Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) Recruitment Website Nationality Guidance
Summary of Information
The IMA received intelligence that the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) Recruitment website’s “Right to Work and Nationality Requirements” section of the “Candidate Information Booklet” on each job application only acknowledged applicants that were “EEA nationals with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme” as well as “Certain family members of the relevant EEA & Turkish nationals”. The same section appeared to have unintentionally excluded: EFTA citizens; citizens with EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) Pre-Settled Status and those with a valid pending EUSS application and have the right to work in the UK.
Summary of Actions and Evidence
Following a review of the NICS Recruitment website, the IMA discovered that the NICS nationality guidance that is hyperlinked on the website does address the missing cohorts mentioned above. However, this document was not completely mirrored within the “Candidate Information Booklet” that citizens applying for jobs on their website would initially view first.
The IMA contacted the NICS, who agreed with the IMA’s assessment and provided amended wording to the IMA that would be placed in the Candidate Information Booklet of all job adverts on the NICS Recruitment website. The new amended wording relating to the previously absent cohorts will also state:
“…(iv) Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS); or
(v) Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)…”
This now covers all the previously missing cohorts of citizens and is to be implemented on the NICS Recruitment website in the next 30 days.
Summary of Decision
Due to the prompt response from NICS on the matter and the quick turnaround in presenting the new wording, the IMA believe that the potential concerns identified will be addressed and are being resolved. Therefore, the issue can be concluded as an IMA Early Case Resolution. However, there will be an active monitoring period open on this case for 30 days, giving the NICS time to implement the new wording across all active job application Candidate Information Booklets on the NICS Recruitment website.
However, should the IMA receive any further information or complaints about this or related issues, these will be considered on their merits and in line with the IMA’s internal processes, and the IMA remains able to take further action on this issue in future in accordance with its statutory functions should this be needed.
