LONDON, May 6: The UK Government is reportedly preparing to restrict visa applications from certain nationalities deemed more likely to overstay or claim asylum, according to a report by The Independent.

Work and study visa applications from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka are among those expected to face tighter controls, as part of a broader effort by the Home Office to curb net migration.

The proposed changes are anticipated to be included in the upcoming Immigration White Paper, which will outline the Government’s revised approach to immigration policy. The initiative comes as part of Labour’s manifesto commitment to reducing overall migration levels, with the party emphasizing the need for migration to be “properly controlled and managed.”

“Failing to do so undermines incentives for businesses to invest in local training,” the party noted.

A spokesperson for the Home Office stated: “To address abuse by foreign nationals who enter the UK on work or study visas and subsequently claim asylum, we are strengthening our intelligence gathering to identify these individuals earlier and more effectively. The visa system is under constant review, and where we identify patterns that risk undermining immigration controls, we will not hesitate to act.”

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

Recent Home Office figures indicate a significant decline in visa applications. In the 12 months leading to March 2025, a total of 772,200 applications were made across work, study, and family visa categories—a 37% drop from the 1.24 million recorded the previous year.

The decline is largely attributed to stricter legal migration rules introduced in early 2024 by the former Conservative government. These included a ban on overseas care workers and international students bringing family dependants, along with a substantial increase in the minimum salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700.