Private Investigator

A private investigator conducts lawful investigations on behalf of private clients, insurance companies, or legal firms to gather evidence, locate persons, or verify information. They conduct surveillance, interview witnesses, search public records, and compile findings into detailed reports admissible in legal proceedings. Work occurs in field settings, office environments, and courtrooms across Australia, subject to state-based licensing and privacy legislation.

Conduct physical surveillance of subjects using vehicle and foot observation techniques while maintaining legal compliance with state-based surveillance laws. Obtain and verify private investigator licence with relevant state authority (e.g. the NSW Police Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate in NSW, Victoria Police Licensing and Regulation Division in Victoria). Interview witnesses, complainants, and relevant parties to gather verbal evidence and establish facts relevant to the investigation. Search public records including land titles, court documents, company registrations, and electoral rolls via official databases and registries. Prepare comprehensive investigation reports documenting findings, evidence chains, timelines, and conclusions in formats suitable for legal use. Photograph and document scenes, subjects, and physical evidence using digital cameras and video equipment while respecting trespass and privacy laws. Conduct background checks using legally accessible sources to verify employment history, financial status, and personal details. Liaise with legal representatives, clients, and law enforcement to clarify investigation scope, provide updates, and deliver evidence.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). 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.

You'll need a state-based private investigator licence before you can legally work, which takes time and money to obtain. The work is often tedious (hours of surveillance sitting in a car), physically demanding, and carries real legal risk if you breach privacy laws or trespass. Income is irregular and heavily dependent on client volume, not a steady salary.

Regional work exists but is sparse. Remote work is uncommon since surveillance and interviews require you on site.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 4422, 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
• Assist judgecore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Call witnessescore
• Case Note Documentationcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Ensure public safety and securitycore
• Ensure sentence executioncore
• Maintain court ordercore
• Maintain logbookscore
• Manage administrative systemscore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Send summonscore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Verification and Authenticationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Brief court officials
• Civil law
• Civil process order
• Compile legal documents
• Comply with legal regulations
• Court procedures
• Digital Literacy
• Electronic Document Management
• Incident Reporting
• Investigation research methods
• Legal case management
• Legal research
• Legal Research
• Legal terminology
• Legal Terminology
• Negotiation
• Observe confidentiality
• Professional Boundaries Maintenance
• Record court procedures
• Respond to enquiries
• Stakeholder Communication
• Time Management and Prioritisation

• 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