Prison staff face losing their jobs after visa rules change

Hundreds of foreign prison officers will lose their jobs and could be forced to leave the country because of new visa rules, governors and a union have warned.

- Rajeev Syal

More than 1,000 staff, mainly from African countries, have been sponsored by prisons across England and Wales, allowing them to come to the UK on skilled worker visas.

But since a rule change announced by the government on 22 July, those whose contracts need to be renewed have been told that they are no longer eligible for a visa if they earn below a £41,700 threshold. Most recruits earn about £33,000.

Keir Starmer, the prime minister, had promised in May to drive down net migration "significantly".

Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), said the "scandalous" change was carried out in haste to deal with the threat of Reform UK.

He added: "We have written to ministers asking them to reverse this decision and give prison officers an exemption because we need the staff they are forcing out of the country.

"It is because they are pandering to Reform, they want to seem tough on immigration and reduce the level of overseas workers.