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About

Careers in border forces and immigration are open to graduates from any degree discipline. Degree subjects in languages, legal studies, business or finance may be helpful.

Border Force officers work in UK airports and ports checking arrivals and imported goods. You could specialise in an area such as forgery detection, safeguarding, mobile response or commodity search teams.

Immigration officers work with the Border Force. They monitor people entering the UK and make decisions on entitlement to stay.

According to statistics from the , around 10,000 people work in Border Force. Most people work in frontline roles in airports and seaports across the UK and overseas. You could be based in one location or work across a number of ports or other locations.

Roles, skills and salaries

Border force and immigration officers are employed by the Home Office, part of the Civil Service. Both roles can involve joint operations with the police.

They can be physically and emotionally demanding roles, involving evening and weekend work.

Be inspired

It’s not always easy to know which roles to apply for. The resources in this section can help you find inspiration from previous students and know where to get further support.

Not sure what you want to do?

If you’re not sure exactly what you want to do, we can help. You can book a guidance appointment via . Our careers consultants can help you explore your options or plan your career.

Sector and industry insights

Researching the industry is essential, whether it’s to:

• help you decide which area to work in
• identify who to apply to
• tailor your application
• impress an interviewer with your knowledge of the sector

Here are some resources to help you get started.

Guide to finding opportunities

There are a wide range of options for gaining related experience for the Border Forces and immigration.

You could apply for advertised work experience and graduate opportunities. Voluntary experience is also available. You could contact central or government departments directly to ask about opportunities.

There are various ways to find internships, placements and graduate opportunities. We’ve added some tips below to help you get started.

• search for advertised vacancies using the vacancy sites listed below
• look at the careers sections on company websites for student and graduate opportunities
• use Researching employers to help you gain insights into companies
• attend events such as   and  employer and sector insights 
• contact employers speculatively – see  to help you find organisations to approach
• follow companies on Social Media for latest news and updates
• consider registering with a recruitment agency for graduate jobs
• register with EmployAbility if you are disabled, neurodivergent or have a mental health condition. They can offer advice and support on applications to Ãå±±½ûµØ students. They also run first year, internship and graduate programmes with inclusive employer partners
• consider alternative ways to find relevant experience and develop your skills
• create your own opportunity by starting your own business or working freelance

Advertised work experience

Placements and summer internships are usually aimed at undergraduate students in and above their second or penultimate year of study. Some companies will also consider first and final year students.

Some advertised internship opportunities are available in the Home Office. Internship opportunities are usually aimed at students from diverse backgrounds and criteria apply. For more information see the .

Work experience in the following settings and areas could also be useful for gaining relevant skills and experience:

• security and protection
• administration and customer service
• local or central government
• sea ports
• airports

Work experience in the armed forces or police and emergency services is useful. Some advertised internships are available. See our Explore Occupations pages for more information.

Advertised graduate opportunities

You can apply for job vacancies at:

It is possible to enter through the route. This involves placements in several departments, but an immigration posting is not guaranteed.

When to apply

For the Civil Service Fast Stream applications typically open and close in October.

Graduate jobs in the Civil Service tend to be immediate start positions which can be available all year round. You are more likely to apply for these towards the end of your studies.

Non-advertised work experience

Not all work experience is advertised. In fact, many people create opportunities through networking and making contacts.

A speculative approach is common for finding work experience. This is where you approach a company directly to ask if they have any opportunities available.

Other ways to gain relevant experience

We've added some suggestions to help you develop your skills and gain relevant experience.

• complete a free virtual internship. For example, with , you can filter by career interest to find virtual internships
• sign up for free online courses to develop new skills such as short offered by Future Learn
• attend events and network to make contacts and connections
• enter an competition - prizes can often include internships
• volunteer. See Volunteering for more opportunities

Work for yourself

Working as self-employed or freelance is not common in the Border Forces or immigration. However, you could gain related skills and experience from self-employment that could support you.

Our START UP team can help you explore working for yourself at any stage. Whether you want to explore an idea or have already launched a business or freelance career, you can access the following help:

• support with idea generation
• provide tailored advice
• help you develop your skills
• introduce you to like-minded peers
• refer you to further support from mentors
• award grant funding up to £3,000

Find out about START UP

Related sectors

You might also be interested in the following occupations:

• Government, Politics and Public Affairs
• Armed Forces
• Police and Emergency Services