Big change to Security Clearance rules

[b0redom]

If you go overseas for a prolonged period (I think it's more than 3 months), you are seen as a risk. they will need to verify everywhere u had been and everything u had done. You could have been at a taliban training camp or something for all they know.

Not true, my clearance only took ~ 4 months to come through, and I'd spent 18 months bumming around the world including much of Africa, Asia (including China) and South America. The list all the foreign countries you have visitted in the past x years section was pretty cramped.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Nope, wrong. SC is 30 days, DV - a fully managed process remember - 100. Those are the targets given to the clearance agencies by the Cabinet Office, who haven't pulle dhtem out of thin air, and those are what the rules are based on. I've been vetted for SC clearance four times in 12 years (and how stupid is that?) and have never taken more than 6 weeks even under the old laborious processes.

Good for you. I've had SC three times - if you want to talk about stupid, two different branches of defence insisted on doing the SC as they wouldn't accept "the others" in spite of the fact it was the same process, same level, same forms and I was alternating between two sites and two contracts at the same time. I have Anglo-Saxon heritage back as far as traceable on both sides (English, actually), and no other wierdness, but they never managed 30 days.

[ratewhore]

...and I'd spent 18 months bumming around the world...

[Bill]

at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what any legislation or rules say, we are at the mercy of the agencies. If they see 2 cvs, 1 with clearance, and 1 without, you can almost put your money on the one with clearance. There is no way to make the agent put your cv forward, they will have a database of excuses why you could not be put forward. As a contractor I don't think anything has changed.
I have worked as a permie and hired contractors for BC clearance, and never had 1 refused. They just take them on and worry about the clearance later, but thats not always the case.

[tino]

at the end of the day, it doesn't matter what any legislation or rules say, we are at the mercy of the agencies. If they see 2 cvs, 1 with clearance, and 1 without, you can almost put your money on the one with clearance. There is no way to make the agent put your cv forward, they will have a database of excuses why you could not be put forward. As a contractor I don't think anything has changed.
I have worked as a permie and hired contractors for BC clearance, and never had 1 refused. They just take them on and worry about the clearance later, but thats not always the case.

yep, they're w@nkers

[TykeMerc]

Admittedly BC doesn't require any significant checks and doesn't involve the DVA, it's only a glorified ID check and carried out in house.

Irrespective of the stated SLA's SC typically takes 3+ months and DV 9-12 depending on how busy the DVA are, someone who already holds valid clearance is bound to be selected over a similarly skilled person who lacks it, common sense really and much less risk as if the uncleared person fails the vetting you have to replace that person and get the new one up to speed which may not be practical.

[Dante]

Hi Guys,

For those who give a monkeys - I applied for my SC clearance on the 29th October - and it came through today.


22 working days - not sure if thats because i was previously cleared or not - i suspect not as a lapsed clearance is treated as no clearance as far as i'm aware.

Cheers.


Dant