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Written question asked by Clive Lewis (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 September 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 September 2025. It was answered by Mike Tapp (Labour) on Monday, 22 September 2025 on behalf of the Home Office.


Prisons: Migrant Workers

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made with the Secretary of State for Justice of the potential impact of recent changes to the eligibility criteria for skilled worker visas on prison staff.

Answer

On 12 May, the Government published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. On 22 July the first phase of changes took effect, including raising the threshold for Skilled Worker visas to graduate level occupations.

Prison service officers are classed as a medium skilled role and are not on the Temporary Shortage List (TSL) or Immigration Salary List (ISL). Therefore, workers with general work rights will not be able to switch to the Skilled Worker route.

Those on Skilled Worker visas before 22 July 2025 and who need to extend their stay can continue to apply in medium skilled roles and will have to meet the salary requirements in place at the time they apply.

It is our intention to publish an Impact Assessment (IA) at the earliest opportunity. A technical annex (www.gov.uk/government/publications/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-white-paper/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex) was published alongside the Immigration White Paper setting out the impact of some of the key policy changes.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
76286
Session
2024-26
Related items
Restoring Control over the Immigration System
Monday, 12 May 2025
Command papers
House of Commons
House of Lords
Visas: Prison Officers
Monday, 20 October 2025
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Eligibility Prisons Visas Departmental coordination Migrant workers
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk