# How to become a Frontex Standing Corps border guard?

- Link: https://euemployment.eu/how-to-become-frontex-border-guard/
- Published: 2020-05-16T23:36:32+02:00
- Author: Ben

[Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/), the European Border and Coast
Guard Agency, is probably the largest recruiter among EU institutions in the period
between 2020 and 2027. By 2027 it is supposed to hire **3000 new staff members that
will form Category 1 of the EBCG Standing Corps**. 

You might have heard that by 2027 there has to be a 10 000 person-strong EU Border
Guard Force. The 3000 officers to be hired until 2027 will be [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
staff members. The other 7000 thousand officers will be on short- or long-term loan(
secondment) from EU member states.

To find out the full benefits package for each of the [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
border guard levels, **read the relevant article**:
>> [Salary and benefits – European Border and Coast Guard Officer, **Basic Level** (FGIV)](https://euemployment.eu/salary-and-benefits-european-border-and-coast-guard-officer-basic-level/)
>> [Salary and benefits – European Border and Coast Guard Officer, **Intermediate Level** (AST4)](https://euemployment.eu/salary-and-benefits-european-border-and-coast-guard-officer-intermediate-level/)
>> [Salary and benefits – European Border and Coast Guard Officer, **Advanced Level** (AD7)](https://euemployment.eu/salary-and-benefits-european-border-and-coast-guard-officer-advanced-level/)

## Frontex video about Standing Corps

## Where to sign up?

**If you want to become a [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) border
guard, you have to follow the **[**Frontex website “Careers” section**](https://frontex.europa.eu/about-frontex/careers/frontex-border-guard-recruitment/)**.****
Date of the 2nd call for applications has not been announced yet. **

Deadline for the initial selection of the first 700 [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
border guards was 16 December 2019. More than 7000 candidates applied. The 700 prospective
border guards will be short-listed by March 2020. They will be trained until November
2020. Those who will pass the final exams will officially become [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
border guards as of 1 January 2021.

The 700 short-listed candidates will be paid a salary and other [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/)
as described in the [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) job announcement
during their training in 2020. However, if a candidate will fail final exams, he/
she will not be offered an employment contract with the agency. 

If you are interested in applying for these [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
border guard jobs, you will have to wait until the next round of selections. If 
you applied to the first round, but didn’t get selected, remember that there are
still 2300 posts to be filled until 2027 (the deadline set in the [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
regulation). 

## Frontex border guard salary

The [basic salary](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/basic-salary/) of the [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
border guard depends on the level you get selected to. All available positions will
be divided into:

1. **Basic Level**, FG IV. ‘Basic salary’ range EUR 2004-2710 + [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/).

2. **Intermediate Level**, AST4. ‘Basic salary’ range EUR 2328-2416 + [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/).
3. **Advanced Level**, [AD7](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/ad-7/). ‘Basic salary’
range EUR 3232-3348 + [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/).

The ‘basic salary’ directly depends on the job ‘Level’. All other [allowances](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/allowances/)
are very much the same. 

Remember that the **‘basic salary’ forms only approximately 50-60% of the total 
remuneration package**, plus, there are significant other benefits of employment
like health insurance and pension rights. If you have children, the total remuneration
package becomes even more generous.

## Formal requirements for each Level

### Basic

**Education:** a) diploma for completing university or equivalent studies of at 
least three years OR b) professional training of an equivalent level.

### Intermediate Level

**Education:** a) diploma for completing post-secondary education OR b) secondary
education diploma that gives you access to post-secondary education, and appropriate
professional experience of at least three years.

### Advanced Level

**Education:** a) diploma for completing at least a four-years university or equivalent
studies (basically, a Masters degree) OR b) a diploma for completing university 
three-years of studies (a Bachelors degree) and appropriate professional experience
of at least one year .

---

## Profiles of Frontex Standing Corps border guards

![](https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/image.png)

Profiles of Frontex Standing Corps Officers | Source: Frontex website

 * Border Guard Officer
 * Information Officer
 * Debriefing Officer
 * Cross-Border Crime Detection Officer
 * Motor Vehicle Crime Detection Officer
 * Return Specialist
 * [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) Tactical Support Officer
 * [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) Return Escort and Support
   Officer
 * Dog Handler
 * European Coast Guard Functions Officer
 * Advanced Level Document Officer
 * Crew Member

## Location of work/deployment

Most [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) Border Guards will be 
deployed to operational areas at EU/Schengen external borders or third countries
that have signed a Status Agreement with the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)(
for example, Western Balkans).

A minority of the officers will be deployed to [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
headquarters in Warsaw, Poland.

Some officers might be deployed to their home countries, but officers will not be
able to select their place of deployment.

## Applying for multiple positions

It is allowed to apply for multiple positions at once. You can apply to all three
levels – Basic, Intermediate, Advance – at once without any penalties.

## Age limits

Intermediate and Advanced Levels have no age limits. Everyone up to the age of 65
can apply.

For the Basic Level, a candidate must be younger than 47 when applying.

## Stages of the selection process

The first group of [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) Border Guards
are expected to start work on 1 January 2021. According to the agency, each selected
candidate will undergo around six months of basic training before deployment. Specialist
training will be offered after the initial training is completed and candidates 
pass the final readiness tests.

[⌊Stages of Frontex Border Guard Selection Process⌉⌊Stages of Frontex Border Guard
Selection Process⌉[

Stages of Frontex Border Guard Selection Process to be completed by 1 January 2021
| Picture: Frontex

The 9 months [probation period](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission-probation-period/)
starts after a candidate is selected by [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/).
The basic training will go for about 6 months. This means that if a candidate will
not pass the Final readiness tests, a contract with the person will be discontinued
within the [probation period](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission-probation-period/).

## Will Frontex border guards carry weapons?

Yes, [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) border guards are entitled
to carry service weapons.

## What are ‘Categories’ of the Frontex Standing Corps?

There will be **four categories** of [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
Border Guards. The current selection is for Category 1 border guards.

 * Category 1: Border guards directly employed by [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
   as staff members and regularly deployed to border guarding missions according
   to their profile
 * Category 2: Long-term staff seconded from member states
 * Category 3: Short-term staff seconded from member states
 * Category 4: Reserve of EU member states border guards that are available to [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
   for rapid border management crisis

The table below shows the projected growth of the [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/)
Standing Corps by Category.

[[

Projected growth of the Frontex Standing Corps 2021-2027 (source: EBCG regulation)

The [Frontex](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/frontex/) Border Guards that are 
recruited and trained in 2020 will fill the following professional profiles in 2021.
The top three border guard profiles are a general specialist (266 vacancies), a 
forced return escort and support officer (169), a forged document detectors (ALDO,
53), an information officer (52), and a stolen vehicle detection officer (46).

[⌊Profiles of Frontex Border Guards for 2021⌉⌊Profiles of Frontex Border Guards 
for 2021⌉[

Profiles of Frontex Border Guards for 2021 (Source: Frontex website)

> I wrote this article to make it easier to understand the sometimes complex EU 
> HR and administrative rules. However, your individual case might have unique angles
> due to prior work experience, family situation, or other factors.
> **Where to ask
> questions?**Rather than leaving a comment below, please bring your questions to
> our [**Jobs in EU Institutions Facebook Group**](https://www.facebook.com/groups/jobs.in.eu.institutions).
> We have nearly 10,000 members there, including EU ‘insiders’, so you will receive
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> and join alongside over 6,000 other followers.Best regards,**Ben**
