LONDON, May 6 (Alliance News): The United Kingdom is considering curbs on visa applications from countries with high rates of overstaying and asylum claims, including Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka, according to a report published by The Times.
As part of a broader strategy to reduce net migration, the UK Home Office is reportedly preparing to tighten access to work and study visas for nationals from these countries.
The move is expected to be unveiled in the upcoming Immigration White Paper, as Labour seeks to fulfill its manifesto promise of controlling migration levels.
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that authorities are actively building intelligence profiles to identify individuals more likely to abuse visa routes by overstaying or applying for asylum after entering the country legally.
“To tackle abuse by foreign nationals who arrive on work and study visas and go on to claim asylum, we are building intelligence on the profile of these individuals to identify them earlier and faster,” the spokesperson said.
The department emphasized that visa policies remain under constant review and actions will be taken against trends that undermine immigration rules. The upcoming White Paper will outline a “comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system,” the spokesperson added.
Home Office data shows that applications across work, study, and family visa categories fell by 37% in the year ending March 2025, down to 772,200 from nearly 1.24 million a year earlier. This decline follows new migration controls introduced by the previous Conservative government, including a ban on overseas care workers and international students bringing family members, and an increase in the minimum salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700.
Labour leaders have also linked high migration levels to reduced domestic workforce investment, arguing that proper control is needed to ensure local training and economic balance.
