(Border Force)
Immigration Officer
Useful Links
https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/departments/working-for-the-home-office/
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/border-force/about
https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration/about/recruitment
Job Profiles
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/immigration-officer
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/border-force-officer
https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/immigration-officer-job-description
What is an immigraton officer?
Immigration officers make decisions on whether people have the right to visit or stay in the UK.
As an Immigration Officer, you will work as part of a team, undertaking a range of interesting and varied activities linked to reducing harm and protecting the public. The work of ICE (Immigration, Compliance and Enforcement) teams includes conducting residential and commercial compliance and enforcement visits to identify, arrest and detain immigration offenders whilst protecting and safeguarding the vulnerable.
Day-to-day tasks
You'll check visitors to the UK are allowed to enter and entitled to stay. You may:
watch people and check documents and visas in passport control areas
interview people to check they are entitled to stay
arrange for people to go back to the country they came from
organise places in holding centres, for example for people claiming asylum
monitor people and gather information through surveillance work
work on joint operations with police and Border Force officials
visit and interview people who are suspected of not having the right to remain in the UK
collect statistics
write reports
Day in the life :
Taken from NCS website 2023
Requirements / Eligibility
Firstly you'll need to:
be over 18 years of age
be a UK citizen
pass security checks
pass enhanced background checks
pass a medical check
have a full driving licence
Routes into this role
You can get into this job through:
a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
applying directly
College
You could do a college course which would teach you some of the skills needed in this role. After you finish your course you could apply for a trainee immigration officer post.
Relevant courses include:
Level 3 Diploma in Public Services
Apprenticeship
You could start as a trainee immigration officer and do a public service operational delivery officer advanced apprenticeship with the Civil Service.
With qualifications and experience, you could move on to immigration officer roles.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
University
Although a degree is not an essential requirement, graduates of any discipline are welcome to apply. The following subjects might be particularly helpful:
criminology
psychology
public services
law.
Work
You could join the Civil Service as an assistant immigration officer. Once working, you could apply for a post as an immigration officer when vacancies become available.
Direct Application
You could apply directly for immigration officer jobs with the Civil Service. The qualifications and experience you'll need will depend on the exact job you're applying for, but you'll usually find it useful to have:
2 A levels at grade C or above
a degree for some jobs
customer service skills
the ability to speak another language
Employment / work place
You would work under the home office as part of Immigration, Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) or Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) teams at locations across the country. Both these teams are part of Immigration Enforcement.
About ICE teams
As an Immigration Officer, you will work as part of a team, undertaking a range of interesting and varied activities linked to our aim of reducing harm and protecting the public. The work of ICE teams includes conducting residential and commercial compliance and enforcement visits to identify, arrest and detain immigration offenders whilst protecting and safeguarding the vulnerable.
About CFI teams
Our Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI) teams play a fundamental role in tackling immigration crime, as part of a multi-layered UK law enforcement approach. Working closely with partners in the National Crime Agency, territorial policing and many other agencies and departments, our CFI Teams take action against those criminals that seek to benefit from illegal migration. As a Criminal Investigator you would undertake a wide range of activities which support the detection, apprehension and prosecution of those who breach our immigration laws.
You could work in :
140 ports and airports across the UK and overseas.
general aviation ports, postal depots and international rail networks.
Look for job vacancies at:
Civil Service Job search - you may find vacancies on other websites, but all applications are via the Civil Service website.
Application information
General overview (Use as a guide only- as this could be subject to change)
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Strengths, Ability and Experience.
This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job,
You will submit your application through the online civil service recruitment portal: Civil Service Jobs.
Basic information
As the first part of the application process, you will be asked to confirm your eligibility by providing some basic personal information.
Online tests
You will then be invited to complete an online Civil Service Judgement Test. If you pass this test, you will be invited to continue with your application. Find out more about Civil Service Online tests
Candidates are encouraged to take the tests early in the process to ensure they can complete their application as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended) and by the deadline given. If you don’t complete the online tests before the deadline your application will be withdrawn.
Statement of Suitability
Following successful completion of thetest, you will be asked to complete a statement of suitability of no more than 500 words which demonstrates your skills and experience for this role and how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the job description.
Interview
Candidates who pass the sift and progress to the next stage of the process, will be invited to attend an interview via video. You will be required to have access to a laptop with a working webcam and candidates will be given 5 working days’ notice to book an interview slot. You will be assessed using an approach of Strengths-based questions only (no preparation is required).
Career Videos
YouTube Channel : https://www.youtube.com/@homeofficejobsuk4618