No, ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service) is not the CIA; rather, ASIS is Australia's equivalent to the U.S. CIA or the UK's MI6, serving as the foreign intelligence agency responsible for collecting secret intelligence overseas. While they share similar functions in international espionage and covert action, ASIS focuses on Australia's interests, working alongside other Australian agencies (like domestic ASIO) and cooperating with foreign partners like the CIA and MI6.
Yes, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) is Australia's foreign intelligence agency, making it very much like the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or Britain's MI6, focused on espionage and collecting secret information from overseas to protect national interests, working outside the country's borders. The key difference is their scope: ASIS handles foreign threats and intelligence gathering abroad, while Australia's domestic agency, ASIO, deals with internal security, similar to the FBI's domestic role.
Australia's equivalent to the CIA (US) or SIS (UK) is the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), responsible for collecting secret foreign intelligence to protect Australia's national security and interests overseas, using human intelligence (HUMINT). While ASIS handles foreign intelligence, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is Australia's domestic security agency, focusing on threats within Australia, similar to the FBI's role.
Ostensibly, the “joint defence facility” established by the CIA in 1966 is controlled by both Australia and the US. But Pine Gap has been described as America's most valuable intelligence site outside US soil.
Myth: ASIS only hires spies
Just like any other Australian Public Service organisation, ASIS engages a number of highly motivated, knowledgeable and capable individuals to fill a variety of corporate roles.
For us to consider you for a job at CIA, you must be: Physically in the United States or one of its territories when you submit your resume via MyLINK. A U.S. citizen (dual U.S. citizens also eligible)
Do ASIS officers carry weapons? Yes, but only in certain circumstances and only for self-defence purposes. ASIS's legislation provides 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.
Working at ASIS isn't your average job, which means that this isn't your average job application. For our security, and yours, we'll need to properly examine your travel and employment history, which can take time.
Special Operations Command (SOCOMD or commandos) was established on 5th May 2003 to unite all of the Australian Army's special forces units. It is modelled on the equivalent commands in the United States and British military forces and is led by a major general as Special Operations Commander Australia.
Australia doesn't have a single "SWAT" but rather specialized police tactical units at federal and state levels, like the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Tactical Response Team (TRT), Victoria Police Special Operations Group (SOG), and NSW Police State Protection Group (SPG), with similar units in other states often called Police Tactical Groups (PTG) or specialized teams (STAR, TRG), handling high-risk situations like terrorism, sieges, and armed offenders.
Our members represent virtually every industry in the public and private sectors, and organizations of all sizes. From entry-level managers to CSOs to CEOs, from security veterans to consultants and those transitioning from law enforcement or the military, the ASIS community is global and diverse.
Salary: At commencement $89,990 plus 15.4% superannuation. Upon successful completion of the program $93,872 plus 15.4% superannuation. ASIS is Australia's foreign intelligence collection agency.
Australian Secret Intelligence Service
ASIS collects and distributes secret intelligence about the capabilities, intentions and activities of individuals or organisations outside Australia.
We sit under Australia's Foreign Affairs portfolio.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for ASIS. The Director-General of ASIS reports directly to the Foreign Minister, and engages regularly with their office. The ISA specifies that the Foreign Minister protect the privacy of Australian citizens.
The Intelligence Services Amendment Act 2004 removed ISA prohibitions on ASIS operatives carrying firearms (but only for protection) and allows ASIS to work with foreign intelligence agencies such as the CIA or MI6 in the planning of paramilitary and violent operations provided ASIS is not involved in the execution of ...
It is jointly operated by Australia and the United States, and since 1988 it has been officially called the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (JDFPG); previously, it was known as Joint Defence Space Research Facility.
The United States is consistently ranked as having the #1 most powerful military in the world for 2025 by organizations like Global Firepower and Business Insider. This ranking stems from its massive defense budget, advanced technology, global power projection, and dominance in air, sea, and cyber warfare, though China has the largest number of active personnel.
The Special Air Service Regiment, officially abbreviated SASR though commonly known as the SAS, is a special forces unit of the Australian Army.
Note a nomenclature point in Oz spying: the usage of officers or agents; both are spies, but different. ASIS recruits and trains Australian officers to send overseas, where their job is to cultivate and run agents.
Interesting stat: average age of Secret Service employee is 41. Our agency has less than 8,000 employees, but more than 70 percent are law enforcement personnel, and more than 20 percent are military veterans!
ASIS certificants earn an average of 20% higher salaries than those without an ASIS certification (per ASIS Certification Survey – April 2019) Broadening your experience and training from law enforcement and military backgrounds.
Australia's equivalent to the FBI is primarily the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for federal law enforcement and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) for domestic intelligence, as the FBI combines both roles. The AFP investigates crimes like terrorism, cybercrime, and transnational crime, while ASIO handles national security threats, but ASIO doesn't have police powers, relying on the AFP for arrests, making them partners in a similar function to the FBI's dual role.
To thrive as an ASIS Security professional, you generally need a solid background in physical security, surveillance, and security protocols, often supported by industry-recognized certifications like the ASIS International Certified Protection Professional (CPP).
In the intelligence world, a spy is strictly defined as someone used to steal secrets for an intelligence organization. Also called an agent or asset, a spy is not a professional intelligence officer, and doesn't usually receive formal training (though may be taught basic tradecraft).