Air Traffic Controller

An Air Traffic Controller directs and coordinates the movement of aircraft in Australian airspace and at airports to maintain safe separation between aircraft and ensure efficient flow of traffic. They use radar, radio communications, and ground-based navigation systems to monitor aircraft positions, issue clearances, and provide vectoring instructions to pilots. Controllers work in control towers, approach control facilities, or en-route centres and must adhere to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations and international standards.

Monitor radar displays and flight progress strips to track aircraft positions, altitude, heading, and speed across assigned airspace sectors or airport approaches. Issue clearances to pilots authorising take-off, landing, and changes to flight paths, altitude, or speed using standardised phraseology and radio communications. Maintain minimum separation standards between aircraft (typically 1000 feet vertically or 5 nautical miles horizontally) by issuing instructions and monitoring compliance. Vector aircraft to assigned runways and holding patterns using directional instructions and altitude assignments from approach control or tower positions. Coordinate with other air traffic control units (sector controllers, approach control, flight service stations) to ensure smooth handoff of aircraft between airspace jurisdictions. Use air traffic management systems to input flight data, track aircraft identification, and update flight progress information in real time. Apply CASA regulations, Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) procedures, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) specific to the control facility. Monitor weather conditions and aerodrome visibility, issue wind and weather information to pilots, and advise of runway changes due to wind or visibility restrictions.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The training is brutally long and expensive. You'll need a bachelor degree, then face 3 to 4 years of on-the-job training under strict supervision before you're certified. You can't skip steps or rush it. One mistake costs lives, so employers and regulators won't cut corners. Many career changers struggle with the stress and the fact you're responsible for hundreds of people every shift.

Airservices Australia employs most controllers at major airports and en-route centres. Regional airports have tower positions but fewer vacancies. Realistically most opportunities are in capital cities where air traffic is heaviest. Remote work is not an option in this role.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2311, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Escalation Managementcore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Multitaskingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Stakeholder Communicationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workflow Prioritisationcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Data Entry and Accuracy
• Digital Literacy
• Record Management
• Report Writing
• SLA and KPI Adherence
• Team Collaboration
• Workload Self-Management

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026