Montgomery who is also the UK Permanent Representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) rejected claims in some quarters that the UK’s immigration policies are harsh, maintaining that Nigeria is a major beneficiary of the UK’s visa policies.
He said the number of people getting work visas to the UK has gone up in the last couple of years.
“I have to contest this picture because the UK in the last couple of years has granted around 300,000 new visas to Nigerians which far exceeds any other visa relationship which Nigeria has with any other country,” Montgomery said on Monday in a show with Channels Television.
He said, “The trends have been positive post-Brexit. Nigeria has been a major beneficiary of the post-Brexit migration visa rules.”
Montgomery lauded the contributions of Nigerians in the UK and described their efforts as “incredibly important” adding that Nigeria accounts for about 10% of visas granted by the UK in the last two years.
“And if you look at, say the number of people getting work visas in the UK, these people play a crucial role in certain sectors, particularly our social care sector,” he said.
“So, I would like to emphasise how huge the relationship is. It outstrips any other visa relationship that Nigeria has with any other single country in my understanding,” he said, adding that the chances of getting visa approval from the UK are high with the right documentation.
“If you apply with the right documentation and evidence, the approval rate is very high,” Montgomery added.
“The number of people getting work visas that go to the UK has gone from something like 10 to 20,000 in about six, seven years ago to 80-90,000 a year in the last two years – last year and this year,” the envoy said while also admitting to a reduction in student visas.
