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The United Kingdom government has granted emergency visa extensions to hundreds of foreign prison officers, most of them Nigerians, following warnings that changes to immigration rules could trigger a staffing crisis across the prison system.
According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation on Friday, the decision was taken after officials were alerted that several prisons were facing the risk of severe staff shortages that could undermine stability and public safety.
The exemption applies only to prison officers already in the UK and will remain in force until the end of 2026. Under the arrangement, a reduced salary threshold of £33,400 will continue to apply until December 31, 2027.
Earlier this year, the UK government raised the skilled worker visa salary threshold to £41,700. That figure is significantly higher than the average starting salary for new prison officers, which is about £33,000 outside London, putting many overseas staff at risk of deportation.
The BBC reported that the Prison Officers Association warned the higher threshold could lead to the loss of more than 2,500 overseas recruits. The union described the potential impact on prisons as “catastrophic.”
Welcoming the exemption, the association’s general secretary, Steve Gillan, said, “It might not be perfect, but it will mean the prison service can hopefully remain stable.”
The union’s national chairman, Mark Fairhurst, added that the decision had brought relief to affected staff. “Our members can now go about their daily lives without the threat of removal from the country,” he said.
British media reports said the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, initially opposed the exemption, arguing that priority should be given to recruiting British citizens. However, the BBC said the Justice Secretary, David Lammy, told MPs he had been in discussions with her, stressing that while boosting domestic recruitment was important, meeting immediate demand for prison staffing was critical.
A Home Office source told the BBC that prisons were being treated as a special case because of their role in public safety and national security, adding that the exemption was intended to be temporary. A Ministry of Justice source said the prison system was under significant strain and that the move would provide “breathing space” to implement a longer-term recruitment strategy focused on UK-based officers.
A government spokesperson said, “Net migration has already fallen by more than two-thirds under this government. However, public safety is the first duty of any government, and we must ensure prisons continue to operate safely with the right level of experienced staff.”
Prisons have been allowed to sponsor visa applications for overseas recruits since 2023 due to a shortage of British applicants. The BBC reported that more than 700 Nigerians were recruited into UK prisons last year, accounting for 29 per cent of applicants and 12 per cent of staff hired in England and Wales, making Nigerians the most common nationality after Britons to apply for or secure prison jobs in 2024. Ghanaians followed, with about 140 job offers.
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