Jobs in Canberra 2026, Employment Guide, the Public Service and How to Find Work in Canberra

Jobs in Canberra 2026

Canberra's economy is dominated by the Australian Government, the Commonwealth public service employs over 85,000 people in the ACT, making it the largest employer by far in any Australian city relative to population. If you are seeking to work in the public sector, Canberra is the country's premier destination. apsjobs.gov.au

Working in the Australian Public Service

The APS is structured across dozens of departments and agencies. The major employers in Canberra include the Department of Defence (the largest single employer), Australian Signals Directorate, ASIO, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Department of Finance and the Australian Taxation Office. apsc.gov.au

How to Apply for Government Jobs in Canberra

• APS Jobs, the official portal for Commonwealth government vacancies: apsjobs.gov.au
• Defence Jobs, for Australian Defence Force and APS Defence roles: defencejobs.gov.au
• ACT Government Jobs, for ACT Public Service roles: jobs.act.gov.au

Top Canberra APS Employment Categories in 2026

• Security and Intelligence, ASIO, ASD, ONA and related agencies have expanded hiring in cybersecurity, signals intelligence and policy. Security clearances (NV1/NV2) are required and take time to obtain, apply early.
• Policy and Analysis, economic policy, social policy, environmental policy and infrastructure. Most departments hire policy analysts at the APS5-EL1 levels.
• IT and Digital, the Digital Transformation Agency and myGov/Service Australia transformation programs are driving significant technology hiring across the APS.
• Healthcare and Science, the Department of Health and Aged Care, the TGA, the CSIRO (Black Mountain campus) and the AIHW are significant healthcare and scientific employers in Canberra.

Private Sector Jobs in Canberra

The ACT's private sector is dominated by government consulting, IT services (Deloitte, KPMG, EY, Accenture all have large Canberra government practices), construction, healthcare (Calvary and Canberra private hospitals) and the university sector (ANU, UC). seek.com.au

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.

This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.