UK grants temporary visa exemption for foreign prison officers amid staffing shortages

Monday, December 22, 2025 - Foreigners including Nigerian nationals working as prison officers in the United Kingdom will benefit from a temporary exemption to new visa rules, after officials warned that prisons could face severe staffing shortages without overseas recruits.

The exemption also covers prison officers from other countries, including Ghana, but Nigerians remain the largest group of foreign nationals working in UK jails.

The decision follows growing concern that recent immigration measures could force thousands of experienced officers out of the prison system and weaken security.

In July, the UK government raised the minimum salary requirement for a skilled worker visa to £41,700, up from £38,700, as part of its push to cut net migration.

However, the Prison and Probation Service pay scales show that new prison officers typically earn less than the new threshold, particularly outside London.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) warned that the higher salary requirement could push more than 2,500 overseas officers out of the workforce, calling the potential impact “catastrophic”.

Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, said many jails depend heavily on officers recruited from West Africa, adding that visa losses would have a “devastating effect” on prison operations.

The exemption applies to foreign prison officers already in the UK and will remain in force until the end of 2026.

Under the arrangement, officers can renew or extend their visas under a lower salary threshold of £33,400 until December 31, 2027.

The Ministry of Justice said the policy aims to keep prisons running safely and retain experienced staff.

Since 2023, UK prisons have sponsored visas for overseas recruits as they struggle to attract enough British applicants.

A government report published in April showed that 769 Nigerians took up prison officer roles in 2024, making up 29 per cent of applicants and 12 per cent of new hires across prisons in England and Wales.

The figures made Nigerians the largest foreign group applying for and securing prison jobs, followed by Ghanaians, who received 140 offers.