Civil Service nationality rules

The UK Civil Service has its own nationality rules on top of the normal right to work check. UK nationals, including dual nationals, can apply for any post. About 75 per cent of posts are also open to Commonwealth citizens, Irish nationals and certain EEA, Swiss and Turkish nationals who meet set conditions. The rest are reserved posts, mostly in national security, which only UK nationals can hold. Nationals of other countries are generally not eligible at all, even with permission to live and work in the UK.

Who is eligible for which posts

The Cabinet Office publishes the rules and the guidance departments must follow. In summary:

Nationality	Non-reserved posts	Reserved posts
UK national (British citizen and some other British statuses)	Yes	Yes, subject to any extra conditions
Dual national with UK nationality	Yes	Usually, though some reserved posts add conditions
Irish national	Yes	No, except a small group of long-serving civil servants
Commonwealth citizen	Yes, with the right to work in the UK	No, except a small group of long-serving civil servants
EEA or Swiss national	Only with EU Settlement Scheme status or other qualifying leave	No
Turkish national	Only with qualifying rights under the EC-Turkey Association Agreement	No
Other nationalities	Generally no	No

The full list of Commonwealth countries and the detailed conditions for EEA, Swiss and Turkish nationals are in the annexes to the rules on gov.uk.

EEA, Swiss and Turkish nationals

Since free movement ended, EEA and Swiss nationals are only eligible if they have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, certain other leave to remain that qualified them for the scheme, or a valid pending application shown by a certificate of application. Family members of EEA and Swiss nationals can be eligible on the same basis if they hold EU Settlement Scheme status themselves.

Turkish nationals are not automatically eligible. They qualify only if they hold rights as a Turkish worker, or a family member of one, under the EC-Turkey Association Agreement. Turkish nationals who later get another qualifying status, such as British citizenship, are treated under that status.

Nationals of other countries

For everyone else, the rules start from a general bar on employing “aliens” (the legal term for people who are not British, Irish, Commonwealth or certain protected statuses) in the Civil Service. There are only two narrow exceptions: some locally recruited posts at UK embassies and other overseas posts, and appointments under an alien’s certificate. A certificate is only issued for a non-reserved post when no suitably qualified eligible candidate is available or the person has exceptional qualifications or experience. It is rare, and the department seeks approval for it, not the candidate.

Stateless people are not eligible. Refugees keep their original nationality unless it has been removed or renounced, so eligibility depends on that nationality in the normal way.

Reserved posts

Reserved posts are jobs that need “special allegiance to the Crown”. All posts in the Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service and GCHQ are automatically reserved. Departments can also reserve other posts in set categories, such as the Defence Intelligence Staff, posts with access to intelligence or other information that could damage national security if misused, and posts involving border control or immigration decisions. The responsible minister decides whether each post in those categories needs to be reserved, so similar jobs in different departments can be treated differently. Posts in the Diplomatic Service and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are reserved, apart from local staff at overseas posts.

Departments can add extra conditions to reserved posts, such as a minimum period of residence in the UK or rules about the nationality of a parent. The FCDO and Diplomatic Service have their own residence condition. A lack of checkable background, for example after long periods living abroad, can also make security clearance hard to obtain. The guide to security clearance explains how residency affects vetting.

Where to find the rule for a particular job

Every advert on Civil Service Jobs has a nationality section. It states either that the post is open to UK, Commonwealth and certain other nationals, or that it is reserved for UK nationals only. Read it before you spend time on an application. If it is unclear, the advert gives a contact for queries.

How eligibility is checked

At the application stage you answer nationality questions and sign a declaration, which is usually accepted unless there is reason for doubt. You only provide documents if you are recommended for appointment. These might be a passport, a naturalisation or registration certificate, or proof of EU Settlement Scheme status.

The nationality check is separate from the right to work check, and departments must do both. A Commonwealth citizen can meet the nationality rules and still need a visa to work in the UK, and someone with full rights to work can still fail the nationality rules. The right to work checks guide explains the documents and the Home Office online service. Most posts also need the Baseline Personnel Security Standard check, and some need higher clearance.

If your status is complicated, such as a pending EU Settlement Scheme application or a change of nationality, raise it with the recruitment team early. For questions about your immigration status itself, an OISC-registered adviser or a solicitor regulated for immigration work can help. The guide on how to get into the Civil Service covers the rest of the process.

Bodies outside the Civil Service

The rules apply to the Home Civil Service and the Diplomatic Service. Some other public bodies choose to apply them as well, and say so in their adverts. The Northern Ireland Civil Service sets its own requirements. NHS organisations, councils, schools and police forces are not part of the Civil Service and use their own eligibility rules, mainly the right to work check plus any vetting the job needs.