UK opens up recruitment to more Indians in Army

Rules relaxed to allow more recruitment from C’wealth nations

Air Force.

This would open up the forces to recruits who have been based in countries like India, Australia, Canada and Kenya and meet the necessary recruitment criteria for the service and role they wish to join.

“We have now decided to remove the five- year UK residency criterion for Commonwealth citizens and increase recruitment to 1,350 across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force ( RAF),” the MoD statement said.

The UK government on Monday announced a relaxation of recruitment criteria to allow Commonwealth nationals to apply for jobs in its armed forces in order to meet a shortage in its ranks.

The Commonwealth is an association of 53 independent states, including India.

The ministry of defence ( MoD) laid out the proposals in a written ministerial statement ( WMS) before Parliament, which involves a waiver of the current requirement of a minimum of five- year residency in the UK for applying to join the country’s Army, Navy or Air Force.

This would open up the forces to recruits who have been based in countries like India, Australia, Canada and Kenya and meet the necessary recruitment criteria for the service and role they wish to join.

“We have now decided to remove the five- year UK residency criterion for Commonwealth citizens and increase recruitment to 1,350 across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force ( RAF),” the MoD statement reads.

“Applications will be accepted from all Commonwealth countries, although in order to mitigate the risks associated with unaccompanied minors travelling to the UK without the guarantee of a job, we will not be accepting applications from those under 18,” the statement adds.

A limited waiver to the residency requirement was introduced in May 2016 to recruit up to 200 Commonwealth personnel per year to fill skill shortage posts. T h i s limited waiver has now been widened, with the RAF and Navy beginning recruitment of Commonwealth applicants right away and the Army to accept such applications from early 2019.

Applications from citizens of countries outside the Commonwealth will not be accepted.