Guide ·
CAST Permanent: how the EU contract staff selection works
In short
CAST Permanent is EPSO’s always-open selection procedure for EU contract staff. There is no deadline: you register a profile in function group I, II, III or IV, the EU institutions shortlist the candidates who match their needs, and those shortlisted sit three reasoning tests: verbal, numerical and abstract. You need 10/20 in verbal and 10/20 in numerical and abstract combined. There is no ranking, and a pass stays valid for ten years. The next test dates in 2026 are 6 October and 19 November.
Key facts
- What it is
- The always-open selection procedure for EU contract staff; no deadline
- Contracts
- Fixed-term, up to six years; indefinite in some agencies, delegations and representations
- Function groups
- FG I manual support · FG II clerical · FG III executive and technical · FG IV administrative, advisory, linguistic
- Tests
- Verbal 20 questions in 35 min · numerical 10 in 20 min · abstract 10 in 10 min, in language 1
- Pass marks
- Verbal 10/20 · numerical and abstract combined 10/20
- Ranking
- None: pass or fail
- Validity
- Ten years
- 2026 test dates
- 6 October and 19 November
What is CAST Permanent?
The way into the EU institutions as contract staff. Contract staff are generally recruited on fixed-term contracts of up to six years in any EU institution; in some cases, particularly in agencies, delegations and representations, contracts can be of indefinite duration.
It is not a competition with a deadline and a set number of places. It is a database that is always open: you register your profile, and the institutions come to it when they need someone.
Which function group is yours?
| Function group | Tasks | Minimum education |
|---|---|---|
| FG I | Manual or basic administrative support | Compulsory education |
| FG II | Clerical and secretarial | Post-secondary education, or secondary education giving access to it plus at least three years of relevant experience |
| FG III | Executive and technical | Same as FG II |
| FG IV | Administrative, advisory, linguistic or equivalent technical | At least three years of completed university education |
In every group you need one official EU language at C1 level and a second at B2. Within each group you choose profiles: administration and human resources, finance, ICT, IT security, law, communication, project management, political affairs, secretaries, translators, building management and more. Not every profile exists in every group.
How does the process work?
- You register. You create an EPSO account and fill in your personal, professional and educational profile, choosing the profiles and function groups you apply for. Your details go into the contract staff database.
- The institutions shortlist. When a recruitment need arises, they select the candidates whose profile best matches the job.
- The shortlisted sit the tests, on fixed dates published by EPSO.
- If you pass, you can be recruited. Your result stays valid for ten years, and the recruiting services contact candidates from there.
Registering does not guarantee an invitation: that depends on your profile being shortlisted. Keep it complete and up to date.
What are the tests?
Only the three reasoning tests, in your language 1, one after the other:
| Test | Questions | Time | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal reasoning | 20 | 35 minutes | 10/20 |
| Numerical reasoning | 10 | 20 minutes | 10/20 combined with abstract |
| Abstract reasoning | 10 | 10 minutes | 10/20 combined with numerical |
They are the same tests, with the same pass marks, for every function group and every profile. There is no negative marking. You sit them remotely: see the guide to TAO for the screen and the rules, and the guide to the reasoning tests for what each question looks like.
Does a higher score help?
No. CAST is pass or fail: there is no combined score, no ranking and no ordered reserve list. Once you pass, it is your profile, not your score, that makes a recruiting service call you. See how EPSO scores its tests.
The call for expressions of interest adds a rule worth knowing before you sit them: if you fail, you have to wait four months before you can be tested again for the same function group or a higher one.
When are the tests in 2026?
EPSO publishes the test dates for contract staff on its CAST page. For the rest of 2026:
| Test date | Results (indicative) |
|---|---|
| 6 October 2026 | Beginning of November 2026 |
| 19 November 2026 | End of December 2026 |
Only shortlisted candidates are invited, so the invitation is what tells you which date is yours.
How to prepare
- Aim for a safe margin above the pass marks. With no ranking, there is nothing to gain beyond them, and nothing to lose by playing safe.
- Remember the combined pass mark. 10/20 between numerical and abstract: a strong abstract test can make up for a weak numerical one.
- Practise the three tests in a row, with their real clocks, and with an on-screen calculator only.
- Keep your profile complete. It is what gets you shortlisted in the first place.
- Run the technical check early, on your own computer rather than a work laptop.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a deadline for CAST Permanent?
- No. Registration is always open. What has dates are the tests, and only candidates shortlisted by an institution are invited to them.
- Are the CAST tests different for each function group?
- No. Every function group and every profile sits the same three reasoning tests, with the same pass marks.
- Does a higher CAST score improve my chances?
- No. CAST is pass or fail, with no ranking. After you pass, recruiting services choose candidates by profile.
- How long is a CAST result valid?
- Ten years.
- Can I retake the CAST tests if I fail?
- Yes, but not straight away: the call sets a four-month wait before you can be tested again for the same function group or a higher one.
Sources
- Contract staff selection procedures always open for registration · EPSO · consulted September 15, 2026
- Upcoming testing dates for Contract staff · EPSO
- Call for expression of interest CAST Permanent · EPSO · April 2023