Parental nationality requirement removed for applicants to MI5

Published date: 02 Nov 2022

More people can now apply for jobs at MI5 following a change to our eligibility requirements.

Previously at least one of an applicant’s parents had to be British or from some other countries to be able to join us.

However, from today (November 2) this requirement has been removed and candidates now only need to be a British citizen to apply for a job with MI5, MI6 or GCHQ.

A spokesperson speaking on behalf of MI5, MI6 and GCHQ said:

“We perform best in our mission to keep the nation safe and further the UK's interests when we reflect the diversity of the country we serve. By recruiting people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, we can innovate, challenge established ways of thinking and welcome the very brightest and best people to join us.

“The parental nationality rule unnecessarily stopped brilliant people from applying to work with us. Removing this blanket rule means that all British citizens who apply for jobs in our agencies can now be assessed on their abilities and not where their parents are from.”

All successful candidates will still undergo a thorough vetting process which will not change under the updated rules. The vetting process looks at someone’s background, lifestyle and personal connections to identify and manage any risks.

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