The British government plans to restrict student visa requests in countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, where nationals are more likely to claim asylum after their arrival, according to official sources.
The proposal is part of a wider plan to reduce net migration, which reached 728,000 in the year ending in June 2024.
A new white immigration paper, expected next week, will describe strategies to revise the immigration system and respond to public concerns after poor work performances during the recent local elections.
According to British government data, 16,000 of the 108,000 asylum seekers last year initially entered the country on student visas.
Although the figures specific to the nationality of these applicants are not released, the officials cited Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka as the main countries of origin among visa switches.
The Ministry of the Interior said that the upcoming plan would restore order to a “broken immigration system”. Labor deputy Jo White, representing the constituencies of the red walls, urged the government to take stronger measures to limit migration, reflecting the frustration of voters.
Immigration remains a controversial political problem in Great Britain and was a fundamental concern during the Brexit 2016 referendum.
