Enforcement Immigration Officer in Bristol

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports. Immigration Enforcement is responsible for enforcing the government’s immigration laws, tackling illegal migration, removing foreign national offenders and immigration offenders from the UK. We also aim to disrupt the organised criminal groups that exploit the vulnerable for their personal gain.

This is a frontline operational role where your actions make a real difference to public safety and the reduction of harm. You will play a crucial role in protecting the UK and its citizens. Join us and be part of a team that makes a real difference. Your skills, dedication, and passion can help shape the future of Immigration Enforcement. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive.

As an Immigration Officer, you will work as part of a professional team carrying out a wide range of operational duties. The role is varied and fast-paced, requiring you to engage confidently with individuals, assess risk, and make balanced decisions in situations that can be complex or challenging. You will be expected to act with integrity, apply sound judgement, and remain calm and professional under pressure. This is a demanding role that calls for resilience and a strong sense of responsibility. You will be trusted to handle sensitive situations and contribute directly to protecting communities and supporting a fair and effective immigration system.

We are looking for people with the right behaviours and mindset rather than a single background or career path. Strong communication skills, teamwork and a willingness to learn are essential, and you will be supported to develop your capability and confidence in the role. The role is physically demanding and requires a high level of mobility and fitness, wearing heavy Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), often for lengthy periods. You may be required to undertake the same or a similar role within a different team or teams (where possible, at your base location or within reasonable travel distance), depending on business priorities. With appropriate training and support, this will provide opportunities to broaden both your experience and skill set. In return, you will gain valuable operational experience and the opportunity to build a meaningful career within Immigration Enforcement and the wider Home Office.

The successful candidate will be responsible for (but not limited to):

• Protecting and safeguarding the vulnerable, sign posting and making appropriate referrals to both internal and external stakeholders
• Identifying, arresting, and detaining immigration offenders while conducting residential and commercial enforcement visits
• Conducting enforcement visits, including completing property and person searches, collecting, preserving, and recording evidence. Attending court to obtain search warrants and providing witness statements to support criminal prosecutions
• As Officer in Charge (on enforcement visits) directing officers, conducting briefings/de-briefings and completing risk assessments
• Completing evidence-based referrals to other agencies for issuing of fines and compliance notices
• Engaging with communities and partner agencies across government and conducting compliance visits to educate employers
• Gathering intelligence, demonstrating a genuine interest in people by asking questions, maintaining an inquisitive and open mind, and engaging with empathy
• Conducting database checks, closely examining documents, writing reports and inputting data on internal operating systems and handheld devices

Working Pattern: Due to the business requirements of this role, it is only available on a full-time basis. Successful candidates will need to be able to attend for all shifts including early starts, late-night finishes, and overnight shifts. These shifts may be outside of public-transport operating hours. You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submitting your application. You will be required to work between 22:00 and 06:00, so this is a legal requirement.

We will give you full and comprehensive training which will enable you to carry out this worthwhile and varied role. You will need to undertake an Immigration Officer Core Skills training programme if successful, which is a pass or fail course. Subject to availability of pathway training courses, our new starters will be required to commence a shift working pattern before training begins of 3-4 weeks. You will be expected to be available for 5-7 weeks for the course which may include weekends and if the venue is away from your base location travel and accommodation costs will be met by the business. Upon completion of the training course, you will undertake in-house mentoring with your team to put the training into practice, normally taking 12 months to complete.

If you want to learn more about these roles, you can join one of our free online live events, during which you will hear from staff about what the job is like, what opportunities and career prospects you may have, and why the job matters. We will also talk about the recruitment and security vetting processes, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions from our friendly and experienced team members.

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.