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Original poster

Civil Service Pre-Employment checks- how long?!

276 replies

LegoMa · 05/03/2018 09:44

Hi,

I’ve currently been waiting 8 weeks to receive a formal offer for the Home Office. I have completed the Security Vetting questionnaire which now shows as completed on their site.

Any idea how much longer I should expect to wait? I applied for this job a year ago! It seems like it’s no secret but their recruitment process seems so clumsy!

Anyone? Thanks!

OP posts:
Calaisienne · 05/03/2018 09:50

The Home Office is massive, with lots of different depts (and therefore different processes and different levels of clearance depending on the job). What have you applied for?

Original poster
LegoMa · 05/03/2018 09:56

It’s for an EO caseworker in immigration and visas.

OP posts:
Original poster
LegoMa · 05/03/2018 16:57

Anyone know anything about this at all?

OP posts:
CiderGlider · 06/03/2018 06:01

This is typical waiting time. I’ve known it to take up to 12 weeks. Depending on levels of security checks, things like multiple addresses etc, mean it will take a little longer.

daisychain01 · 06/03/2018 06:27

Did you receive an email to your personal account stating "your Security Vetting is now Complete". If so it means you've passed security.

Have you received your provisional job offer, conditional on Security vetting?

You should get some communication very soon if the above two steps are successful, as they will need to talk to you about start dates, and to confirm your job offer so you can hand your notice in at your current job.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 06/03/2018 06:38

It took about 3 months for my clearance when I worked at No 10. It depends on the level of vetting you are going through plus they have a backlog at the best of times.

Daisymay2 · 06/03/2018 06:47

We used to find it was the dbs check that took the time. I presume you need that as well as you aŕe potentially working with vulnerable adults. 12 weeks is about right but have known 6 months. No wonder people get other jobs.

OllyBJolly · 06/03/2018 06:58

Sorry to bear bad news but it took DD2 9 months from being told she was successful to actually starting the job. (And they phoned her 20th December to ask her to start work on 2nd January 400 miles away!). Fabulous job, she loves it, but I'd imagine many, many talented candidates fall out of the process. She's in Home Office in Whitehall.

Original poster
LegoMa · 06/03/2018 07:01

No I’ve not recovering any emailed in regards to the Security Vetting, I’ve just noticed the status has changed to completed on the portal. Hoping I’ve passed it- I can’t think of any reason why I wouldn’t!

I had a provisional job offer in January. I know these waiting times are typical, I wouldn’t really mind waiting if I knew I definitely had it 😬.

OP posts:
Original poster
LegoMa · 06/03/2018 07:01

*recieved. Silly autocorrect

OP posts:
daisychain01 · 06/03/2018 12:47

You could try contacting the person who sent you the Provisional Job Offer that you have already received. Presume that was sent to you by email?

Original poster
LegoMa · 07/03/2018 08:37

I have done, they’ve replied to me and just said once they have confirmation of my clearance they’ll be back in touch. But it states completed on the portal so I’d be more inclined to think there possibly waiting for more people to be completed so they can let a group of people know at once. So still none the wiser really in regards to timescales.

OP posts:
Sleepsoon7 · 08/03/2018 20:24

DD1 was waiting a similar amount of time for vetting for a civil service apprenticeship. Had to resubmit info at one stage as it was apparently not received which put the process back. Took about 8 months from conditional offer to starting role. Good luck - hope you hear soon.

Polarbearflavour · 08/03/2018 21:27

It took me 3 weeks with MoD!

DV clearance can take months.

SunnySomer · 08/03/2018 22:00

Took me three months from job offer to being given a start date (MoJ). It’s not the most efficient process ever. They lose loads of prospective staff who give up and get other jobs in the meantime.

Jcee · 08/03/2018 22:09

If the status has changed to completed, you are almost there! There is a delay between the portal being updated and confirmation you have passed - you'll get a letter to confirm your security clearance so you'll know when it's done. I'd assume another couple of weeks before you can expect the letter.

We work on a 12 week turnaround for standard CTC checks, but they can take longer for some people.

Original poster
LegoMa · 10/03/2018 11:45

Just seen all of these replies now!

Thanks they’re all really helpful! Hopefully won’t be waiting too much longer now!

OP posts:
Original poster
LegoMa · 12/03/2018 23:09

So I’ve had an email today saying nothing other than ‘please see the attached clearance letter’ and on the letter it states I’ve been successful in the CTC checks! Yay! Anyone have any idea how long usually before a start date is discussed after recieving the letter?

OP posts:
louiseholmes · 02/05/2018 11:07

Hi im in the same boat waiting for a confirmed offer for a caseworker in immigration. I received an email on friday confirming that I passed security clearance. Do you know how long it takes now?

Original poster
LegoMa · 02/05/2018 11:38

Hi!

Well I’m still waiting! And I received my CTC clearance on 12/03 and I’ve just rang government recruitment services who reluctantly told me that all my pre-employment checks are complete and they sent my details to the vacancy holder on 26/03. So I’m just waiting now! It’s a very long, extremely badly organised process!

Hope you hear something soon!

OP posts:
louiseholmes · 02/05/2018 16:35

Thanks, I couldn't agree more !

Please let me know if you hear anything so I can get some idea of how much longer

catf72 · 05/07/2018 12:18

Hi I’m also in the same position,had a provisional offer beginning of Feb ,had my ctc clearance back via email end of April saying successful ,on the gov.uk website it’s still saying provisional offer and Employment checks being done ,I’ve called the recruitment office and they said they’ve not received my clearance back ..but I received mine end of April ..been waiting 5 months now ,beginning to think I’ll never get a start date ..

FedOut · 05/07/2018 17:42

OP did you say you applied for this job a year ago? I ask because I'm just about to accept an offer in civil service and was hoping to start at the end of Aug. I really need to do as I already handed my notice in as I had another job offer.

OlennasWimple · 05/07/2018 17:46

FedOut - it depends what department you are joining and what your role will be. Sometimes everything can be completed in a few weeks, particularly if you are going into a role where they are happy for you to start before all the checks are completed. Some departments - like the HO - take forever because they won't think about you starting until everything is completed in triplicate.

And yes, it is a very inefficient process

Isleepinahedgefund · 05/07/2018 18:25

Civil service is so disorganised with recruitment and checks. I am a civil servant, so I know this well. We lose a lot of good candidates simply because the whole thing takes so long. My first CS job took five months from applying to getting in post, my current one took a bit longer. Don’t hand in your notice until you’ve got a definite, concrete start date, the job offer is not enough as it’s subject to checks.