United Kingdom Government has granted emergency visa extensions to hundreds of foreign prison staff, most of whom were Nigerians facing deportation following the changes made to UK visa rules since July 2025.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, the move followed warnings that several prisons faced acute staffing crisis.
BBC reported on Friday that the exemption applied only to applicants already in the UK and will run until the end of 2026, with a reduced salary threshold of £33,400 remaining in place until December 31, 2027.
Under recent visa rule changes, UK government raised the skilled worker visa threshold to £41,700 annually, above the average starting salary for new prison officers, which stands at about £33,000 outside London.
BBC said the Prison Officers Association had warned that the new threshold could cost jails more than 2,500 overseas recruits, describing the potential impact as “catastrophic” for prison stability.
Welcoming the exemption, the POA described it a victory for “common sense,” with General Secretary, Steve Gillan, saying, “It might not be perfect, but it will mean the prison service can hopefully remain stable.”
Prison Officers Association’s National Chairman, Mark Fairhurst, added, “Our members can now go about their daily lives without the threat of removal from the country.”
BBC quoted The Times as reporting that Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood initially opposed the exemption, arguing that priority should be given to recruiting British citizens.
Earlier in the week, BBC said Justice Secretary, David Lammy had told MPs he was in discussions with Mahmood over the issue, stressing that while he wanted more local recruitment, meeting demand for prison places was the immediate priority.
BBC gathered from a Home Office source that prisons were being treated differently because of their importance to public safety and national security, adding that Mahmood wanted the exemption to be temporary.
According to a Ministry of Justice source, the prison system is under strain and the exemption will provide “breathing space” to put in place a programme for recruiting more UK-based officers.
A UK 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.”
BBC reported that prisons have been allowed to sponsor visa applications for overseas recruits since 2023 due to a shortage of British applicants.
BBC reported that more than 700 Nigerians were recruited to 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. This was followed by Ghanaians with about 140 job offers.
