The UK prison system faces a new crisis as more than 2,600 foreign prison staff could be forced to leave the country under new visa salary rules, ITV News has revealed.
Confidential government data seen by the broadcaster shows that around one in every 25 prison service employees are foreign nationals working on right-to-work visas, sparking concerns that the already stretched system could buckle under the strain.
Under Home Office rules introduced in July, foreign workers earning below the new £41,700 annual salary threshold risk deportation once their visas expire.
A source within His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) told ITV News that roughly 2,200 of those affected are frontline prison officers, with a further 400 working in administrative and support roles.
Starting salaries for prison officers currently range from £33,750 to £44,500, meaning only those on the highest pay bands — mostly in London or working longer hours — would meet the new threshold.
The revelation comes amid ongoing turmoil within the prison system following a series of high-profile incidents and an alarming rise in mistaken inmate releases.
Prisons across England and Wales are already operating at or near full capacity, with chronic underfunding and escalating operational pressure pushing the service to breaking point.
Mark Fairhurst, national chair of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), said the figures were “considerably higher” than previously thought and warned of “catastrophic consequences” if the government does not act.
“We simply cannot afford to lose that many frontline staff,” Fairhurst said. “If the government does not exempt the prison service from the new salary thresholds, many prisons will not be able to function and we will totally destabilise the prison estate.”
The Prison Governors’ Association (PGA) echoed the warning, saying the mass departure of visa-dependent officers would “leave a gap that cannot easily be filled.”
A PGA spokesperson described the affected officers as “a core part of our workforce, bringing vital experience and stability to our prisons.”
“Forcing these officers out in large numbers would be a serious blow,” the spokesperson added. “Their departure will leave a gap that cannot be easily filled — and lack of experience is already a key factor in why conditions in some prisons are falling short.”
The PGA said it would be “short-sighted and damaging” for the government to let the situation deteriorate further, urging ministers to develop “solutions that protect the frontline, not policies that weaken it.”
The Ministry of Justice has not yet commented on whether it plans to seek an exemption for prison staff under the new immigration rules.
The latest figures add to growing pressure on Justice Secretary David Lammy, who has faced criticism over prison overcrowding, staffing shortages, and security lapses.
Experts warn that without urgent intervention, the combination of deportation threats, staff burnout, and insufficient funding could push the prison system into a full-scale operational crisis.
Editing by M10News Political Desk | Contact: politics@m10news.com
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