How to become a Postal Sorting Officer

Receives, sorts and dispatches mail in a post office or postal sorting centre.

Main tasks

• Receives and sorts incoming mail
• Operates sorting machines to categorise mail
• Prepares mail for delivery
• Identifies mail requiring special handling or additional services
• Maintains records of mail received, sorted and dispatched
• Assists customers with enquires about postal services
• Investigates complaints regarding lost items

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 15,500 people work in this job group now, and about 15,300 are projected by 2035. (-1.6%)
• AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Related jobs

• Mail Clerk
• Filing or Registry Clerk
• Library Assistant
• Human Resources Administration Assistant
• Rostering Officer
• Clinical Coder

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Questions people ask

Is a Postal Sorting Officer a growing career in Australia?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 15,500 people now and 15,300 later (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Postal Sorting Officer?

Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Postal Sorting Officer?

AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04