CANBERRA — The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has launched a massive nationwide recruitment drive, opening up more than 16,000 temporary field positions ahead of the 2026 Australian Census.

The positions offer flexible, casual employment in both metropolitan cities and regional areas across all states and territories. The recruitment push comes as the ABS prepares for the official Census Night on Tuesday, 11 August 2026.

The field workforce will be essential in ensuring an accurate count of every person in the country, including international visitors and visa holders.

Key Job Details and Compensation

The ABS is looking for Field Officers to serve as the direct link between the government agency and the public. These positions are designed to suit a wide range of jobseekers, including students, retirees, those seeking supplementary income, or individuals returning to the workforce.

• Positions Available: 16,000+ Field Officers

• Hourly Rate: $31.19 to $33.05 per hour (inclusive of a 25% casual loading), plus superannuation.

• Contract Duration: Ranges from a few weeks to up to six months, with core field operations running from July through to October 2026.

• Experience Required: More than half of the available roles do not require any prior experience, with the ABS providing paid online training.

Cultivating a Diverse Local Workforce

Census National Spokesperson Emily Walter emphasized that hiring local residents is the primary goal of this recruitment phase to leverage existing community connections.

“We are focused on hiring local people wherever possible, so they can provide local knowledge and support to their community,” Ms Walter said. “Field Officers are crucial to the success of the 2026 Census. We need people from across Australia to join the team, to help us ensure everyone in Australia on Census night is counted.”

Field Officers will be tasked with delivering Census letters and forms, answering public enquiries, providing additional assistance to vulnerable groups, and following up with households that have not yet responded.

The ABS is actively encouraging applications from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds—including the vibrant Australian-Nepalese community—to ensure the field workforce reflects the contemporary demographics of the Australian population.

Application Requirements

Interested applicants must apply through official ABS channels. Candidates will need:

1. Communication Skills: The ability to build rapport and interact sensitively with people from diverse backgrounds.

2. Technology & Storage: A smartphone or tablet to use required Census applications, and a secure space at home to store Census materials.

3. Transport: Access to a personally registered and insured motor vehicle to travel within their designated geographical region.

The ABS has issued a reminder to jobseekers to apply only via the official Census website to avoid online employment scams, noting that the bureau will never request money to process an application.