are unchanged. Sources: Defence, 20 November 2025; ASIO TS-PA Vetting Authority.
General information only. Summarised from Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA), Defence, ASIO and Protective Security Policy Framework pages as at October 2026. Requirements change, so check AGSVA for the authoritative, current position. Clearances are generally only available to Australian citizens, and only for a role that genuinely needs one.
02 · The clearance process
How a clearance is granted and kept.
Every clearance follows the same broad path, whatever the level. Timeframes vary with the level and each person's circumstances, and are set by the vetting agency.
Sources
- AGSVA: security clearance definitions
- AGSVA: revalidation and review activities
- AGSVA: application information and documents
- AGSVA: assessment process
- AGSVA: Security Clearance Applicant Guide Book (PDF)
- Protective Security Policy Framework (minimum personnel security checks)
- Defence: changes to Top Secret security clearances (20 November 2025)
- ASIO: TS-PA clearance holders (PV or TS-PA)
- ASIO: TS-PA clearance applicants
Sponsorship
A clearance starts with a sponsor: the employer or agency requests it for a role that genuinely needs one, and confirms eligibility, including Australian citizenship. Individuals can't sponsor their own clearance, and Stormcrest does not sponsor clearances.
Application
AGSVA gives the applicant access to myClearance, its online application portal, to complete the security clearance application and upload supporting documents. AGSVA's applicant guide allows up to 20 business days to submit it.
Vetting
AGSVA checks the application is complete, then assesses suitability: overall integrity, judged through honesty, trustworthiness, maturity, tolerance, resilience and loyalty. Depending on the level, this can include referee, police and financial checks, an ASIO assessment, interviews and a psychological assessment.
Outcome
An authorised decision maker decides whether to grant the clearance, and the applicant and sponsor are told the outcome. If a clearance is refused, a review can be requested.
Maintenance
Holders report changes in circumstances through myClearance, take part in security awareness and assurance activities, and revalidate at set intervals. A clearance is cancelled if revalidation isn't completed.
03 · How we work
Careful by design.
Clearance-dependent hiring rewards precision. These are the rules we work to.
- Before introducing a candidate for a role that needs a clearance, we take reasonable steps to confirm the clearance they've told us about with the employer's security team, who make the final check.
- We never ask candidates to share classified information, and we don't ask for vetting paperwork.
- Clearance sponsorship comes from the hiring employer or a government agency, not from Stormcrest. We don't promise that a role will lead to a clearance.
- Candidates' clearance levels are collected privately, used only to match them to suitable roles, and never displayed. Details go to an employer's security or recruitment team only with the candidate's consent.
- We recruit for permanent roles, on the same published fees as every other role.
Clearance and eligibility FAQ for candidates · Our cyber security practice
For employers
Tell us about the role.
Include the clearance level the role needs and whether you can sponsor. Sending a brief doesn't commit you to anything.
Submit a briefFor candidates
Start a private conversation.
Register once. Your clearance details stay confidential and are never shown publicly.
Register your CV