# Temporary Agent

- Link: https://euemployment.eu/glossary/temporary-agent/
- Published: 2024-02-24T20:53:49+01:00
- Author: Ben

A ‘Temporary Agent’ in the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
or another EU institution refers to **staff **employed in the ‘Administrators’, ‘
Assistants’, and the ‘Secretaries and Clerks’ groups who are **hired for a set period
of time and, hence, are usually not entitled to become permanent officials with 
indefinite employment contracts**. In a sense, ‘Temporary Agents’ are similar to‘
[Contract Agents](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/#Contract-agent)‘ who also have
time-bound contracts in the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/),
but better paid and with higher level of responsibility.

Temporary agent positions are usually created to satisfy the following service needs
in EU institutions:

 * To hire staff for **Commissioners’ private offices** for the duration of employment
   of the particular [Commissioner](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/commissioner/);
 * To perform **highly specialised jobs of temporary nature**, particularly in advanced
   technical or scientific positions;
 * To **make up for staff shortages** in cases where competition reserve lists have
   been exhausted.

Here’s a sample [European Commission vacancy announcement for a temporary agent in the communications field](https://ec.europa.eu/info/jobs-european-commission/job-opportunities/temporary-jobs-european-commission/apply-temporary-jobs-european-commission/information-and-communication-officer-corporate-campaigns-european-commission-official-or-temporary-agent_en).