APS remuneration survey
The APS Remuneration Survey (the Survey) is the source of data for the APS Remuneration Report (the Report), an annual snapshot of remuneration across the Australian Public Service. The Report's findings provide a breakdown of remuneration across classification levels as well as illustrating the changes from year to year.
Remuneration Survey resources, including the updated Data specifications, are available below.
View the previous Remuneration Reports.
Important dates
Important dates for the APS remuneration survey
| Date | Task |
|---|---|
| 31 December 2023 | Date of Effect |
| 22 February 2024 | Remuneration data submission due date. |
| 2 April 2024 | Cut-off for final cleaned data submission |
It is appreciated if data files are submitted prior to the due date.
Please note that the collection of Remuneration Survey data is independent of and in addition to the collection of APSED data.
Remuneration Survey resources
Agencies are encouraged to update their existing Survey templates to ensure that fields are not populated for Data Items that are no longer collected through the Survey.
Ensure that the number of columns exported from your agency’s HR information system are consistent with previous years as columns are retired rather than removed to maintain the Survey file format.
Remuneration Survey Data Specifications
The Remuneration Survey Guide and Data Specifications (the Guide) outlines the procedure for completing the Survey and detail the data items to be reported on.
APS Remuneration Survey Guide and Data Specifications 2023.pdf(PDF - 2.31 MB)
Remuneration Survey FAQs
FAQs have now been incorporated into the Guide and are included in the overview for each relevant data item.
Column header template and example sheet
The template below can be used to assist you with viewing raw data. The overview tab shows the name and number of each data item, and is colour-coded to show fields that are related to each other. If you fill out one of these coloured fields you must also complete any other field with the corresponding colour. The fields that are shaded yellow must contain a value for all employees. The template prints on to one A4 landscape page. The second tab provides a header for each data item and also includes an explanatory comment that can be viewed upon hovering your mouse over the header. The third tab in the template can be copied and pasted directly over your data to assist you while completing the data file.
The fourth and fifth tabs provide example or ‘dummy’ data to assist in the preparation of your agency’s submission. The fourth tab includes headers, while the fifth shows how the data would be submitted to the Commission.
APS Remuneration Survey 2023 Column Header Template (XLSX - 69.67 KB)
List of allowances
A list showing all known allowances and in which Data Item each allowance should go can be found in Appendix A of the Guide. It also shows some allowances that are 'out of scope' and should not be reported.
If you have a question regarding an allowance that is not covered in this list please contact remuneration@apsc.gov.au
Annualised and FTE payments calculator
This basic calculator can assist agencies in preparing payment values for employees who are part-time or have only received a relevant payment for part of the year.
Annualised and FTE payments calculator (XLSX - 12.12 KB)
2023 Remuneration Survey Business Validation Rules
The Remuneration Survey Business Validation Rules (the Validation Rules) outline the parameters used to process and validate data received from agencies for the Remuneration Survey. Data validation ensures that the data received meets the data specifications (see above), and also confirms that data is assigned to the appropriate categories. The purpose of sharing the Validation Rules is to ensure improved data quality and to help streamline the remuneration reporting process in the current and future cycles.
The Commission applies various data-checking processes to the data, comparing data received in the Remuneration Survey against employee information collected through APS Employment Database reporting. To reduce discrepancies and the number of queries sent to agencies, the Commission encourages all agencies to apply the Validation Rules to their Remuneration Survey data prior to submitting to the Commission.
APS Remuneration Survey Business Validation Rules (DOCX - 306.61 KB)
If you have any questions about the Validation Rules or how they should be applied to your agency’s data, please contact remuneration@apsc.gov.au.
Changes to the Remuneration Survey from 2022 to 2023
Following the 2022 Survey the Commission evaluated the survey process with the intent of reducing the overall reporting burden on agencies. The Commission looked at historical processes, consulted with individual agencies and the Workplace Relations Group on their experience participating in the process. Through this approach the Commission was able to adjust the collection process for the 2023 Survey without any meaningful impact on the reporting.
Three new fields were added to the 2023 Survey, two of which require no action from agencies.
Please read the detailed changes carefully and contact the Remuneration Team via remuneration@apsc.gov.au for further information if required.
Data Item 35 Realignment Payment
Realignment payments have been paid to support employees in transitioning to the common APS pay date of 14 March 2024.
The payment compensates employees for earnings they would have received between 1 September 2023 and 14 March 2024.
To be captured in the 2023 REM reporting period, the payment must have been made before 31 December 2023.
This field will be calculated for agencies by the Commission using base salary and work hours.
This item will not require any action on behalf of agencies, and should be left blank in your submission.
More information can be found on the APSC webpage for common pay increases for APS agencies
Data Item 36 One-off Payment
Some employees could receive a one-off payment following a successful enterprise agreement ballot.
To be eligible to make the payment agencies must commence a consideration period for an enterprise agreement ballot by 14 March 2024 and that ballot must result in a successful yes vote.
To be captured in the 2023 REM reporting period the payment must have been made before 31 December 2023.
This field will be calculated for agencies by the Commission using base salary and work hours. This item will not require any action on behalf of agencies, and should be left blank in your submission.
More information can be found on the APSC webpage for APS bargaining package of pay and conditions – final offer.
Data Item 45 Individual Flexibility Arrangement Dollar Value
An Individual Flexibility Arrangement is a written agreement between an employer and employee that varies the effect of an enterprise agreement or award.
This field is intended to capture the dollar amount paid to an employee through an Individual Flexibility Arrangement for pay and allowances.
The remuneration team will be piloting this field. Where possible, agencies are encouraged to separate individual flexibility arrangement dollar values from base salary for pay and allowances only.
The column will be placed in AS, next to the text value for the Individual flexibility arrangement field.
For any questions relating to the preparation of your agency’s Survey data please contact the Remuneration team via remuneration@apsc.gov.au.
Survey changes still in effect from 2022
The Commission will calculate the superannuation for all APS 1 to EL2 employees and Graduates for 2023.
Data Item 50 Superannuation Salary
Data Item 51 Agency Superannuation Contribution
Superannuation data fields have consistently been reported as one of the largest resource demands for agencies completing the Survey. Superannuation has also required significant manual adjustments by agencies in their data preparation prior to submission.
For the 2022 survey careful consideration was given to how superannuation data could be collected and calculated more efficiently. Testing of the 2021 data found that the Commission could calculate a standard Agency Superannuation Contribution for APS employees with a variation within one per cent from the actual median value reported by agencies in 2021. Values for SES employees contained greater variations due to their tenure and remuneration.
APS employees (APS 1 to EL2 and Graduates)
For the 2022 survey Superannuation Salary and Agency Superannuation Contribution was prepared by the Commission upon receiving each data file, using the values reported by each agency for Base Salary and Superannuation Fund. Agencies reported a blank value for Superannuation Salary and Agency Superannuation Contribution for APS employees to allow the Commission to populate these fields.
SES employees
Superannuation Salary and Agency Superannuation Contribution values will continue to be reported by agencies for all SES employees. The calculations for these employees remain consistent with previous Survey years and values are to be presented as annualised and FTE.
Machinery of Government changes
If you have any questions regarding your Agency’s reporting as a result of Machinery of Government changes contact remuneration@apsc.gov.au.
Sending data to the Commission
Agencies must use the specifications in the Guidance and Data Specifications and the Remuneration Survey Business Validation Rules to check the data is correct and aligns to the appropriate parameters before submission.
Remuneration Survey data must be sent to the Commission securely.
If your agency is on GovLink (a Commonwealth secure Virtual Private Network) you may email data to the Commission as all emails between GovLink agencies are encrypted automatically in transition.
You can check if your agency is using GovLink by searching the list here: http://govlink.sge.net/UserList.aspx- external site.
If your agency is not on GovLink, please use the secure method used to upload APSED movement and snapshot files. This is via the GovTeams platform, a digital collaboration service that allows data files to be uploaded and shared in a secure manner to the Commission. If you require an invitation for this GovTeams community, please email remuneration@apsc.gov.au.
Privacy
Information collected for the Commission must be treated in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) of the Privacy Act 1988 (the Privacy Act) and compliance with these APPs is the responsibility of each agency.
In particular, agencies are required to advise employees that they are disclosing employees' information to the Commission.
To assist agencies in ensuring that they comply with the Privacy Act when providing APS employment information, the Commission has prepared the collection notice.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Remuneration Survey, please contact the project team at remuneration@apsc.gov.au.