Security Clearance (SC) Q&A Read first before asking questions

[northernladuk]

Given I am not a UK national and haven't lived in the country for too long, what are the chances of a quick (4-6 week) turnaround?

Nil, zip, zero, nada.. But I have my fingers crossed for you.

[PinkPoshRat]

Read other posts here on the subject and elsewhere on the internet but haven't found anything definitive yet. I am not a UK national, and I have lived in the UK for a total of less than 3 years.

Basically I have a contract offer from a company for a fairly high-profile project that needs SC, and they're willing to initiate it. Now, given it takes a bare minimum of a few weeks for the SC to come through I either (a) twiddle my thumbs and wait or (b) work on another contract(s) with a quick notice period so I can switch when it comes through.

Given I am not a UK national and haven't lived in the country for too long, what are the chances of a quick (4-6 week) turnaround?

Sorry to be negative, but the checks they do on you, your family etc etc etc will take months, not weeks.

[BolshieBastard]

Well if you ask me, I find it ******* diabolical that non UK nationals are even in the race to get security clearance when there are UK contractors who cant get their foot in the door.

Makes my piss boil it does!

[Mr.Whippy]

I am not a UK national, and I have lived in the UK for a total of less than 3 years.

I think you have to be resident in the UK for 5 years for SC... or at the very least 3 years out of the last 5.

Well if you ask me, I find it ******* diabolical that non UK nationals are even in the race to get security clearance when there are UK contractors who cant get their foot in the door.

I would imagine there are a few non-UK nationals that get cleared by gchq etc for the purpose of translating all that non-English data that they get their hands on. After all there wont be much point in them gathering it if they can't make sense of it, would there?

[stek]

I think you have to be resident in the UK for 5 years for SC... or at the very least 3 years out of the last 5.
I would imagine there are a few non-UK nationals that get cleared by gchq etc for the purpose of translating all that non-English data that they get their hands on. After all there wont be much point in them gathering if it they can't make sense of it, would there?

My mate had two years in Switzerland and struggled. Got it eventually but it took months.

[BolshieBastard]

I think you have to be resident in the UK for 5 years for SC... or at the very least 3 years out of the last 5.
I would imagine there are a few non-UK nationals that get cleared by gchq etc for the purpose of translating all that non-English data that they get their hands on. After all there wont be much point in them gathering it if they can't make sense of it, would there?

And there are no UK nationals that couldnt do that? seriously?

The whole SC thing is a joke. If it was a trade union practice, the Government would be up in arms about such a restriction.

Everyone accepts that checks have to be made, that is not the issue. The issue is quality people are being prevented from doing these jobs mainly by agents.

Since the Vetting Agency issued their (non enforcible directive, what use is that?) that contractors who do not have SC should not be discounted \ barred \ prevented from being submitted, is it really just a co incidence that all SC jobs are left to the absolute last minute such that the agents all say as one 'the client has an extremely urgent requirement and cannot wait for SC to be completed'?

It's a farce. Every single SC job I now see has such a caveat. They are just using this as a method to circumvent the Vetting Agency who have absolutely no power to make agents and departments comply with their 'utterings.'

[SueEllen]

I would imagine there are a few non-UK nationals that get cleared by gchq etc for the purpose of translating all that non-English data that they get their hands on. After all there wont be much point in them gathering it if they can't make sense of it, would there?

WHS.

One of the head guys in GCHQ was actually complaining a couple of weeks ago they didn't have enough British graduates with decent language skills particularly in the more unusual languages. One reason why this place exists.

[VectraMan]

Someone at PermieCo. has just applied, and is from one of the countries that you'd think would mean he'd have zero chance. But apparently being here 5 years means even he can now get it.

Still no word on mine after 6 weeks. And I've had an extremely boring life.

[Mr.Whippy]

And there are no UK nationals that couldnt do that? seriously?

In some cases there may not be, particularly in a place like GCHQ. There will be roles that they cannot fill with UK nationals, due to specialist skills/knowledge/language capabilities etc.

Everyone accepts that checks have to be made, that is not the issue. The issue is quality people are being prevented from doing these jobs mainly by agents.
Since the Vetting Agency issued their (non enforcible directive, what use is that?) that contractors who do not have SC should not be discounted \ barred \ prevented from being submitted, is it really just a co incidence that all SC jobs are left to the absolute last minute such that the agents all say as one 'the client has an extremely urgent requirement and cannot wait for SC to be completed'?

It's a farce. Every single SC job I now see has such a caveat. They are just using this as a method to circumvent the Vetting Agency who have absolutely no power to make agents and departments comply with their 'utterings.'

I agree, it's absolute crap.

[mudskipper]

So what is the correct way to deal with an agent who won't put your CV forward?

Applied for a role which is a great match for my skillset.

Ad says:

"Due to the nature of the customer candidates should have, or be willing to undergo, security clearance to SC level. "

Sent CV off and rang agent, who says that their client won't interview me unless I have SC.

So can't even get past the agent.