This article covers just the salary and related benefits of the Basic Level European Border and Coast Guards. If you want to get a broader overview, read this article about the European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps.
The ‘full salary package’ of the Intermediate Level Frontex border guard greatly depends on whether you are a foreigner in Poland and whether you have dependents. Read below on how this is calculated.
* Polish residents without children can expect a monthly paycheck of EUR 2589.
* Foreigners without children can expect a monthly paycheck of EUR 3201.
* Foreigners with children can expect a monthly paycheck of EUR 3763.
Basic salary and benefits
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.
| Type of benefit | Amount in EUR |
|---|---|
| Basic salary (after deductions) | FG IV, step 13 = EUR 2004 FG IV, step 14 = EUR 2169 FG IV, step 16 = EUR 2710 |
| Household allowances | FG IV, step 13 = EUR 176 FG IV, step 14 = EUR 182 FG IV, step 16 = EUR 198 |
| Expatriation allowance | FG IV, step 13 = EUR 382 – 543 FG IV, step 14 = EUR 430 – 594 FG IV, step 16 = EUR 550 – 717 |
| Foreign residence allowance | FG IV, step 13 = EUR 95 – 135 FG IV, step 14 = EUR 107 – 148 FG IV, step 16 = EUR 137 – 179 |
| Dependent child allowances for each child | EUR 281 |
| Preschool allowance | EUR 69 |
| Education allowance | EUR 382 |
| Shift allowance | EUR 420 – 946 |
| Standby duty allowance | EUR 2 per hour during weekdayEUR 4 EUR per hour during weekends / public holidays |
A sample calculation
The below table and text is an overview of the full-benefits package of a successful candidate in three scenarios:
1) Polish resident with no children
2) Foreigner in Poland with no children
3) Foreigner in Poland with 2 children
If you are a Polish citizen or have resided in Poland for the past five years, you will not receive the Household, Expatriation and Foreign residence allowances. However, you can count on the rest of the benefits.
| Type of benefit | Polish resident, no children | Non-Polish resident, no children | Non-Polish resident, 2 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic salary (after deductions) | EUR 2169 | EUR 2169 | EUR 2169 |
| Household allowances | EUR 0 | EUR 182 | EUR 182 |
| Expatriation allowance | EUR 0 | EUR 430 | EUR 430 |
| Foreign residence allowance | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dependent child allowances for each child | EUR 0 | EUR 0 | EUR 281 x 2 = EUR 562 |
| Preschool allowance | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Education allowance (up to) | Yes, if you have children | n/a | EUR 382 x 2 = EUR 764 (Paid according to real expenses like entry and regular fees, transportation) NOT COUNTED IN THE TOTAL SUM |
| Shift allowance | EUR 420+ | EUR 420+ | EUR 420+ |
| Standby duty allowance | Depends on duties | Depends on duties | Depends on duties |
| TOTAL: | At least EUR 2589 | At least EUR 3201 | At least EUR 3763 (not counting Education allowance) |
Salary calculation, Frontex Border Guard – Basic Level
Other benefits
There will also be a number of other benefits:
- Reimbursement of tuition costs. Costs of school or kindergarten on Polish soil for each child (aged of 2.5 years and up) will be reimbursed up to a limit of 35 000 Polish Zloty (approx. EUR 7650) per school year. This will be discontinued when a European School is opened in Warsaw as children of Frontex staff will be able to attend it for free.
- VAT reimbursement on household items purchases within a 12 months period.
- VAT reimbursement on car purchase, once every 3 years.
- Annual leave. Staff is entitled to 24 annual leave days and additional days of leave depending on the grade and age. Additional 2.5 leave days are granted to non-Polish staff to compensate for travel to their home country.
- EU pension rights. Entitlement to an EU pension after at least 10 years of service. Pension rights acquired in a national pension scheme may be transferred into the EU pension system. If you leave Frontex (or any other EU institution) before the 10 years, you can transfer out the accumulated pension capital.
- Health insurance for you and each family dependent family member. JSIS, the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme reimburses 80-85% of costs of most health care services.
- Usually new employees of EU agencies are also entitled to the Daily Subsistence Allowance for either the first four months (34.76 EUR per day) or 10 months (43.11 EUR per day) of employment (period depends on residence status and family situation). However, it is unclear from the vacancy announcement whether the Frontex Border Guards would be entitled to this allowance.
Contract duration and probation period
Contract type. Under the ‘Basic Level’, candidates are offered an initial contract of 5 years that can be prolonged once to another 5 years. This means that after 10 years in one post the officer’s contract will run out. If you will want to stay with Frontex, you will have to get another post before the 10-year deadline.
This arrangement is more beneficial that what the “regular” contract agents get at EU institutions. The default arrangement is to serve 3 + 3 years before you have to look for another job.
There is a probation period of nine months. It is unclear from the Frontex vacancy announcement when the probation period is started – 1st day of training of 1st day of assuming duties with the agency.
Vacancy announcement
You can download the full Frontex Border Guard 2019 vacancy announcement here. It should be very similar to all the upcoming rounds of selections of the European Border and Coast Guard Officers.
You might also want to read these articles:
– Salary and benefits – European Border and Coast Guard Officer, Intermediate Level (AST4)
– Salary and benefits – European Border and Coast Guard Officer, Advanced Level (AD7)
– The official EU salary calculator
Do you have any questions or suggestions for this article? Please comment below or drop me a message and let’s make this resource better for other readers!
Hi. Thank you very much for this explication, we’ll done because it’s clear and short. Just a doubt: For the education allowance, the children must move abroad at the same country as for the contract agent, in this case, Poland? And what’s the limit of age for this allowance? 18? Or until the children conclude his full education? (University, for example). Thank you for your kindness.