UK planning on restricting visa applications from certain nationalities: Report

LONDON May 6: The UK government is reportedly planning to tighten visa rules for nationals from countries deemed more likely to overstay or submit asylum claims, according to The Times.

Work and study visa applications from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka may be targeted for restrictions under proposals being developed by the Home Office. The measures are expected to be included in the forthcoming Immigration White Paper, part of a broader government effort to reduce net migration.

The Labour Party, which now leads the government, had pledged during its election campaign to reduce migration levels. In its manifesto, the party stated that net migration must be “properly controlled and managed,” warning that failing to do so could weaken incentives for local workforce development.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “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. We keep the visa system under constant review and will not hesitate to act where trends undermine our immigration rules.”

The spokesperson added that the upcoming Immigration White Paper would outline a “comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”

Recent figures show a significant drop in visa applications. In the year to March 2025, applications for work, study, and family visas fell to 772,200 — a 37% decline from the nearly 1.24 million recorded in the previous year. The reduction is believed to reflect recent policy changes introduced by the previous Conservative government, which included a ban on overseas care workers and students bringing family members, as well as raising the skilled worker salary threshold to £38,700.