{"id":46063,"date":"2026-07-28T11:27:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:27:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/?p=46063"},"modified":"2026-07-28T11:27:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:27:50","slug":"foreign-national-sia-licence-holders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.get-licensed.co.uk\/get-daily\/foreign-national-sia-licence-holders\/","title":{"rendered":"SIA Reveals How Many Foreign Nationals Hold UK Security Licences \u2014 Here’s What It Means"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Security Industry Authority has published new FOI data<\/a> on how many foreign nationals have been issued security guard licences in the UK. It’s a small release with big implications for operatives, for employers, and for anyone renewing an SIA licence<\/a> in the coming months.<\/p>\n

Here’s what the numbers say, why they matter, and what you need to check before your next shift.<\/p>\n

What the SIA Figures Actually Show<\/h2>\n

The FOI response confirms what most people in the industry already suspected: a meaningful share of the UK’s security guard licences goes to foreign nationals. Between 1 September 2019 and 30 April 2026, the SIA issued 25,299 security guard licences to foreign nationals, according to data correct as of 16 June 2026.<\/p>\n

Two things worth knowing before you take that figure at face value. It’s a count of licences, not people \u2014 someone who renewed or re-applied during that window may account for more than one licence in the total. And it’s a licences-issued total over a roughly seven-year window, not a live headcount of everyone currently holding a security guard licence today.<\/p>\n

The headline point isn’t the exact number; it’s the reminder that the UK’s frontline security workforce is genuinely international. That has always been true in London, Manchester, Birmingham and other big city centres. The data just puts a figure to it.<\/p>\n

Recommended Reading: Working In Security As An Immigrant<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Why This Matters Right Now: eVisas and the End of BRPs<\/h2>\n

The timing is important. In parallel with Home Office announcements earlier this month, the government has continued rolling out the switch from Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) to eVisas. Physical BRP cards issued before 2025 have largely expired, and status is now checked digitally through a UKVI account.<\/p>\n

For SIA operatives and their employers, that changes the mechanics of proving the right to work. The document in your wallet may no longer be the document that counts.<\/p>\n

What the SIA Already Checks<\/h2>\n

When you apply for or renew an SIA licence<\/a> as a foreign national, the SIA runs a right-to-work check as part of the process. The SIA has confirmed it checks all front-line licence applicants for the right to work, and will not issue a front-line licence to anyone who doesn’t hold it. That includes:<\/p>\n