Public discontent over immigration played a visible role
Pakistanis applying for UK student visas face Home Office restrictions over suspicions that they are most likely to overstay and claim asylum.
Nigerians and Sri Lankans are other nationalities to be targeted by the Home Office.
These potential measures are part of broader plans to cut net migration.
The proposals are expected to be detailed in a new Immigration White Paper due next week.
Officials say the document will lay out reforms to fix what the Home Office calls a “broken immigration system”.
The move comes amid mounting political pressure, particularly after the Labour Party’s disappointing performance in recent local elections in England.
Public discontent over immigration played a visible role in those results.
Many voters in Labour strongholds expressed concern over rising migrant numbers.
Government insiders say the visa restrictions could be central to a larger strategy aimed at regaining control over both legal and illegal migration routes.
Data revealed that 16,000 of the 108,000 asylum seekers in the UK in 2024 initially entered on student visas.
Authorities noted that applicants from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka were more likely to switch their visa status.
The potential clampdown on student visas reflects broader concerns that some migrants may be using temporary visas as a backdoor to claim asylum.
A government official involved in drafting the White Paper said the goal is to curb abuse.
This will be done while preserving the UK’s ability to attract genuine international students.
Critics argue that tightening student visas could damage the higher education sector, which heavily relies on overseas tuition fees.
However, supporters of the plan believe reforms are overdue, especially as public trust in the immigration system continues to erode.
Labour MP Jo White, who represents a Red Wall constituency, urged the government to act decisively.
She cited growing frustration among constituents who feel immigration is no longer under control.
The Home Office maintains that the new plan will strike a balance between fairness and enforcement.
Immigration has long been a contentious political issue in Britain.
It was central to the 2016 Brexit vote and continues to influence electoral outcomes.
As ministers prepare to release the White Paper, expectations are high that it will offer firm, actionable steps to reduce inflows.
The proposed changes mark one of the most direct responses yet to rising asylum claims from student visa holders.
How these reforms will affect international student recruitment remains to be seen.
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