Under the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework, personnel that need ongoing access to security classified resources must hold a security clearance at the appropriate level. A person may also be required to hold a security clearance if they occupy a position of trust requiring additional assurance about the integrity of the position’s occupant.
The Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) is the central vetting agency for the Australian Government and conducts security clearance assessments for federal, state and territory agencies.
Australian Federal, State and Territory government agencies are authorised to sponsor an AGSVA security clearance.
Individuals are not eligible to sponsor a security clearance.
Security clearance levels
There are 4 levels of security clearance:
| Clearance Level | Level of Access |
|---|---|
| Baseline | Classified resources up to and including PROTECTED |
| Negative Vetting Level 1 | Classified resources up and including SECRET |
| Negative Vetting Level 2 | Classified resources up to and including TOP SECRET |
| Positive Vetting (PV) | Classified resources up to and including TOP SECRET, including some caveated information |