CF/LNA: SOP 134E5

BUREAU OF GLOBAL TALENT MANAGEMENT
OFFICE OF TALENT ACQUISITION

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES NOTICE NO. 134E5

This SOP replaces and supersedes SOP 134E4 dated 10/15/2024 and all previous versions of 134E.

SUBJECT: Salary Standards for Foreign Service Consular Fellow Limited Non-Career Appointment, effective  February 20, 2025.

PURPOSE: To provide procedures for determining the entry-level salary for Foreign Service Consular Fellow Limited Non-Career Appointment (CA/LNA) Candidates hired in accordance with 3 FAM 2293.

PROCEDURES: The Office of Intake, Planning, and Onboarding (IPO) is responsible for determining the entry-level salary (grade and step) offered to a candidate, based on their qualifying professional experience, education, and current federal agency salary history. Salary review/appeal procedures are covered by Salary Review Procedure SOP No. 134D5.

Determination of Entry-level Grade and Step

A candidate’s grade and step determination are based on the combination of their level of education and their years of qualifying professional experience (QPE), as provided in the chart below:

The vacancy announcement for Foreign Service Consular Fellow Limited Non-Career Appointment positions states that successful candidates will be appointed at one of the grade levels specified, i.e., either FS-6 or FS-5. Successful candidates will be offered the highest grade/lowest step as justified by the candidate’s education at the time the offer is made. Additional steps will be granted for each two full years of qualifying work experience (see below), up to a maximum of five steps. For example, a candidate with a bachelor’s degree plus eight years of qualifying work experience is awarded a salary level of FS-6, Step 5.

Education:

To be considered, all degrees must be from accredited institutions, education completed in foreign institution may be used to meet Federal job requirements if the candidate can show that the foreign education is comparable to education received in the United States. A bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree, received from an accredited institution after the IPO has sent an offer of employment, but before the candidate has been sworn in as a Consular Adjudicator will be credited for grade and salary determination upon submission of evidence of the degree to the IPO.

Calculation of Qualifying Experience:

An additional step may be granted for each year of qualifying professional experience, calculated up to the effective date of the Appointment offer (i.e., class start date). Regardless of the nature of work performed, the number of positions held, hours worked, or employment status (including self-employment), no more than 40 hours of qualifying professional experience will be credited for anyone-week period. Part-time work will be prorated. When totaling a candidate’s qualifying professional experience, no credit is given for periods of less than one year (e.g., four years and eleven months of experience is credited as four years).

For the purposes of this SOP, qualifying professional experience refers to work in a field that requires a bachelor’s degree or higher. Experience in clerical, wage-grade positions, or other roles that do not require a bachelor’s degree will not be considered qualifying. Qualifying professional experience refers to work experience in the following fields: foreign affairs; legal or paralegal affairs; regulatory or governmental affairs; consular affairs; foreign assistance or international development; translation or interpretation services; and, teaching at the high school level or above. Volunteer work may be credited if it meets the definition of qualifying professional experience.

Military Service:

All relevant military experience, whether as a commissioned or non-commissioned officer, can be considered qualifying professional experience if it aligns with the job requirements of the position.

Matching Salary Consideration: 

Once a candidate’s grade and step are determined based on education and qualifying experience, IPO will review their current salary to determine if it exceeds the projected salary in the Foreign Service Overseas Salary Table. If the current salary is higher, the candidate’s starting salary will be adjusted to the closest step at or above their current salary within the assigned grade. If the current salary exceeds the highest step available for the assigned grade, the candidate will be placed at step 14 of that grade.

For this SOP, “current salary” refers to the base salary earned for at least 90 days before appointment as a Foreign Service Career Candidate. Federal government civilian direct-hire employees must have no more than a three-calendar-day break in service between their current federal employment and Foreign Service appointment, per government-wide regulations.

For candidates with current or previous federal employment, only base salary will be considered for the purposes of salary matching. Locality pay or other special differentials will not be considered part of “current salary.” The highest federal base salary held for at least 90 days may be considered for purposes of salary matching regardless of how long ago the position was held.

For all other candidates, there must not be a break in service of more than 45 calendar days between their most recent employment and Foreign Service appointment for current salary matching considerations to apply. Candidates must submit proof of their current salary, e.g. a copy of 90 days’ worth of earnings statements; an SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action (for federal civilian employees only); a signed statement on letterhead from the Human Resources Office of their most recent employer; and/or other appropriate documentation.

For candidates who are not entering the Foreign Service directly from other federal civilian employment but previously held a federal government civilian direct-hire position, their highest federal salary will be considered for purposes of salary matching. Candidates must submit a copy of an SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action for proof of their prior federal employment.

Salary Offer Response Deadline:

You will have 10 calendar days to accept, decline, or appeal the salary offered.