Do ASIS officers carry weapons?
Yes, but only in certain circumstances and not for offensive purposes. Recent amendments to our legislation empower ASIS to provide for the protection of our people. Schedule 2 of the Intelligence Services Act 2001 sets out the conditions by which ASIS officers are permitted to carry weapons for self-defence purposes only.
What are the differences between ASIS and ASIO?The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is Australia’s national security service. As set out in the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979, ASIO’s main role is to gather information and produce intelligence that enables it to warn the government about activities or situations that might endanger Australia’s security. The fundamental difference between the two intelligence agencies is that ASIS’s work relates to foreign intelligence and ASIO’s primarily to security intelligence. Another important difference is that while human intelligence is the vast majority of ASIS’s work, ASIO’s human collection is only one part of its work as it is an integrated collection, assessment and advisory agency.
How many people work for ASIS?We do not reveal the number of staff we employ for reasons of operational security.
Where do ASIS officers work?Our headquarters is in Canberra where many of our officers work. Of course, they also work overseas.
How can I become a member of ASIS?If you would like to apply for a position with ASIS, please visit our Careers Pages.
Do you employ people under work experience programs?Unfortunately, no. Because of the high level national security clearance which every ASIS position requires, and the time it can take to obtain such a clearance, we are unable to offer short-term work experience opportunities.
