Border Force is the part of the Home Office responsible for securing the UK border 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by enforcing immigration and customs regulations.
Around 10,000 people work for Border Force, with the majority working in frontline roles in airports and seaports across the UK and overseas. Some officers will work at only one location, whilst others are mobile and working across several ports or locations in a region. We’re recruiting for officers and apprentices to join our brilliant teams across the UK.
The closing date for applications is Friday, 3 February at 23:55.
You can also view a version of this video with audio description.
We are recruiting for the following roles:
What does Border Force do?
Our work includes checking all passengers and freight arriving in the UK by air and sea and conducting intelligence-led searches for drugs, cash, tobacco, alcohol, firearms, offensive weapons, prohibited and counterfeit goods.
We also support the Home Office on high-profile priorities such as counter terrorism, organised crime, tackling modern slavery and human trafficking. This is some of the most important and challenging work in Government, and its impact can be felt in communities across the UK.
Due to the work we do and where we do it, Border Forcer teams can operate in sometimes difficult and dynamic environments. Priorities change quickly and flexibility is key.
What you could be doing
Once trained you could be:
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- Operating immigration and customs controls at points of entry to the UK, checking passengers have the correct permissions and documentation to enter, and conducting interviews and investigations where necessary.
- Identifying vulnerable adults and children, prioritising their safety and welfare and referring to appropriate agencies.
- Identifying and searching people, goods and vehicles to establish if a customs offence has been committed.
- Managing international trade at the border, examining goods and processing documentation.
- Using law enforcement powers to arrest people involved in border offences, preserving evidence, managing the detention of individuals and liaising with other law enforcement partners.
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- Undertaking checks and research to identify people or vehicles of interest; conducting searches on people, goods and vehicles to establish if a customs offence has been committed; using and gathering intelligence to inform activity.
- Work on International Trade including processing and recording documentation, investigating errors and responding to complaints.
- Using law enforcement powers to assist in the arrest and detention of people involved in border offences, preserving evidence and liaising with law enforcement partners.
- Supporting wider frontline Border Force activity in its operational and corporate functions; recruitment, training, finance etc.
Our borders operate 24/7 and our officers and apprentices do too. This means officers work a variety of rostered shifts which include nights and public holidays.
Benefits
We offer competitive starting salaries and an Annual Hours Allowance of up to 50% of your salary depending on location and role, which is paid on top of your monthly pay. This is to compensate for working shift patterns which can include: night shifts, early morning starts, late night finishes, as well as weekend and public holidays. See salary and allowances below for more details.
We also offer a Civil Service Pension with employer contribution rates of at least 26.6%, as well as a range of other benefits including flexible working and 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service.
Find out more about some of the other benefits we offer.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for this role, you must
- be a UK national
- be at least 18 years old
- be able to provide all the ID documents we need to complete your pre-employment screening and security clearance.
- complete a Personal Safety Training health declaration and, if necessary, attend a medical examination.
- be able to work flexibly within a team environment, as priorities can change rapidly.
In some of our roles you may be required to drive official vehicles so you will need a Full Manual Driving Licence.
Meet the Team Events – Online
If you want to learn more about these roles you can join one of our free online live events. During these events you will hear current Border Force officers and apprentices talk about the job, what opportunities and career prospects there are and why their job matters. We will also talk about the recruitment and security vetting processes, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions of current team members who are doing the job.
The events will be on the following dates. Register by clicking on the date and time you want to attend, or if the event has already taken place, click on the link to watch a recording. There is no requirement to attend in order to apply.
Border Force Apprentice Events
- 19 January, 12:00 – 13:00
- 19 January, 18:00 – 19:00
Border Force Officer Events
- 24 January, 12:00 – 13:00
- 24 January, 18:00 – 19:00
Meet the Team Events – In Person
Border Force South East & Europe Region will also be holding a series of face-to-face events. There’s no need to register to attend.
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Location Date Times St Marys Parish Centre, Cannon Street, Dover, CT16 1BY 21/01/2023 0900-1600 Canterbury Longmarket Jobcentre, 6-8 Longmarket, Canterbury, CT1 2JS 24/01/2023 1000-1600 Basepoint, Shearway Business Park, Shearway Road, Folkestone, CT19 4RH 25/01/2023 0900-1600 Royal Hotel, Beach Street, Deal, CT14 6JD 27/01/2023 0900-1600 Custom House, Harbour Parade, Ramsgate, CT11 8LP 28/01/2023 0900-1600 Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Ashford Business Point Conference Hall, Ashford, TN24 0LH 30/01/2023 0900-1600
Border Force Apprentices
We’re advertising 113 roles at locations across the UK.
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Birmingham, Coventry, Dover, Folkestone, Glasgow, Hull, Immingham, Luton, Middlesbrough (Teesport), Milton Keynes, South Shields (Port of Tyne), Slough (Langley), Tilbury
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£22,400
Plus allowances of up to 49% of salary. Annualised Hours Allowance (AHA) is 21% – 49%, which equates to an additional £4,704 – £10,976 pa based on National salary minimum.
The Annualised Hours Allowance is to compensate for working shift patterns which can include: night shifts, early morning starts, late night finishes, as well as weekend and public holidays. This allowance is subject to regular review.
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An apprenticeship with Border Force gives you an opportunity to:
- Positively affect some of the challenges facing the UK today
- Gain nationally recognised qualifications including Level 3 Award in Operational Delivery
- Develop a wide range of skills and experience that will prepare you for a career both inside and outside the Civil Service
Your apprenticeship will take up to 18 months to complete and will include a period of probation. Once you complete the apprenticeship you will be offered a permanent contract with the Home Office at AO grade.
To prepare you for your career as a Border Force Apprentice, you will learn about immigration and customs legislation, procedures, personal safety and how you will be deploying your powers. Once you understand the theory, you will be able to put it into practice in our operational areas. The course is modular, with the longest section being 5 weeks. The training will be supplemented by ongoing support from your manager, mentors and colleagues.
Your training will take place in one of our regional hubs which are located at Heathrow, Manchester, Folkestone, Stansted, Tilbury or Gatwick. In addition, you will be asked to attend an induction week in the region where you have accepted a role. You will receive full joining instructions closer to your start date.
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Successful candidates will need to demonstrate:
- The professional behaviours and personal integrity associated with a law enforcement organisation, which means acting ethically and with integrity, always doing the right thing, being honest and impartial
- Excellent interpersonal skills, and enjoy interacting with colleagues, members of the public and external stakeholders
- The ability to work as part of a team, be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
- A genuine interest in people, an inquisitive open mind and empathetic manner
- The ability to deal with potentially difficult and challenging situations in a professional manner
- An objective, analytical and methodical approach to tasks
- At some locations, a full valid UK manual driving licence is required but if you do not hold one, this is not a barrier to applying. If you are successful, you will be expected to obtain this licence at your own expense within a 12-month period.
- That you hold GCSE Grade 9-3 (A-D) in Maths and English. We accept equivalent qualification at the same level. See the full advert for details
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This vacancy uses 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, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
You will submit your application through the online civil service recruitment portal: Civil Service Jobs.
1. Online tests
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete the Civil Service Verbal Test. If you pass this test, you will be invited to complete the next stage of the application, submitting your CV. Find out more about Civil Service Online tests
2. CV
You should submit a CV in which you detail your qualifications and previous skills/experience aligned to the essential criteria.
3. The interview
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to attend a pre-recorded video interview which will use strength-based questions. A full explanation of how this works will be provided to you, but you will need to have access to a laptop or computer with a working webcam and good internet access.
Strength-based questions seek to find out what people enjoy and when they are at their best. They are less about what they can do. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. It is important that you answer the questions as openly and honestly as you can, thinking about the kind of work that you enjoy doing and the Border Force role you are applying for.
Please note: You must present a valid, original full manual UK driving licence OR a valid UK passport at the start of the interview. Failure to present this will result in your application being rejected.
Border Force Officers
We’re advertising 423 roles at locations across the UK.
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Aberdeen, Belfast, Dover, Edinburgh, Folkestone, Glasgow, Holyhead, Horley (Gatwick Airport), Hull, Immingham, Leeds (Leeds Bradford Airport), London (London City Airport), Manchester Airport , Middlesbrough (Teesport), Newcastle, Slough (Langley),South Shields (Port of Tyne), Stansted, Tilbury, Luton
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£25,750 min (national) to £31,950 max (London). Plus allowances of up to 50% of salary, which equates to an additional £12,875 pa based on salary minimum.
Please see the specific job advert for details of the salary range and allowance level that applies. The Annualised Hours Allowance is to compensate for working shift patterns which can include: night shifts, early morning starts, late night finishes, as well as weekend and public holidays. This allowance is subject to regular review.
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Successful candidates will need to demonstrate they:
- Can demonstrate sound interpersonal, communication and relationship building skills and thrive working as part of a team
- Are flexible, adaptable and creative in solving problems and dealing with change
- Are able to confidently manage potentially difficult and challenging situations
- Have leadership potential or demonstrated leadership ability
- Have a strong sense of integrity and ethics
- Think in an objective and analytical manner with an inquisitive and open mind
- Hold a full valid UK manual driving licence if required for the location they are applying to
- Hold 5 GCSEs at Grade 9-4 (A-C), including in English and Maths. We accept equivalent qualification at the same level. See the full advert for details.
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This vacancy uses 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, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
You will submit your application through the online civil service recruitment portal: Civil Service Jobs.
1. Online tests
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete the Civil Service Verbal Test. If you pass this test, you will be invited to complete the next stage of the application, submitting your CV. Find out more about Civil Service Online tests
2. CV
You should submit a CV in which you detail your qualifications and previous skills and experience aligned to the essential criteria.
3. The interview
If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to attend a pre-recorded video interview which will use strength-based questions. A full explanation of how this works will be provided to you, but you will need to have access to a laptop or computer with a working webcam and good Internet access.
Strength based questions seek to find out what people enjoy and when they are at their best. They are less about what they can do. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. It is important that you answer the questions as openly and honestly as you can, thinking about the kind of work that you enjoy doing and the Border Force role you are applying for.
Please note: if you have applied for a role that requires a driving licence as an essential requirement, you must present your valid, original manual UK driving licence at the start of the interview. Failure to present this will result in your application being rejected.
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The initial training module you receive will depend on the port you are joining and the discipline – immigration, customs or both – that will be the primary focus of your role.
As you progress and gain experience you will undertake further training modules with the opportunity to specialise in areas such as: forgery detection, safeguarding vulnerable people, mobile response, commodity search teams and many more.
We have a continuous learning culture in Border Force, and you will be encouraged to undertake training activities in line with your skills and career aspirations. There are lots of opportunities for career progression, whether into management, corporate roles or more specialised operational roles.
