Amanze Chinonye
Hundreds of foreign prison staff, many of them Nigerians, have been granted an emergency one-year visa extension by the UK government to avert a looming crisis in the country’s prison system, Prime Business Africa reports.
The decision follows recent changes to UK immigration rules that raised the salary threshold for a Skilled Worker visa to £41,700 annually. The policy shift, introduced in July 2025, left thousands of prison officers whose average earnings outside London are about £33,000 per year at risk of losing their legal status once their visas expired.
Information obtained by Sky News indicates that around 2,500 foreign prison workers were initially affected by the changes, many of them serving in front-facing prison officer roles. Under the emergency arrangement, hundreds of these workers will now be exempted from deportation for 12 months, allowing them to remain in employment while the government reviews longer-term solutions.
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The temporary reprieve followed intensive lobbying by the Prisons Minister, Lord Timpson, and consultations involving the Home Secretary and former justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood. Sources familiar with the discussions said Mahmood had earlier been reluctant to approve exemptions, citing the government’s drive to reduce net migration, before conceding on public safety grounds.
Foreign workers from West Africa particularly Nigeria make up the largest group of non-British prison officers, reflecting the prison service’s reliance on overseas recruitment amid chronic shortages of British applicants. Several public sector prisons have increasingly turned to foreign hires to sustain staffing levels.
The visa extension also applies to dependents already living in the UK, offering temporary relief to affected families.
The Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, had earlier warned that failure to resolve the issue could have a “devastating effect” on an already overstretched prison system grappling with overcrowding, rising violence against staff, and administrative failures, including recent incidents involving mistaken prisoner releases.
Responding to the development, a government spokesperson said the administration remains committed to reducing migration numbers but stressed that public safety must take precedence.
“Net migration has already fallen by more than two-thirds under this government, and we are clear numbers must fall further as we create a migration system that is controlled and fair,” the spokesperson said.
“However, public safety is the first duty of any government, and we must ensure prisons can continue to operate safely with the right level of experienced staff, especially given the prison capacity crisis we inherited.”
The emergency visa extension is expected to last for 12 months, providing breathing space for policymakers to address staffing shortages and reassess the impact of immigration reforms on critical public services.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
