Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans she has to allow Afghan refugees given Indefinite Leave to Remain under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, to join the armed forces in the UK.

Individuals with Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK have no immigration restrictions on their employment however, as per s.340 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 the right to enlist in the UK Armed Forces is restricted to British or Commonwealth citizens, or either sole or dual nationals of the Republic of Ireland. The only exception to this legislation is the special and unique arrangement permitting Nepalese citizens to enlist in the Brigade of Gurkhas.

Afghans relocated under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, and any other migrants to the UK would be eligible to enlist in the UK Armed Forces once they had applied for and obtained British nationality.