The United Kingdom government has approved emergency visa extensions for hundreds of foreign prison officers, most of them Nigerians, following concerns that their removal could cripple the country’s prison system.
The decision comes after warnings that several correctional facilities were facing severe staff shortages due to recent changes to visa regulations introduced in July. The exemption applies only to officers already living and working in the UK and will remain in force until the end of 2026. Under the arrangement, a reduced salary threshold of £33,400 will stay in place until December 31, 2027.
Earlier visa reforms increased the skilled worker salary requirement to £41,700 per year, a figure higher than the average starting pay of newly recruited prison officers, which is around £33,000 outside London. This raised fears that thousands of overseas officers could lose their legal status.
The Prison Officers Association had cautioned that the policy could lead to the loss of more than 2,500 foreign staff, describing the potential fallout as disastrous for prison operations. While welcoming the exemption, the union described it as a triumph of common sense.
Its General Secretary, Steve Gillan, said the move would help maintain stability within the prison service, while national chairman Mark Fairhurst noted that affected officers could now carry on with their duties without the fear of deportation.
Reports indicated that the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, initially resisted the exemption, insisting that priority should be given to employing British citizens. However, discussions between her and the Justice Secretary focused on balancing long-term recruitment goals with the immediate need to keep prisons functioning.
Sources within the Home Office explained that prisons were treated as a special case due to their role in public safety and national security, stressing that the measure was intended to be temporary.
The Ministry of Justice also acknowledged that the prison system was under pressure and said the extension would provide time to boost domestic recruitment.
A government spokesperson stated that net migration had dropped sharply under the current administration but emphasised that ensuring the safe operation of prisons remained a top priority.
Since 2023, UK prisons have been permitted to sponsor overseas recruits because of a lack of local applicants.
Data showed that over 700 Nigerians were hired into UK prisons last year, making up nearly a third of applicants and 12 per cent of new staff in England and Wales. Nigerians ranked second only to Britons, with Ghanaians following at a distant third.
