Can a UK officer join the Queensland Police Service?
Yes: Queensland's labour agreement is open to experienced police from any country.
In February 2023 the Queensland Government announced a labour agreement letting the QPS recruit up to 500 international police a year for five years, without them being citizens or permanent residents first. It called it the broadest arrangement of its kind among Australia's police forces. Depending on experience, recruits go through the shortened PACE course or mainstream training.
International places
500 a year
for 5 years from 2023
PACE course
18–20 weeks
QPS Academy
Relocation
$20,000
graduation + end of probation
Super
18%
employer, no compulsory member share
This page goes further than our overview for UK officers. The big difference from WA and SAPOL: Queensland is generous on age and cash, but it doesn't publish a service-to-pay table, so you need to ask the right questions.
How we checked Queensland's rules
QPS's recruiting site blocked automated reading on 9 October 2026, so some terms below come from search extracts of the QPS international recruitment page and from QPS news releases, which we name each time. Treat anything marked "QPS says" as worth confirming with QPS recruiting before you act.
Who's eligible for Queensland's international pathway?
Experience, age, English, and a visa granted before you start.
QPS international recruitment: the main rules
- ✓ At least 3 years' full-time policing, including 24 months in an operational role
- ✓ Under 55 when you apply for the 186 visa (QPS advises under 54 at recruitment application)
- ✓ English: a valid UK, US, Canadian, NZ or Irish passport as a citizen, or the Proficient English score (BN(O) passports not accepted)
- ✓ Nominated by the QPS under its labour agreement
- ✓ Meet Home Affairs' health and character requirements and sign the Australian values statement
- ✓ Any debts to the Australian Government paid or arranged
- ✓ Permanent residency granted before you start at the academy
- ✓ Pass QPS's recruitment testing and vetting (QPS recruits must also hold a 100m swim certificate; ask whether that applies to PACE)
Queensland doesn't publish a list of excluded UK services the way WA and SAPOL do. If you're British Transport Police, a Special, or recently resigned, ask QPS recruiting directly. QPS runs a separate previous police experience pathway for Australian and NZ officers, covered in our guide for NZ officers.
Do you sit the QPS entrance test?
Mainstream applicants sit the QPSea entrance assessment unless exempt. QPS doesn't say on the pages we could read whether PACE applicants sit it. Ask at your first contact. Our QPS entrance exam guide explains it if you do.
What your UK service counts as in Queensland
Set by QPS policy, case by case, not by a published table.
The Queensland Police Service Certified Agreement 2025 (cl 89) leaves the starting rank and pay point of officers with previous experience to Service policy. For recent Australian and NZ officers, QPS says it weighs length of service, reason for leaving, conduct history, rank, transferable frontline skills and time since leaving. Expect similar questions about your UK service.
3 to 5 years, constable
- What QPS has published
- You join as a First Year Constable; QPS says PACE recruits get higher pay than mainstream recruits from day one
- What to ask
- Which pay point (1.1 to 1.6 or higher) you'll start on, during PACE and after
Longer service, constable
- What QPS has published
- Prior service can lift First Year Constable pay, the QPS says up to $130,000
- What to ask
- Whether that figure includes the 21% shift allowance
UK sergeant or above
- What QPS has published
- The 2023 announcement mentioned the opportunity to expedite to Senior Constable
- What to ask
- How and when you'd reach Senior Constable or sit promotion
Any rank
- What QPS has published
- Starting rank and pay point set by Service policy (cl 89)
- What to ask
- Get the offer in writing before you resign
| Your UK position | What QPS has published | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 years, constable | You join as a First Year Constable; QPS says PACE recruits get higher pay than mainstream recruits from day one | Which pay point (1.1 to 1.6 or higher) you'll start on, during PACE and after |
| Longer service, constable | Prior service can lift First Year Constable pay, the QPS says up to $130,000 | Whether that figure includes the 21% shift allowance |
| UK sergeant or above | The 2023 announcement mentioned the opportunity to expedite to Senior Constable | How and when you'd reach Senior Constable or sit promotion |
| Any rank | Starting rank and pay point set by Service policy (cl 89) | Get the offer in writing before you resign |
Sources: QPS Certified Agreement 2025 cl 89; QPS previous police experience page; 2023 ministerial statement; QPS news, October 2024. QPS hasn't published a year-by-year table.
That makes Queensland harder to plan for than WA, which publishes exactly which Constable year each completed year buys. See our UK rank and service recognition guide to compare all three, and the QPS promotion guide for how you climb once you're in.
Queensland pay, the $130k claim and take-home
What the published scale says, and what the claim would need.
Queensland's pay points from 1 July 2026 include the CPI uplift. Most general duties officers on 2- or 3-shift rosters receive the Operational Shift Allowance (OSA) of 21% of base, which replaces weekend, public holiday and most shift penalties (not night shift allowances).
Constable 1.1 (First Year Constable start point)
- Base salary
- $78,505
- With 21% OSA (calculated by us)
- $94,991
Constable 1.2 (after the First Year Constable Program)
- Base salary
- $80,778
- With 21% OSA (calculated by us)
- $97,741
Constable 1.6 (top of Constable)
- Base salary
- $96,528
- With 21% OSA (calculated by us)
- $116,799
Senior Constable 2.1
- Base salary
- $96,528
- With 21% OSA (calculated by us)
- $116,799
Senior Constable 2.5
- Base salary
- $105,722
- With 21% OSA (calculated by us)
- $127,924
Senior Constable 2.6
- Base salary
- $108,153
- With 21% OSA (calculated by us)
- $130,865
Senior Constable 2.10
- Base salary
- $118,127
- With 21% OSA (calculated by us)
- $142,934
| Pay point | Base salary | With 21% OSA (calculated by us) |
|---|---|---|
| Constable 1.1 (First Year Constable start point) | $78,505 | $94,991 |
| Constable 1.2 (after the First Year Constable Program) | $80,778 | $97,741 |
| Constable 1.6 (top of Constable) | $96,528 | $116,799 |
| Senior Constable 2.1 | $96,528 | $116,799 |
| Senior Constable 2.5 | $105,722 | $127,924 |
| Senior Constable 2.6 | $108,153 | $130,865 |
| Senior Constable 2.10 | $118,127 | $142,934 |
Source: QPS CPI uplift adjustment schedule and Certified Agreement 2025. OSA column calculated by us as base × 1.21; you only get OSA in an eligible operational shift position. Pay point 1.1 is scheduled to be $80,467 from 1 July 2027.
Can you really earn $130,000 as a First Year Constable?
QPS recruiting material says experience can lift First Year Constable pay to "up to $130k", and a 2024 report of a QPS graduation quoted up to $130,000 "based on their previous service". QPS doesn't say how. By our calculation, the top Constable point (1.6) with OSA is $116,799; you'd need to be on about Senior Constable 2.6 with OSA ($130,865) to pass $130,000. Treat $130k as a ceiling, not an expectation.
First Year Constable 1.1 with OSA is $94,991. Pay point 1.6 with OSA is $116,799.
Pay point 1.1
- Gross a year
- $94,991
- Take-home a fortnight
- $2,849
Pay point 1.6
- Gross a year
- $116,799
- Take-home a fortnight
- $3,419
Pay point 2.6
- Gross a year
- $130,865
- Take-home a fortnight
- $3,787
| Example (with OSA) | Gross a year | Take-home a fortnight |
|---|---|---|
| Pay point 1.1 | $94,991 | $2,849 |
| Pay point 1.6 | $116,799 | $3,419 |
| Pay point 2.6 | $130,865 | $3,787 |
Calculated by us with 2026-27 resident tax rates and the 2% Medicare levy, no HELP debt. Night shift allowances (20% to 25% per shift) would add to these.
Illustration only: the England and Wales constable maximum was £50,256 from September 2025 and Police Pay UK calculates £52,015 for 2026/27; at A$1 = £0.5270 (RBA, 9 October 2026) that's about A$95,362 and A$98,700. Conversions ignore tax, pensions and living costs. Queensland's 18% employer super is the highest of the three sponsoring forces.
Compare Queensland with WA and SA
See QPS pay points with OSA next to WA and SAPOL, including each force's employer super.
How the QPS application works for UK officers
Apply, get assessed, get nominated, get your visa, then start.
- 1
Check eligibility and apply online
Month 1Apply through QPS recruiting's international pathway with your service history. Have your passport (for English), service record and licence ready.
- 2
Recruit testing and vetting
Months 1–4QPS's 2023 announcement said international recruits must pass its recruit testing and vetting. Expect psychological assessment, fitness, medical, integrity checks and an interview; ask which apply to PACE applicants.
- 3
Interview
Months 2–4A behavioural interview. Prepare STAR examples from your UK service on frontline decision-making, ethics and community.
- 4
Nomination
After selectionIf you're successful, QPS nominates you under its labour agreement for the 186 visa.
- 5
Visa grant (permanent residency)
Home Affairs timingLodge your 186 application with your family. You can't start at the academy until it's granted.
- 6
Resign, move and start PACE
After the grantOnly give notice once the visa is granted and you have your intake date and pay point in writing.
QPS doesn't publish a step-by-step timetable for international applicants, so the months above are our estimate. Our QPS interview guide and QPS fitness test guide cover the standard stages.
Practise your QPS interview
Answer police interview questions by typing or speaking and get an instant STAR score and model answer, tuned to Australian forces' competencies.
The 186 visa, and why you need PR before the academy
Queensland's rule is strict: no visa, no start date.
QPS uses the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa, Labour Agreement stream. Home Affairs says it lets you live, work and study in Australia indefinitely and apply for citizenship if eligible. Its standard age rule is under 45, but a labour agreement can provide otherwise, which is how QPS can take applicants up to 54.
Type
- What QPS and Home Affairs say
- Permanent (subclass 186, Labour Agreement stream)
Age
- What QPS and Home Affairs say
- Under 55 at visa application
English
- What QPS and Home Affairs say
- UK, US, Canadian, NZ or Irish passport as a citizen, or the Proficient English score
Timing
- What QPS and Home Affairs say
- Permanent residency must be granted before you start at the academy
Family
- What QPS and Home Affairs say
- Can be included; their visa costs aren't reimbursed by QPS
Main applicant charge
- What QPS and Home Affairs say
- From A$6,140 (Home Affairs, page updated 24 September 2026)
| Visa point | What QPS and Home Affairs say |
|---|---|
| Type | Permanent (subclass 186, Labour Agreement stream) |
| Age | Under 55 at visa application |
| English | UK, US, Canadian, NZ or Irish passport as a citizen, or the Proficient English score |
| Timing | Permanent residency must be granted before you start at the academy |
| Family | Can be included; their visa costs aren't reimbursed by QPS |
| Main applicant charge | From A$6,140 (Home Affairs, page updated 24 September 2026) |
Sources: QPS international recruitment page (search extract) and Home Affairs subclass 186 Labour Agreement stream page, read 9 October 2026. General information, not migration advice.
Because you hold PR from the start, your family can enrol in Medicare and your partner can work from arrival. Our visa guide for police officers covers the health and character checks in more depth.
Costs, what QPS pays back, and the $20,000
Visa reimbursed for you only, plus the biggest relocation payment of any force.
Main applicant's 186 visa application charge
- Who pays
- Reimbursed by QPS
Medicals, credit card surcharges and other associated fees
- Who pays
- You
Partner's and children's visa charges
- Who pays
- You
Flights, shipping and setting up
- Who pays
- You, helped by the $20,000 relocation incentive
Academy accommodation
- Who pays
- Queensland announced free academy accommodation for recruits in 2023; confirm it applies to your PACE intake
| Cost | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Main applicant's 186 visa application charge | Reimbursed by QPS |
| Medicals, credit card surcharges and other associated fees | You |
| Partner's and children's visa charges | You |
| Flights, shipping and setting up | You, helped by the $20,000 relocation incentive |
| Academy accommodation | Queensland announced free academy accommodation for recruits in 2023; confirm it applies to your PACE intake |
Sources: QPS recruiting (search extract of the international page), QPS news releases and our Queensland data file.
The $20,000 relocation incentive is for serving or recently serving interstate and overseas police. QPS's recruiting site says it's paid as $10,000 when you graduate and $10,000 after the First Year Constable Program and probation, and it's taxable. If you leave before the second instalment, you won't get it.
Cash flow
You pay visa costs and flights months before the first $10,000 arrives. Our cost of living guide and practical first steps guide help you budget.
The PACE course for experienced officers
Police Abridged Competency Education: Queensland law and procedure, fast.
PACE is a separate academy intake for experienced police. QPS's October 2024 release described an 18-week program combining theory and skills-based training "designed to build upon existing policing experience". QPS's July 2026 release called it an intensive 20-week course focused on Queensland legislation, procedures and policies.
October 2024 cohort
78
largest PACE cohort then; 36 ex-NZ
Active PACE applications
580+
QPS, October 2024
NZ officers through PACE
149
since 2024, QPS July 2026
After PACE you're sworn in as a First Year Constable. The First Year Constable Program is about 12 months of station-based training with Field Training Officers, and probation is at least 12 months. Our QPS Academy guide covers the academies at Oxley in Brisbane and Townsville.
Where you'll work, and life in Queensland
From Brisbane to the Cape, with extra pay for remote communities.
QPS posts First Year Constables across the state, and its 2024 international cohort was "deployed across Queensland". QPS's July 2026 pitch to NZ officers highlighted career paths from general duties to Tactical Crime, Mounted, Water Police and Forensic Services, and life on the coast or in regional communities.
Area Allowance (13 remote communities incl. Aurukun, Bamaga, Palm Island)
- Amount (QPS agreement)
- $13,906 a year from 1 July 2026
Rural Locality Incentive Payment
- Amount (QPS agreement)
- $4,000 (year 1), $5,000 (year 2), $7,000 (year 3+)
One and Two Officer Station Allowance
- Amount (QPS agreement)
- 36.5% of pay point
Hard-to-fill locations
- Amount (QPS agreement)
- Extra pay points for NCOs who stay on after tenure
General Duties retention payment
- Amount (QPS agreement)
- $4,000 on 31 January 2027 for eligible general duties officers
| Incentive | Amount (QPS agreement) |
|---|---|
| Area Allowance (13 remote communities incl. Aurukun, Bamaga, Palm Island) | $13,906 a year from 1 July 2026 |
| Rural Locality Incentive Payment | $4,000 (year 1), $5,000 (year 2), $7,000 (year 3+) |
| One and Two Officer Station Allowance | 36.5% of pay point |
| Hard-to-fill locations | Extra pay points for NCOs who stay on after tenure |
| General Duties retention payment | $4,000 on 31 January 2027 for eligible general duties officers |
Source: Queensland Police Service Certified Agreement 2025, via our Queensland data file. Eligibility rules apply to each.
See the Queensland police salary guide for every allowance and the QPS force profile for regions and specialist units.
How long it takes, start to finish
Longer than WA or SA, because PR comes first.
Application and assessments
- Time
- Not published
- Notes
- Our estimate: 2 to 4 months
Nomination and visa grant
- Time
- Set by Home Affairs
- Notes
- PR must be granted before the academy
Notice and move
- Time
- Your notice period
- Notes
- Resign after the grant and a written offer
PACE
- Time
- 18 to 20 weeks
- Notes
- Paid; higher than mainstream recruit pay
First Year Constable Program and probation
- Time
- About 12 months
- Notes
- Second $10,000 instalment after this
| Stage | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application and assessments | Not published | Our estimate: 2 to 4 months |
| Nomination and visa grant | Set by Home Affairs | PR must be granted before the academy |
| Notice and move | Your notice period | Resign after the grant and a written offer |
| PACE | 18 to 20 weeks | Paid; higher than mainstream recruit pay |
| First Year Constable Program and probation | About 12 months | Second $10,000 instalment after this |
Sources: QPS news releases and recruiting pages. QPS doesn't publish processing times; totals are our estimate of roughly 18 to 24 months from application to the end of probation.
Our UK to Australia timeline covers notice, pensions and the move itself.
Family, super and your UK pension
PR for everyone, 18% super, and decisions about your UK pension.
Family members included in your 186 application arrive as permanent residents. Queensland police get 18% employer super on ordinary time earnings with no compulsory member contribution, though new members start on a default 6% member contribution they can reduce to zero.
Medicare
- What to know
- Enrol once you hold a permanent visa (or in some cases after applying for one)
Before Medicare
- What to know
- UK reciprocal health care agreement: medically necessary care only, ends when your visa expires
Partner's work
- What to know
- Included in the 186 visa with work rights
Children's schooling
- What to know
- Check enrolment rules and fees with the state education department
Postings
- What to know
- WA, SA and Queensland all post officers regionally
Citizenship later
- What to know
- Permanent residence is the usual first step towards citizenship; Home Affairs sets the residence rules
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Medicare | Enrol once you hold a permanent visa (or in some cases after applying for one) |
| Before Medicare | UK reciprocal health care agreement: medically necessary care only, ends when your visa expires |
| Partner's work | Included in the 186 visa with work rights |
| Children's schooling | Check enrolment rules and fees with the state education department |
| Postings | WA, SA and Queensland all post officers regionally |
| Citizenship later | Permanent residence is the usual first step towards citizenship; Home Affairs sets the residence rules |
Sources: Services Australia Medicare enrolment for permanent residents and reciprocal health care agreement (UK) pages, Home Affairs subclass 186 page, read 9 October 2026.
Most UK officers keep a deferred UK police pension, because transfers out of unfunded public service schemes are restricted. Read your UK police pension in Australia, use Police Pay UK's pension calculator, and see our moving with family guide for schools and childcare.
Is Queensland the right force for you?
Queensland against WA and SAPOL.
Queensland's strengths for UK officers
- ✓Open to experienced police from any country.
- ✓Under 55 at visa application.
- ✓$20,000 relocation incentive.
- ✓18% employer super.
- ✓Pay can be lifted for experience (up to $130k, QPS says).
Where Queensland is weaker
- ✕No published service-to-pay table.
- ✕PR must be granted before the academy.
- ✕Only the main applicant's visa fee reimbursed.
- ✕Longest course of the three (18 to 20 weeks).
- ✕Least detail published; recruiting site hard to access.
Want the most cash for the move
- Consider
- Queensland
Want certainty about your starting pay
- Consider
- WA (published table)
Are BTP
- Consider
- SAPOL (BTP named as eligible); ask QPS
Have a large family
- Consider
- SAPOL (family visa costs reimbursed)
Serve outside the UK, Ireland, Canada or NZ
- Consider
- Queensland is the only open option
| If you… | Consider |
|---|---|
| Want the most cash for the move | Queensland |
| Want certainty about your starting pay | WA (published table) |
| Are BTP | SAPOL (BTP named as eligible); ask QPS |
| Have a large family | SAPOL (family visa costs reimbursed) |
| Serve outside the UK, Ireland, Canada or NZ | Queensland is the only open option |
From each force's published terms on 9 October 2026.
Compare every force in our overseas officers hub, or read UK police to WA Police and UK police to SAPOL. For the UK side, see Police Pay UK.
Free email alerts
Queensland Police UK recruitment intakes and rule changes
One email when the QPS changes its international pathway: PACE intake dates and length, the age limit, the relocation incentive, what it reimburses and Queensland's next pay rise.
- ✓PACE and labour-agreement changes the day we verify them
- ✓QPS pay and CPI uplift news
Frequently asked questions
Can UK police officers join the Queensland Police Service?
Yes. Under a labour agreement announced in February 2023, the QPS can recruit 500 experienced international police a year for five years without them already being citizens or permanent residents. You need at least 3 years' full-time policing, including 24 months operational, and must be nominated for and granted a 186 permanent visa before you start at the academy.
What is the age limit for Queensland's international police recruitment?
You must be under 55 when you apply for the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa under QPS's labour agreement. Because the visa comes after selection, the QPS has advised that in practice you should be under 54 when you submit your recruitment application. That's the same ceiling as WA and ten years higher than SAPOL.
How long is the QPS PACE course?
QPS sources differ. A QPS news release from October 2024 describes an 18-week Police Abridged Competency Education (PACE) program, and a July 2026 QPS news item calls it an intensive 20-week course. Plan for up to 20 weeks at the QPS Academy and confirm your intake's length when you get an offer.
Will I earn $130,000 as a First Year Constable in Queensland?
Possibly, but don't assume it. Queensland's recruiting material says prior service can lift First Year Constable pay to up to $130,000. QPS doesn't publish how that's built: base pay ranges from $78,505 (pay point 1.1) to $118,127 (2.10), and operational officers get a 21% shift allowance. Get your pay point in writing.
Do I need permanent residency before joining the QPS?
Yes. The QPS says you can only start at the academy once you've been granted permanent residency, which for UK officers means the subclass 186 visa nominated under QPS's labour agreement. You're recruited and assessed first, then nominated, and the visa must be granted before your academy start date.
Does the QPS pay for my visa?
Partly. The QPS says it reimburses the visa application cost for the primary applicant. It doesn't cover associated fees such as medicals or credit card surcharges, or the visa costs of family members. The $20,000 relocation incentive, paid in two taxable instalments, can help with the rest.
How do UK officers prove English for the QPS?
A valid passport from the UK, the USA, Canada, New Zealand or the Republic of Ireland, held as a citizen, counts as proof of English for QPS's international pathway. British National (Overseas) passports aren't accepted. Otherwise you need the score Home Affairs sets for Proficient English.
Are UK officers already working in Queensland?
Yes. When the QPS inducted its largest PACE cohort in October 2024, it said the 78 graduates came from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, Hungary, the USA and other Australian forces, and that it had more than 580 active PACE applications. It hasn't published a running total of UK recruits.
Evidence
Sources and how we checked them
Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, read on 9 October 2026. Pay rates and rules change when new agreements are made, so check the source for the date you're reading this. Where we couldn't confirm something from an official source, the page says so instead of guessing. Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy.
- QPS Recruiting: International police recruitment — site blocked automated reading on 9 October 2026; terms taken from search extracts of this page
- QPS Recruiting: What we offer
- QPS Recruiting: Previous police experience
- Queensland Government ministerial statement: Queensland lures international police talent under new agreement (23 February 2023) — 500 international recruits a year for 5 years
- QPS News: QPS inducts its largest ever cohort of international and interstate officer transfers (17 October 2024) — 18-week PACE, 78 officers, countries
- QPS News: Kiwi cops, Queensland's got your back (3 July 2026) — 20-week PACE, $20,000 bonus
- Inside State Government: Queensland Police recruitment program picks up PACE (21 March 2024) — up to $130,000 as a First Year Constable (secondary source)
- Queensland Police Service Certified Agreement 2025 (QIRC CB/2025/116) — cl 89 starting pay for experienced officers; allowances
- QPS CPI Uplift Adjustment page (as summarised; official page not directly accessible) — current pay rates after the CPI uplift
- QPS Recruiting: General entry policing pathway (as summarised publicly)
- QPS Recruiting: Frequently asked questions (as summarised publicly)
- Home Affairs: Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186), Labour Agreement stream — from A$6,140; under 45 unless the labour agreement provides otherwise; page updated 24 September 2026
- Services Australia: Enrolling in Medicare if you're an Australian permanent resident
- Services Australia: Reciprocal health care agreements, visiting from the United Kingdom
- GOV.UK: Police Remuneration Review Body report 2026, England and Wales — constable scale from 1 September 2025
- Police Pay UK: Police pay scales 2026/27 — 2026/27 figures calculated by Police Pay UK
- Reserve Bank of Australia: exchange rates, table F11.1 — A$1 = £0.5270 on 9 October 2026; illustration only
Related guides
Joining the police
More in this series
General information, not advice. This guide explains published rules and rates. It doesn't consider your personal circumstances and isn't financial, legal, tax or credit advice. Confirm anything you rely on with your force, your police association, the ATO or a licensed professional.