The UK government is planning to tighten its visa rules for people from certain countries that are seen as more likely to overstay their visas or apply for asylum after arriving.
A new report suggests that citizens from countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka might soon find it harder to get work or student visas. These restrictions are expected to be announced in the government’s upcoming Immigration White Paper, which should be released next week.
The main goal behind this move is to reduce the number of people moving to the UK. Some in the government believe the current system is being misused as a way for people to enter the UK and stay longer than allowed. This change comes soon after the Conservative Party suffered heavy losses in the recent elections, and many believe that the rise in popularity of Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party has influenced the government’s decision to act tough on immigration.
The Labour Party has also promised to bring immigration numbers down if elected. In their manifesto, they stated that controlling immigration is important so that companies are encouraged to hire and train local workers instead of relying on foreign labor.
A spokesperson from the Home Office explained that they are working on identifying individuals who come in on work or study visas but then apply for asylum. They are collecting more data to catch these cases early. The spokesperson added that the visa system is always under review, and when patterns emerge that could weaken immigration rules, the government will act quickly.
The new Immigration White Paper will lay out a full plan to fix what officials describe as a broken system.
Recent figures from the Home Office show that the number of people applying for major visa types has dropped sharply—by over a third in just one year. In the year leading up to March 2025, around 772,000 people applied for work, study, or family visas. That’s a big drop from the 1.24 million applications the year before.
The drop in numbers is likely due to rule changes introduced earlier in 2024. These included a ban on care workers and international students bringing their families, and a higher salary requirement for skilled workers, which now stands at £38,700.
