The Home Office is preparing to tighten visa rules for nationals from countries including Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, as part of efforts to tackle abuse of the UK’s immigration system.
The government is considering restrictions on work and study visas for countries identified as having high numbers of asylum seekers who originally entered the UK legally. The move comes ahead of the publication of a new Immigration White Paper.
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed the plans, stating: “Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”
The Times was the first to report the proposals, which aim to curb cases where individuals arrive on valid visas but later apply for asylum, allowing them to remain in the country permanently if successful.
The Home Office has not released updated data on visa overstays since 2020 due to a review into the accuracy of exit checks. However, recent figures show more than 108,000 people applied for asylum in the UK last year – the highest number since records began in 1979.
Among them, Pakistani nationals made up the largest group, with 10,542 applications. Sri Lankan and Nigerian nationals followed, with 2,862 and 2,841 applications respectively.
Professor Jonathan Portes, senior fellow at UK in a Changing Europe, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the planned changes may have a limited impact on overall migration levels. “It’s designed to reduce asylum claims that are seen as abusive,” he said.
The number of international students in the UK reached over 730,000 in the 2023/24 academic year, with India and China accounting for the largest share. Meanwhile, the number of work and study visas issued declined in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to bring down both legal and illegal migration, though he has refused to set a fixed target.
Labour’s wider immigration strategy includes tackling small boat crossings, criminalising actions that endanger lives at sea, and reducing dependency on overseas workers by investing in domestic skills.
The government has faced mounting political pressure following recent local election results, which saw Reform UK make significant gains. The party has called for a freeze on what it describes as “non-essential” immigration.
Reacting to the election results, Sir Keir said: “I share the sharp edge of fury felt by many voters. That will push us to go further and faster in delivering the change we’ve promised.”
New rules introduced under the previous Conservative government have already contributed to a drop in net migration, which fell from a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023 to 728,000 the following year.
Those changes included raising the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700 and banning care workers from bringing dependents.
Refugee support groups have warned against punitive restrictions. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “Some people on work or study visas may face real danger if they return home. They should be protected and have access to a fair asylum process.”
Plans to address visa misuse and overstaying were reportedly in development before last week’s elections.
