The United Kingdom may soon impose restrictions on student visa applications from countries identified as high-risk for asylum claims, including Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka, as part of efforts to curb legal migration. The move is expected to be outlined in an upcoming white paper aimed at overhauling the country’s immigration policies.
A senior UK government official confirmed that the policy proposal—part of a broader initiative to “restore order to our broken immigration system”—is under serious consideration. The decision comes in the wake of a disappointing performance by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party in local elections last week, where voter discontent over immigration played a prominent role.
In a statement, the Home Office said:
“Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will devise a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”
According to official data, of the 108,000 asylum claims made in the UK last year, approximately 16,000 were submitted by individuals initially arriving on student visas. While the government has not released specific nationality breakdowns of these cases, it noted that applicants from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka are most likely to transition from student or visitor visas to asylum seekers.
The upcoming white paper will outline targeted measures designed to lower the UK’s annual net migration figure, which stood at 728,000 in the 12 months leading to June 2024, a number that has sparked political tension and public concern.
