UK grants temporary visa exemption to Nigerian prison officers amid staffing crisis
Foreign nationals working as prison officers in the United Kingdom have been granted a temporary exemption from new visa salary rules following concerns over severe staff shortages in the prison system.
The decision comes after warnings that several custodial centres are struggling to operate due to heavy reliance on overseas recruits, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana. Under migration reduction measures introduced in July, the minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa was increased to £41,700 from £38,700.
However, the Prison and Probation Service pay scale shows that prison officers earn less than the new threshold, especially in prisons outside London. The Prison Officers Association said the policy change could have led to the loss of more than 2,500 overseas recruits, warning that the impact would be “catastrophic” for prison safety and stability.
Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, had earlier raised concerns that many prisons depend heavily on officers recruited from West Africa. He noted that a large number of these officers risked losing their visas, a situation he said would have a “devastating effect” on the prison system.
Under the exemption, foreign prison officers already in the UK will be allowed to continue working under a reduced salary threshold of £33,400. The exemption will run until the end of 2026, with the lower threshold remaining in place until December 31, 2027.
The UK Ministry of Justice said the move would help ensure prisons continue to operate safely with sufficient experienced staff. Since 2023, UK prisons have been sponsoring visas to address a shortage of local applicants.
A government report published in April showed that 769 Nigerians were recruited into UK prisons in 2024, accounting for 29 percent of applicants and 12 percent of hires across England and Wales. Nigerians were the largest foreign group recruited, followed by Ghanaians, who received 140 job offers.
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