THE United Kingdom has approved emergency visa extensions for hundreds of foreign prison officers, most of them Nigerians, following concerns that a recent hike in immigration requirements could trigger a staffing crisis in the nation’s prison system.
According to the BBC, the UK government’s emergency measure applies to foreign prison officers already residing in the country and will remain in effect until the end of 2026. Under the exemption, a reduced salary threshold of £33,400 will apply to these officers until December 31, 2027.
The move comes months after the UK raised the general skilled worker visa salary requirement to £41,700, well above the average starting salary of £33,000 for new prison officers outside London. The Prison Officers Association (POA) had warned that the policy change could lead to the loss of more than 2,500 overseas staff, describing the potential impact as catastrophic for prison stability and safety.
Welcoming the decision, POA General Secretary, Mr Steve Gillan, called it a ‘triumph of common sense,’ while the association’s national chairman, Mr Mark Fairhurst, said officers could now work without fear of deportation.
The exemption faced some resistance within the UK government. Home Secretary, Mr Shabana Mahmood, opposed the move, arguing that priority should be given to recruiting British citizens. Justice Secretary, Mr David Lammy, noted that while long-term domestic recruitment was important, the immediate concern was maintaining safe staffing levels across prisons.
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A Home Office source said that prisons were being treated differently due to their critical role in public safety and national security, and that the exemption was intended as a temporary measure.
Nigerians have become a major source of labour for the UK prison sector. More than 700 Nigerians were recruited last year, representing roughly 12 percent of staff hired in England and Wales, making them the second-largest nationality after Britons.
US halts green card applications for Nigerians amid travel restrictions
Meanwhile, the United States has suspended green card and citizenship applications for Nigerians and other nationals recently added to an expanded travel ban, citing national security concerns.
CBS News reported that the directive, issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), followed a proclamation by President Donald Trump restricting entry for nationals from countries deemed high-risk due to persistent deficiencies in “screening, vetting, and information-sharing.” Nigeria is among 15 countries facing partial restrictions, with others including Angola, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire.
A new Proclamation released hast week by the White House on Tuesday said that President Trump added Nigeria and 14 other nations to the list of countries partially restricted from entering the U.S., which also include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
On the reason for including Nigeria to the list, the Proclamation says, “Radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in certain parts of Nigeria, which creates substantial screening and vetting difficulties. According to the Overstay Report, Nigeria had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 11.90 percent.”
The Proclamation continues the full restrictions and entry limitations of nationals from the original 12 high-risk countries established under Proclamation 10949. These high-risk nations, according to the Proclamation, include: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The suspension builds on earlier restrictions announced in June and affects both new and pending immigration applications. Laos and Sierra Leone, previously under partial restrictions, have now been upgraded to full entry bans.
Mr Trump had earlier designated Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern’ following reports of alleged religious persecution. The expanded suspension underscores ongoing US concerns over immigration vetting and national security.
