The UK government has intervened to prevent a potential collapse of the prison system by offering an emergency one-year visa extension to hundreds of foreign prison staff. The move comes after changes to immigration rules threatened to see key workers deported.
Visa Rule Change Sparked Crisis
Sky News understands that following intense lobbying, an agreement has been reached to temporarily extend the visas of hundreds of prison officers. The crisis emerged after changes to skilled worker visa rules in July raised the salary threshold to £41,700 per year.
This created a major problem for the prison service, as the average salary for most new prison officer recruits outside London is around £33,000. Consequently, thousands of staff, many from Nigeria and other parts of West Africa, faced the sack and deportation once their current visas expired.
Reluctant Home Secretary Agrees to Exemption
Sources indicate that Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had been initially reluctant to make the exemption. Her hesitation was part of the government's drive to reduce net migration, which they state has already fallen by more than two-thirds.
However, after conversations with the former justice secretary and lobbying from Prisons Minister Lord Timpson, a compromise was found. The temporary exemption, which also applies to dependents already in the UK, is expected to benefit hundreds of the estimated 2,500 staff who would have been impacted.
Averting a "Devastating Effect" on Prisons
The Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, had previously warned of a "devastating effect" if a solution was not found. The extension offers crucial relief for public sector prisons, which have relied on foreign recruitment due to shortages of British applicants.
The decision arrives at a critical time for the prison service, which is grappling with increased violence against staff and capacity issues. A government spokesperson stated: "Public safety is the first duty of any government and we must ensure jails can continue to run safely with the right level of experienced staff. This is vital given the prison capacity crisis we inherited."
The 12-month reprieve is seen as a temporary fix, buying time for a more permanent solution to the staffing shortfall while balancing immigration reduction targets.
