General Requirements
Age Requirement
Applicants must be aged between 17 and 53 years of age inclusive on entry.
Applicants will not be allowed to enter the ADF until they achieve a minimum of 17 years of age, however they may be able to initiate the application process from 16 years and six months of age, depending upon the capacity of their local recruiting centre.
Citizenship Requirement
Citizenship requirements will be met, for Full-time and Part-time applicants, if any of the following apply:- You are an Australian citizen;
- You are a permanent resident who can provide a Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) receipt to prove you have applied for Australian citizenship. (A permanent resident is generally eligible to apply for citizenship after two years. A permanent resident married to an Australian can apply immediately); or
- You are a permanent resident who is not eligible to apply for Australian citizenship but are prepared to sign an undertaking to apply after completing at least 3 months service in the ADF or at least 6 months part-time service in the ADF Reserve. (Permanent residents become eligible to apply for citizenship on completion of 3 months service in the ADF or 6 months part-time service in the ADF Reserve).
- Fail to apply for citizenship when eligible to do so;
- Are not offered citizenship; or
- Fail to accept citizenship when it is offered.
Security Requirement
The day-to-day employment of a submariner is of a highly sensitive nature. If the details of their employment were to be compromised, then the lives of Australian servicemen and women could be gravely jeopardised.For this reason, candidates for selection as a submariner undergo a detailed security evaluation before recruitment. The security clearance procedure is necessary to ensure that only suitable persons are granted access to sensitive information. All submariners must be suitable persons to hold a TOP SECRET security clearance. However, prior to undertaking core CTSSM category training a TOP SECRET Positive Vet is needed and there can be no exceptions to this requirement.
Current policy requires applicants for this particular avenue of entry to have lived in Australia for the preceding 10 years, or have a checkable background for this period.
Aptitude Requirement
Other Ranks (Non Technical)
Aptitude testing is undertaken to assess your ability to cope with the training and intellectual demands placed on you whilst serving in the ADF. The standards are sound and realistic in expectation, with psychology support staff explaining what is involved with each test.
