Islamabad [Pakistan], May 6 : The British government is considering placing restrictions on visa applications from international students, particularly those from countries like Pakistan, which are seen as having a higher likelihood of asylum claims, according to a report by Dawn.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to reduce the country's annual net migration, according to an official source.
This development comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party lost in recent local elections in England, where voter dissatisfaction over issues such as illegal immigration played a key role.
The government is expected next week to publish a policy document, known as a white paper, which will set out how the government plans to reduce net migration, which reached 728,000 people in the year to June last year, Dawn reported.
In a statement, the Home Office said, "Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system."
Legal migration has remained a contentious issue in British politics for years, significantly influencing the 2016 Brexit vote.
According to government statistics, 1,08,138 people claimed asylum in the UK in 2024, which was 18 per cent more than in 2023 and 5 per cent more than the previous recorded peak of 1,03,081 in 2002. In 2024, 84,231 claimants were main applicants and 23,907 were dependants.
According to the government, individuals from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka are among the most likely to apply for asylum in the UK after entering the country on work, student, or visitor visas.
Pakistan (10,542), Afghanistan (8,508) and Iran (8,099) were the most common nationalities claiming asylum in 2024, together representing 25 per cent of people claiming asylum. The largest increase in claims came from Pakistani and Vietnamese nationals. Pakistani nationals claiming asylum have risen 79 per cent in the latest year to 10,542 and claims from Vietnamese nationals have more than doubled (+113 per cent) to 5,259.
Following Labour's disappointing performance in last week's local elections, several party MPs have called on the government to adopt a firmer stance on key issuesparticularly in reducing net migration.
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