Assistant Immigration Officer
What is the work like?
Assistant immigration officers help to maintain effective immigration control, by checking that people are legally allowed to enter and stay in the UK.
As an assistant immigration officer (AIO) your duties would include:
- checking passports and work permits
- interviewing people entering the UK
- taking fingerprints
- helping immigration officers with surveillance work
- arranging to remove people who are not allowed to stay in the UK
- issuing forms and carrying out clerical work
- dealing with airlines and shipping companies
- handling telephone enquiries.
You would work closely with immigration officers and the police.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
You do not need particular qualifications for most jobs in the Border & Immigration Agency. Instead, you will usually go through the following stages when you apply for a job:
- filling in an application form based on your skills and life experience
- taking a written test to check your level of literacy and numeracy
- passing various selection tests and an interview.
For many AIO jobs, you will also be asked to pass a health and fitness test and hold a full driving licence.
Most jobs are open to anybody aged 18 to 64½. You must be a British citizen with no restrictions on your stay in the UK, and should normally have lived in the UK for the last five years. You will be security checked for all jobs.
You will find it helpful to have experience of working with the public. You may also find it useful to speak other languages, but this is not essential.
See the Border & Immigration Agency and the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway websites for more details about recruitment.
What further training and development can I do?
You will have an initial training period at either Heathrow or Gatwick Airport, or the port of Dover. Your training will be a mixture of classroom-based and practical work.
Ongoing in-house training is available throughout your career. The Agency may also pay for you to take other part-time courses related to your work, for example computer skills or language courses.
Where can I go for more information?
No central telephone number for information, see website for contacts for individual departmentsIf you would like to discuss your career options with a learning adviser, call 0800 100 900 or use our online enquiry form
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Assistant immigration officers earn between £14,627 and around £19,000 a year.
- Immigration officers start on around £20,445.
There are extra allowances for working shifts and unsocial hours, and for officers working in the London area.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.What are the hours and working conditions?
You would work 36 hours a week, usually in a shift pattern that includes nights, weekends and public holidays.
Some of your work would be office-based, some would be in the arrivals hall of an airport or port. You may travel around the country if taking part in surveillance work.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- a confident and assertive manner
- the ability to apply rules fairly
- calmness under pressure
- the ability to handle difficult situations
- good judgement
- excellent communications skills
- the ability to relate to people of all backgrounds and cultures
- report writing skills.
What opportunities are there?
You could be based at any one of over 50 airports and seaports around the UK, or at the Channel Tunnel. You must be prepared to work anywhere in the UK.
Jobs may be advertised in the local and national press, in Jobcentre Plus, and on Civil Service recruitment websites.
There is a clear promotion route from AIO to immigration officer, and possibly from there into higher management posts.
Contact an adviser
Email
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or phone: 0800 100 900
Bilingual advisers available
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