The UK public sector offers a wide range of job roles that contribute to vital public services such as healthcare, education, local government, emergency response, and infrastructure. These roles are often stable and offer career progression.

In the UK, ethnic minority and migrant communities overall are under-represented in the public sector workforce, though there are variations within the sector. Minorities and migrants are over-represented in health and social care roles, such as nurses, doctors and support workers. Yet, they are less represented in leadership roles with higher pay grades, such as in government, civil service, local authorities or armed forces.

Research and monitoring of migrant workforce in the UK’s public sector is limited, preventing a fuller picture of migrant representation across different areas of the sector.

Monitoring of workforce diversity in public sector organisations, like local authorities, is inconsistent and even more so in relation to migrants. ‘Migrant’ is not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, and public bodies are not required to collect data and report on migrant workforce and their nationality. Recent groups of migrants such as Latin Americans, Eastern Europeans, Roma communities or Black and Ethnic Minority Europeans are often overlooked or excluded from reporting (Tross & Maglan 2025)

Migrants play an important role in the UK’s workforce, but many face underemployment—that is, they work in jobs that don’t match their skills or education. It's important to have more first-generation migrants working in the public sector. This helps public services better reflect the people they serve and makes workplaces more inclusive.

Roles in the public sector

Public sector job roles are funded by the government to provide services to the public — such as schools, hospitals, transport, and local services. These roles exist at national, regional, and local levels.

Working in the public sector can be accessible to migrants. Many roles are open to non-UK citizens with the right to work and employers often prioritise equality, diversity, and inclusion. Some sectors actively recruit migrant workers, especially in shortage areas and there are clear progression pathways and career development opportunities.

Many migrant support organisations already assist migrants in finding employment. You can raise awareness of public sector job opportunities and help clients explore and apply for roles in different areas. For example:

• Healthcare (NHS): Doctors, nurses, and midwives, paramedics and ambulance staff, healthcare assistants, radiographers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, admin, cleaning, and catering staff in hospitals.

• Education: Teachers (primary, secondary, special needs), teaching assistants, school lunch staff, caretakers, university lecturers and researchers.

• Emergency services: Firefighters, paramedics and emergency call handlers, control room staff.

• Local government (Working for councils / local authorities): Housing officers, social workers and family support workers, waste and recycling workers, youth workers and community development officers, environmental health officers, planning officers and building inspectors.

• Civil service (Working for national government departments): Jobcentre work coaches, policy officers and analysts, admin and caseworkers, communication and digital services staff.

• Armed forces: Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force personnel, engineers, medics, logistics officers, technicians.

• Courts and justice: Judges and magistrates, court clerks and ushers, probation officers, prison officers, legal advisers.

• Libraries and museums: Librarians and library assistants, museum curators and guides, arts and heritage officers, archivists and researchers.

• Public infrastructure: Transport workers (e.g. Transport for London, National Rail staff), road maintenance and traffic control, water and energy management workers.

Who can work in public sector roles

Many migrants may believe that public sector roles are not for them, or that you must be a British citizen to apply.

While there are some restrictions, depending on one’s right to work, immigration status and the type of job, many public sector jobs are open to migrants.

Roles with high level national security clearance, such as Police Officer or roles in MI5 or MOD, require British (or dual British) citizenship and some roles require UK-specific qualifications.

People seeking asylum cannot work while their claim is being processed, but in some circumstances, they can apply for a permission to work. Once granted, they could work in public sector jobs on the UK’s Shortage Occupation List, such as care worker, nurse or civil engineer.

Public sector roles that do not require UK qualifications or accept international qualifications may be particularly accessible to migrant applicants. Where the unique knowledge and skills of people with migration background are highly valued, like language skills and cultural knowledge, roles such as community engagement officer may be especially suitable.

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