The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said this week it is now recruiting for 20,000 census field officers for the 2021 census, which is due to take place this winter.

It will be the eighteenth census conducted in the country.

Field officers are described as "a crucial workforce that will help people throughout Australia to participate in the upcoming 2021 Census."

They deliver census instructions and forms as well as visit households that have not yet responded.

According to the ABS, field officers are recruited locally to ensure they know the area well.

Census executive director Andrew Henderson said they would play a vital role in the census, which is designed to give an accurate and up-to-date snapshot of the demographics of the nation.

"We want to recruit motivated people who are keen to tell their community's story through the successful collection of Census data."

No previous experience is necessary and training is provided for the roles, which have flexible working hours.

"We are also recruiting people who can speak a language other than English as part of the job," Mr Henderson said.

The field officer roles are short-term, with positions available in every city, town and regional area across Australia.

The working hours are variable and will include weekdays, weekends and evenings.

The ABS said early applications were encouraged as positions tend to fill rapidly.

Organisers will be hoping to avoid the technical difficulties that marked the previous census in 2016.

The 2021 census officially takes place on Tuesday August 10 2021, with an estimated 38,000 workers required to make it happen