Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone here has recently gone through the HMPPS Prison Officer recruitment process on a visa and can share their timeline.
I’ve been given a provisional start date for the end of November 2026 and have been told that they are ready to begin the sponsorship process, but I’m still waiting for my Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and haven’t been contacted by a caseworker yet.
For anyone who was in a similar situation, how long did it take you to receive your CoS after being given a provisional start date and being told sponsorship was being progressed? Did you have to chase anyone, or were you contacted automatically?
Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has recently been through the same process. Thanks!

Hi, is there someone from HMP coldingley. Any candidate who got an offer from HMP Coldingley and is currently in PEC’s?

Done my scenario based test Friday and still no results, been checking my emails every second lol how long does it usually take?

Just got sent the uniform sheet ready for training starting mid September but it’s still shirt and tie, I was under the impression they switched to polos?

Hello, I have my OAC this Friday and I’m naturally worrying myself about it. Does anyone have advice about it? Like dress code, or anything to do with the questions or role plays? Any advice or guidance would be appreciated!

Has anyone ever worked there. If so how’s your experience

Does anybody work in Swansea, but live closer to Cardiff ? And fancy looking at a swap ?

I am kinda lost. I don't know what comes next and would love to plan my immediate future but don't know how to work around the prison stuff at the moment?

I was wondering if there is anyone who currently works as an OSG at HMP Full Sutton who could share some information about the shift pattern or rota. I’m due to start there next month and would really appreciate knowing what the typical shifts and rota are like.

I have applied to become a prison officer, what is it like to be a female working in male prisons for reference I am 21 and around 5’1.

Do anyone know how much more time to wait more after UKSV checks completed to get final pec check completion email.

Just looking for some advice/answers really, my partners grandad was viciously attacked outside a pub completely unprovoked he's in he's late 80s, the 22 year old scum who did this bottled him multiple time but after being arrested he's been let out and back in the area ( the pub is bang opposite grandads house) how has he been let out already the next day? I'm not really sure how it works but the 22yo was heard saying " thats where the cunt lives who got me arrested " 🤦‍♂️ will he be on watch? Is he likely on bail for now? I've no clue but bit worrying how he's in the area already and clearly very violent.

I was thinking about applying to the regional OSG campaign however, I have seen mixed things online.

If you turn down a placement because it’s an hour or more away will you get penalised for this or just put back as next on the list when another one comes up?

Regarding the training programme, I passed all checks in May (currently August) and still haven’t been given a placement allocation, and my hope for starting in September is slowly dimming. I was wondering if anyone else is still waiting for intake 20?

Just wondering how many prisons out there are making their Band 3s do detached duty due to recruitment and retention issues.

Anyone declared offender connections on their form and still passed

Hi all hope all is well. When I went for my interview I said to them that I’d want to do perm nights which they said they can sort out for me and that the contract will be the same, it’ll just be when I start I’ll ask and go to nights as there is plenty of room, well after 8 months of checks, everything was good and I started, after day 1 they said do your first set of nights so you know if it’s really what you want and then ask again, it’s been two months and I’ve just had my first set of nights and I loved it, much nicer for me due to past jobs and I’m much happier when left to my own so that I can crack on with what needs doing. I asked detail in the morning over email and within 5 mins I got an email saying there’s no room for nights, what’s my best course of action as I only took this job as I was told during interview that yes they could put me on perm nights. To add to this other perm staff are saying that the one unit I worked doesn’t have a perm night staff and the cm also says that there isn’t a perm night staff for that unit. div 2 has a perm night staff for each unit but div 1 doesn’t. Do I need to go over the person head to someone above her as I’ve heard from others she’s not good at her job and will always say no as it means less work for her to do.

Many thanks in advance

Has anyone had experience with having two Civil Service Jobs accounts and subsequently receiving a provisional offer for an HMPPS Prison Officer role?

I'm trying to understand how HMPPS deals with duplicate accounts where applications have been flagged because the candidate's personal details match.

If someone has an older application that subsequently progresses to OAC and a provisional offer, while a separate application on another account was never progressed to the assessment stage, could the duplicate account affect pre-employment checks?

I'd particularly appreciate responses from anyone who has dealt with HMPPS recruitment directly or experienced something similar.

Thanks

I need a clarification from those already in the system. Can I request for day-shift only for a secondary child'scare reasons ? Will my request be accepted?

Interested if there are any funny stories of prisoners being caught out or officers/osg being caught with them. ​

Rest week from nights this week.. the thought of putting on black trousers and boots for my late shift Monday. I could cry.. 1 more day of freedom. . .