LONDON: United Kingdom on Tuesday announced it would block study visas for nationals from four countries and halt work visas for Afghans, invoking what it described as an “emergency brake” to curb rising asylum claims from individuals entering through legal channels.
Immigration remains one of Britain’s most politically sensitive issues, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer facing mounting pressure as the populist Reform UK gains ground in opinion polls.
The interior ministry said it would block study visas for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, citing a sharp rise in asylum applications by students from these countries.
According to the ministry, asylum claims by students from the four nations have increased more than fivefold between 2021 and 2025. It also said asylum claims by Afghans on work visas were now exceeding the number of visas issued.
“Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused,” Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said in a statement.
“That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity,” she added.
Asylum claims treble
The government said asylum claims made after entering on legal visas have more than trebled since 2021 and accounted for 39% of the 100,000 people who applied last year.
Nearly 16,000 nationals from the four listed countries are currently being supported at public expense, including more than 6,000 housed in hotels, adding to mounting pressure over asylum accommodation costs, which the government estimates at £4 billion ($5.34 billion) annually.
The changes are set to take effect on March 26. The government said it intends to create new capped “safe and legal routes” once the asylum system stabilises.
Britain has granted sanctuary to more than 37,000 Afghans through resettlement schemes since 2021 and issued around 190,000 humanitarian visas last year.
Officials also said cooperation had been secured from Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on returns, after warning in November that their nationals risked losing access to UK visas.
Starmer has previously said Britain’s asylum rules were more permissive than those in parts of Europe and acted as a “pull factor” for people seeking to reach the country. His government announced plans in November to make refugee status temporary and accelerate the removal of individuals arriving illegally.
