Grades determine the rate of basic pay associated with a specific level of work or range of difficulty, responsibility and qualification requirements. Take a look at the charts below to see what positions meet your qualifications.
Most International Organizations follow the United Nations Common System professional grade structure. Please note that the years of experience referred to in the chart is years of relevant experience after the completion of an undergraduate degree- unless stated otherwise in the individual vacancy announcement. As these positions are very competitive it is recommended that you apply to positions for which you both meet, and exceed, the minimum years of experience.
| Level | Grade | Required Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | P-1 | Rarely advertised, 0-2 years of work experience. |
| Entry | P-2 | Minimum 2 years of work experience. No experience is required if applying to the young professionals program. |
| Entry | P-3 | Minimum 5 years of work experience. |
| Mid | P-4 | Minimum 7 years of work experience. |
| Mid | P-5 | Minimum 10 years of work experience. |
| Senior | D-1 | Minimum 15 years of work experience. |
| Senior | D-2 | More than 15 years of work experience. |
The A category is made up of seven levels, the entrance level being A1 and the most senior being A7. Most staff are at A3 and A4 levels. Levels A5 and above are considered management levels. Level A1 is considered transitory and generally only applied to trainees. Each Co-ordinated Organization has a separate but similar manner of determining the level of A grade posts. Some organizations apply a point factor system while others practice a "whole level" description method. All organizations apply a form of internal benchmarking. Some organizations practice linked grades such as A2/3 which is extended to A2/3/4 at ESA.
Please visit the employment pages of individual international organizations to learn more about unique professional grading systems if the organization of your choice is using a different system than those listed above. Please view our international organization contact information page for links to employment websites.
Salaries established by international organizations are typically competitive. Since countries generally do not tax their nationals’ income from international organizations, most international organizations (including UN agencies) set salaries on a "net-of-tax" basis. In addition, they provide other allowances that vary according to individual circumstances and the cost-of-living at the work location. The most important of these allowances is the "post adjustment," which serves to equalize purchasing power for international civil servants wherever they serve.
While salaries are usually quoted in dollars, they are paid in whole or part in the currency of the country where the individual serves. The take-home pay, therefore, can vary with changes in the dollar exchange rate.
To determine whether the salary and benefits package offered by an international organization is desirable, applicants should compare the international organization's "net" salary plus post adjustment and any other offered allowances with their current "after-withholding" salary, allowances and benefits.
Pay in the professional and senior positions is made up of two main elements: 1) base salary and 2) post adjustment. UN salaries are based on those of the U.S. Civil Service plus an amount that will vary from 10-20%.
Am I required to pay taxes as an International Civil Servant?
All U.S. citizens and permanent residents remain subject to federal income tax and also may be subject to U.S. state and local taxes. However, special tax provisions apply to Americans working overseas, for example, with international organizations. For authoritative information on federal taxes, see IRS Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad. For information on state or local taxes, please consult the tax authority's guidance.
In general, employees who meet certain residency requirements, may exclude up to $104,100 (2018) of their international organization income from federal taxes. Also, some international organizations offer tax incentives to employees. Candidates are encouraged to consider tax ramifications of employment prior to accepting any offer from an international organization.
For USG employees, pursuant to Public Law 103-296, FICA tax is required for all transferred employees even if they do not continue their CSRS Offset or FERS coverage during the transfer. While employed by an international organization, an employee's FICA tax, retirement and insurance contributions are based on the amount of pay the employee would have received had he or she remained at the transferring agency. Whether or not the employee elects retirement coverage, the employee is no longer exempt from FICA tax during service with the international organization.
Please visit the International Civil Service Commission and Co-ordinated Organisations (CO) websites to learn more about the benefits offered by the majority of international organizations. If the international organization of your interest is not a part of either group please visit our international organization contact information page for links to the employment pages of specific international organizations.
