- Visa Rule Change Sparks Recruitment Drive from Africa
- Accommodation Crisis Leaves New Recruits Camping or Sleeping in Cars
The United Kingdom is increasingly hiring Nigerian prison officers as part of efforts to tackle severe staffing shortages in overcrowded prisons.
For the first time, the UK prison service is sponsoring skilled worker visas, following a rule change in October 2023 that permits the recruitment of foreign nationals.
According to The Telegraph, a significant number of recruits are Nigerians, with many transitioning from other visa categories to join the prison workforce. However, new hires face significant challenges, particularly regarding housing.
Many recruits discover upon arrival that their job offers do not include accommodation, leaving some to camp near prisons or sleep in their cars to save on costs.
Mark Fairhurst, president of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), shared troubling accounts of recruits commuting long distances or resorting to sleeping in makeshift arrangements. “We have cases of people arriving with their families, asking, ‘Where is the accommodation?’” Fairhurst said.
In one instance, a recruit traveled 70 miles daily from Huddersfield to Nottingham before opting to sleep in his car outside the prison to cut costs. At another prison, recruits camped in nearby wooded areas after realizing housing was not provided.
The recruitment drive stems from changes to the skilled worker visa scheme, which added prison officers to the list of eligible professions. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) sources report that approximately 250 foreign nationals, primarily from Africa, have been sponsored so far. A single month in 2023 saw two-thirds of 3,500 applicants coming from the continent.
Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA), noted that demand for these roles is fueled by word-of-mouth within the Nigerian expatriate community. However, the influx of foreign officers has highlighted challenges, especially in rural prisons, where integration into local communities and communication barriers have become issues.
Despite these concerns, the UK Prison Service insists that all recruits undergo rigorous assessments and training. “All staff – regardless of nationality – undergo robust assessments and training before they work in prisons. Our strengthened vetting process roots out those who fall below our high standards,” a spokesperson said.
Critics like Fairhurst, however, argue that the current recruitment and training process is inadequate. He criticized the reliance on Zoom interviews and just six weeks of training, warning that it leaves recruits unprepared to handle prisoners effectively. “The process is simply not fit for purpose,” he stated, raising concerns about the risk of under-qualified or corrupt officers entering the system.
