UK to tighten student visa rules for Pakistan

LONDON: The British government is considering tightening student visa rules for nationals from countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka, all seen as more likely to claim asylum once inside the UK, a government official has said.

This move is part of an effort to lower the country’s net migration figures, which stood at 728,000 for the year ending June 2024.

The step follows a setback for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party in recent local elections. Voters expressed frustration over issues like illegal immigration, pressuring the government to take a firmer stance.

The Home Office confirmed that a new Immigration White Paper will be released next week. The policy paper is expected to outline plans to fix what it calls a “broken immigration system.”

Legal migration remains a hot-button issue in UK politics and was a key factor behind the Brexit vote in 2016.

Government data shows that of the 108,000 people who sought asylum in the UK last year, 16,000 had initially arrived on student visas. While specific nationalities were not disclosed, officials said students from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka were among the most likely to later apply for asylum.

In response to Labour’s electoral losses, several party MPs have demanded stronger action. Jo White, who represents MPs from the so-called “Red Wall” constituencies, called on the government to quit “tiptoeing around” the migration issue and take clear steps to address public concerns.

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