In accordance with State Department policy, U.S. citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs) are given preference in the selection process. If these individuals meet all the essential criteria as outlined on the job advertisement, they will be selected for assessment. If the USEFM demonstrates that they meet the essential requirements for the position during the assessment, they will be selected for that position.

Applications from other (non-preference) candidates will ONLY be considered if preference candidates do not demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria on paper, or at assessment. The essential selection criteria of a vacancy is specified in the job announcement/advertisement of the position.

If you have USEFM hiring preference, it is YOUR responsibility to demonstrate this at the time of application. If you fail to provide the information detailed below, preference will NOT be given.

If you are an USEFM, identify yourself as such on your application and please provide a copy of your sponsor’s orders. To qualify as an USEFM you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• U.S. citizen; and
• Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) of the sponsoring employee; or
• Listed on the travel orders or approved Form OF-126 of a sponsoring employee, i.e., a direct-hire Foreign Service, Civil Service, or Uniformed Service Member who is permanently assigned to or stationed abroad or, as appropriate, at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and resides at the sponsoring employee’s post of assignment abroad, or as appropriate, at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and is under chief of mission authority; or resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2; or currently receives a U.S. Government retirement annuity or pension from a career in the U.S. Foreign Service or Civil Service.
• EFMs are required to have completed FACT in order to gain employment at post.  They will be asked to show their certification.”

Please note, an application from an USEFM who has yet to arrive at Post, will be considered for a vacant position only if the applicant is scheduled to arrive at Post and be available to start work in the position within a reasonable period of time of the closing date of the applicable job advertisement and obtain and maintain the required level of security clearance.  This period may be extended at the discretion of the Human Resources Officer.

Please note that being a spouse or dependent of a private U.S. citizen, working and living in Tunisia, does not qualify you as a USEFM, for the purposes of preference in the Mission hiring process.