New South Wales CCTV Control Room Operator Jobs for Foreigners in 2026: Licence Classes, Requirements and Real Vacancies

CCTV Control Room Operators Are in Demand Across Sydney and Regional NSW

Shopping centres, office towers, hospitals, stadiums and transport hubs across New South Wales run 24/7 control rooms — and the operators behind the monitors are hired from a different talent pool than frontline security guards. If you are exploring security work in Australia, the control room path is worth understanding on its own terms: it has its own licence classes, its own rosters, and its own honest limitations for foreign applicants.

This 2026 guide covers what CCTV control room operators actually do in NSW, the licence classes that apply, the training involved, what foreign workers genuinely need for licensing, and real vacancies advertised in NSW right now — checked on 28 September 2026.

What a CCTV Control Room Operator Does

Unlike a static guard on a gate, a control room operator is the eyes of a site. Typical duties advertised in current NSW vacancies include:

• Monitoring live CCTV, alarm and access-control systems across a site or precinct
• Dispatching patrol officers and emergency services when incidents occur
• Logging incidents, writing shift reports and maintaining communication logs
• Coordinating with building management, police and emergency responders
• Working rotating 12-hour day and night shifts in a 24/7 operations centre

Both men and women are hired into these roles — current NSW advertisements are open to all genders, and control room work is one of the security streams where employers actively recruit women.

The Licence Distinction That Matters: Class 1A vs Class 1E

New South Wales law draws a line that surprises many applicants. The Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate (SLED) of the NSW Police Force distinguishes between two different workplaces:

• Class 1E — Monitoring Centre Operator: defined as monitoring security alarm activations for property protection in a dedicated monitoring facility (the kind of centre defined by Australian Standard AS 2201.2:2004). A 1E holder may only physically respond to alarm activations if they also hold a 1A licence.
• Class 1A — Security Officer: covers a control room inside a specific site — a shopping centre, office building, stadium or hospital — monitored by CCTV, internal alarms and site devices. Control room operators cannot do monitoring-centre work unless they also hold 1E.

In practice, most current Sydney control room advertisements ask for both 1A and 1E, because employers want operators who can cover either duty. Read each vacancy carefully rather than assuming one licence covers everything.

NSW Security Licence Requirements in 2026

To hold a Class 1 licence in NSW you must:

• Be at least 18 years old and meet SLED’s criminal-history and “fit and proper person” checks
• Provide a police clearance certificate for every country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years since turning 16 (translated if needed, issued within the last 12 months and verified by that country’s embassy or consulate in Australia)
• For the 1A (control room / CCTV site operator) path: complete the NSW Security Licence Course through a SLED Approved Organisation — the mandatory units of the CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations plus a current first aid certificate
• For adding the 1E (Monitoring Centre Operator) subclass: SLED states no additional qualifications are required beyond the licence application itself

Most NSW control room ads also ask for a valid first aid certificate (3-year) with current CPR (1-year), an Australian police check, and sometimes a Working With Children Check for sites like hospitals and shopping centres.

Can Foreigners Get Licensed? The Honest Answer

This is where readers need straight facts. Since 1 June 2023, an applicant who is not an Australian citizen or permanent resident can only be granted a NSW security licence if they hold either a visa sponsored by a Master security licence holder, or a visa for a skilled occupation that corresponds to the activities the licence authorises.

And here is the harder truth: security occupations — including Alarm, Security or Surveillance Monitor (ANZSCO 442211) and Security Officer (442217) — do not appear on Australia’s official Core Skills Occupation List, the 456-occupation list that underpins the standard Subclass 482 employer-sponsorship pathway. That means the normal 482 visa sponsorship route used for nurses, engineers and hospitality managers is not available for CCTV and security roles.

None of the live NSW control room vacancies checked for this article mention visa sponsorship. Several effectively require existing Australian work rights, and at least one high-paying casual role requires an NV1 security clearance, which in practice requires Australian citizenship.

Bottom line: treat any recruiter promising “guaranteed visa sponsorship” for NSW security jobs — especially unknown agents on Facebook or WhatsApp — with extreme scepticism. The realistic path for a foreign worker is to first secure an Australian visa with work rights through another route, then complete the NSW licensing steps above.

Real Control Room Operator Vacancies in NSW (Checked 28 September 2026)

These are genuine advertisements live on SEEK and recruitment aggregators at the time of checking. Details can change — always verify on the employer’s official listing before applying.

1. Certis Security Australia — Control Room Operator, Blacktown

• Location: Blacktown, Sydney NSW
• Pay: SSIA Award Level 5 (penalty rates apply)
• Type: Permanent full-time; 8-week rotating roster, 12-hour shifts (2 days / 2 nights), averaging 76 hours per fortnight
• Requirements: NSW Security Licence Class 1A & 1E, valid first aid (3-year) + current CPR (1-year), Australian police check, Working With Children Check
• Where to apply: SEEK — search “Certis Control Room Operator Blacktown”

2. Certis Security Australia — Control Room Operator, Parramatta

• Location: Parramatta, Sydney NSW
• Pay: SSIA Award Level 5
• Type: Permanent full-time; 4 on / 4 off roster (2 x 12-hour days, 2 x 12-hour nights)
• Requirements: NSW Security Licence 1A & 1E
• Where to apply: SEEK — search “Certis Control Room Operator Parramatta”

3. Certis Security Australia — Control Room Operator, Sydney CBD (Kent St)

• Location: Kent Street, Sydney CBD NSW
• Pay: SSIA Award Level 4
• Type: Permanent full-time; rotating 12-hour day/night shifts
• Requirements: NSW Security Licence 1A & 1E, valid first aid + current CPR; control room experience essential
• Where to apply: SEEK — search “Certis Control Room Operator Sydney CBD”

4. Certis Security Australia — Control Room Operator, North Ryde

• Location: North Ryde, Sydney NSW
• Pay: SSIA Award Level 4
• Type: Permanent full-time and part-time opportunities
• Requirements: NSW Security Licence 1A & 1E, valid first aid + current CPR, must clear an Australian police check
• Where to apply: SEEK — search “Certis Control Room Operator North Ryde”

5. Wilson Security — Control Room / Rover Roles, Sydney CBD

• Location: Sydney CBD (premium office-grade building)
• Pay: SSIA Award Level 4–5
• Type: Full-time
• Requirements: NSW security licence expected; check the individual listing
• Where to apply: via the live NSW control-room search page on SEEK

6. Securitas Australia — Control Room Supervisor, Sydney Metro

• Location: Sydney metropolitan area, NSW
• Type: Full-time supervisory role
• Requirements: Check the individual listing for licence and experience requirements
• Where to apply: SEEK — Sydney security operations listings

7. Securitas Australia — Control Room Operator, Sydney (Casual, $55/hr)

• Location: Sydney NSW (including Erskine Park area)
• Pay: $55 per hour flat rate, casual
• Type: Casual
• Requirements: NV1 security clearance required — this effectively requires Australian citizenship, so it is not a pathway for overseas applicants
• Where to apply: SEEK — Sydney security listings

8. MSS Security — Aviation Control Room Operator, Near Sydney Airport

• Location: Close to Sydney Airport, NSW (premium aviation client monitoring centre)
• Pay: $29.79 per hour + superannuation + allowances
• Type: Permanent full-time; 4 on / 4 off roster
• Requirements: NSW Security Licence, Certificate II in Security Operations, current first aid
• Where to apply: MSS Security’s official recruitment channels and major job boards

What Do NSW Control Room Operators Earn?

Most Sydney control room roles are paid under the Security Services Industry Award (SSIA) at Level 4 or Level 5, with penalty rates for nights, weekends and public holidays. Indicative figures from current ads:

• $29.79/hour + super + allowances — permanent aviation control room role (MSS Security)
• $55/hour flat — casual control room role requiring NV1 clearance (Securitas)
• SSIA Level 4–5 — permanent roles with major providers (Certis, Wilson Security)

Twelve-hour shifts with penalties can lift take-home pay significantly above the base hourly rate.

How to Apply: Step by Step

1. Confirm your work rights first. Without Australian citizenship, permanent residency or a visa with work rights, you cannot be licensed in NSW. Sort the visa before the licence.
2. Complete the NSW Security Licence Course through a SLED Approved Organisation (CPP20218 units + first aid), unless you are only seeking the 1E subclass.
3. Apply for the licence via SLED, with police clearances for every country you have lived in for 12+ months in the last 10 years.
4. Apply directly through SEEK or the security company’s official careers page — Certis Security Australia, Wilson Security, Securitas Australia and MSS Security all run official recruitment portals.
5. Never pay a recruitment fee to an agent on Facebook or WhatsApp. Legitimate NSW security employers never ask applicants for placement payments.

Red Flags to Avoid

• Anyone guaranteeing visa sponsorship for a NSW security role — no live ad offers it and the occupation is not on the sponsorship occupation list
• Recruiters who only operate through WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger and cannot name a Master licence number
• Requests for upfront “training,” “placement” or “visa processing” payments
• Job offers that arrive without an interview or without licence verification

Frequently Asked Questions

Can women apply for CCTV control room operator jobs in NSW?
Yes. Men and women can apply — control room work is one of the security streams where NSW employers actively recruit women, and current advertisements are open to all genders.

Do I need experience?
Some roles (like the Certis Sydney CBD position) state that control room experience is essential, while others provide on-the-job training once you hold the right licence.

Is visa sponsorship available for these roles?
Not in any current NSW advertisement, and security occupations are not on Australia’s Core Skills Occupation List for standard Subclass 482 sponsorship. Be cautious of anyone claiming otherwise.

What is the difference between a control room and a monitoring centre?
In NSW, a control room sits inside a specific site (mall, office, stadium) and needs a Class 1A licence; a monitoring centre is a dedicated alarm-monitoring facility needing Class 1E. Most Sydney employers ask for both.

Related Guides

• Western Australia Mobile Patrol Security Jobs for Foreigners
• Queensland Hospital & Site Security Jobs for Foreigners
• Australia Security Guard Jobs 2026: Easiest Pathways for Foreigners
• Germany Security Guard Jobs for Foreigners in 2026
• Malta Security Guard Jobs for Foreigners in 2026

Official Sources

• SLED — What is a Class 1 licence (NSW Police Force)
• SLED — Frequently asked questions: monitoring centre vs control room
• SLED — Am I eligible for a Class 1 licence?
• SLED — Changes to licence eligibility (1 June 2023)
• CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations — training.gov.au
• Home Affairs — Subclass 482 Skills in Demand visa
• Core Skills Occupation List (official PDF)
• SEEK — Control room jobs in New South Wales

Vacancy details checked on 28 September 2026. Listings change frequently — always confirm pay, roster and requirements on the employer’s official advertisement before applying.