The UK government is preparing a new crackdown on immigration that could see tighter restrictions on visa applications from countries with higher rates of asylum claims following legal entry. Under plans being developed by the Home Office, individuals from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka may soon face greater difficulty obtaining visas to work or study in the UK.
According to reporting first published in The Times, the proposed measures aim to address a perceived loophole: people arriving on legitimate work or study visas who subsequently seek asylum. Ministers believe this trend undermines the integrity of the immigration system, particularly if asylum claims are used as a route to remain in the country permanently. A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that immigration reform is a top priority for the UK government, stating: “Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”
At present, there is little data identifying which nationalities are most likely to overstay their visas
Currently, there is limited data on which nationalities overstay their visas, as the Home Office has not published exit check statistics since 2020. The department halted publication during a review into the accuracy of those figures. Many departures go unrecorded, making it unclear whether individuals without an official exit are still in the UK. Despite the proposed crackdown, some experts have questioned whether the move will significantly reduce asylum claims. Professor Jonathan Portes, a senior fellow at the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the real impact of the proposed changes is likely to be small.
“I think the intention here is less about reducing total migration and more about targeting what is perceived as an abuse of the asylum system,” he said. “When someone comes to the UK as a student and quickly switches to an asylum claim, the government sees that as misuse.” Official statistics reflect the scale of the challenge. In 2023, more than 108,000 individuals applied for asylum in the UK—the highest annual figure since records began in 1979. Pakistani nationals accounted for the largest number of claims, with 10,542 applications. Sri Lanka and Nigeria followed with 2,862 and 2,841 claims respectively.
At the same time, the UK hosted over 732,000 international students in 2023/24, most of whom came from India (107,480) and China (98,400). However, the number of work and study visas issued in 2024 fell compared to the previous year. Since taking office last year, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to reduce both illegal and legal migration. However, he has declined to set a specific net migration target, arguing that arbitrary caps have failed in the past. Instead, Labour’s approach focuses on discouraging dangerous routes, such as small boat crossings, and reducing dependence on migrant workers by investing in domestic training for key industries.
Sir Keir has also criticised the previous Conservative government’s record, claiming it failed to reduce net migration “by design, not accident.” Net migration reached a peak of 906,000 in the year to June 2023 before falling to 728,000 a year later. Analysts believe that drop was partly due to new rules introduced under former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, including a sharp increase in the minimum salary threshold for skilled workers (from £26,200 to £38,700) and restrictions on care workers bringing dependants.
Labour is facing increased pressure on immigration after recent local elections saw strong performances by Reform UK, which campaigned on a hardline anti-immigration platform. Reform won 677 out of around 1,600 contested seats, mainly in areas previously held by Conservatives. The party’s manifesto calls for a freeze on non-essential immigration, though exemptions would apply to critical sectors such as healthcare. In response to the results, Starmer acknowledged voter frustration. “I understand the sharp edge of fury felt by many,” he said. “It only strengthens my resolve to go further and faster in reforming immigration and public services.”
Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, cautioned that policy changes must still protect vulnerable individuals. “Some people on work or study visas may face real danger if they return home due to changing political conditions,” he said. “It’s essential that they receive a fair hearing within the asylum system.”
The full details of the government’s immigration strategy are expected later this month, when the new Immigration White Paper is published. The Home Office says it is developing improved intelligence tools to identify patterns of visa misuse earlier and respond more decisively. “We keep the visa system under constant review,” said a spokesperson. “Where we detect trends that could undermine our rules, we will not hesitate to act.”