Key Highlights
New rules on immigration are going to be implemented by the people’s government of the United Kingdom that would ban some nationalities that mostly overstay while applying for asylum, especially individuals hailing from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka. This is part of a wider calculus aiming towards reducing record levels of net migration as well as ceding to political pressure due to poor performance in the recent local elections for the ruling Labour Party.
Why the UK Is Tightening Visa Rules?
In the year ending June 2024, the net migration to the UK hit an all-time high of 728,000, raising concerns among the general public and the political class. Currently, the Labour government, which has been accused by the voters and other political parties of losing control over the immigration policy, is preparing the new immigration White Paper that would offer measures to regain the control over the visa regime and limit what is seen by the government as misuse of the legal immigration routes.
The latter would retain particular interest in people who legally come to the UK to work or study and apply for asylum later. In as much as such claims, if successful, can make one eligible for an Indefinite leave to remain status, and much more liberal than other standard migration status.
Also Read: India-UK FTA Nears Finish, But Visa Hopes Remain Modest
Who Will Be Affected?
These restrictions apply to applicants with connections to countries known to have higher rates of visa overstayers, and asylum seekers once in the destination country. Sources in the government and other media-related sources indicate that the countries most affected by value-added tax fraud are Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.
Applicants from these countries intending to apply for the working or study permits will, in the near future, experience:
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Tighter control over the financial and personal history
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Stricter documentation requirements
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This study illustrates that the higher the likelihood of the profiles posted matching the profiles typical of individuals who are likely to apply for asylum after their visa has been denied, the higher the proportion of visa refusals.
The government is also in the process of establishing new technologies that will help it to make the identification of the facade a lot earlier and more accurate in the process.
Policy Details and Recent Changes
Further details of the policy measures will be presented in the policy document that is due this week. The following are however, some of the measures that have emerged in the recent past:
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Depriving people from certain countries, where many make asylum claims.
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Second, a more rigid approach in the examination of financial statements and the purpose of the visits.
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Proposed limitations on taxpayers’ accommodation for the work and study visa holder mean that they can only be given accommodations in extreme circumstances if they are indigent 7
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It was again required that any foreign graduate should leave the UK if they could not find a graduate job within the probationary period.
These measures expand upon the recent variations that include:
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In addition, there are raised minimum salary rates for skilled workers – £38,700.
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Restrictions on bringing dependents for overseas care workers and students
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Higher fees for visas, as well as the stringent requirements in the eligibility criteria.
Also Read: Germany Ends 3-Year Fast-Track Citizenship Path for Immigrants
Political and Social Context
The visa restrictions are introduced at a time when political processes are, say, active or unstable. The Labour Party received a defeat in the recent local elections due to people’s rage over immigration and perceived lack of measures to prevent unauthorised influx, particularly by boats. Consequently, the anti-immigrant Reform UK party made considerable progress and increased the pressure towards the conclusion of even stricter immigration policies.
The government's statistics indicate that in 2024, the United Kingdom received 108,138 asylum seekers’ applications, which were 18% higher in comparison to the previous year, 2023, and Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran made up a quarter of all the applications. It is, however, important to note that out of the 108000 asylum seekers in the year, 16000 had initially arrived in the UK on student visas.
Impact on Students and Skilled Workers
These restrictions are likely to affect students and skilled workers from the mentioned nations most cripplingly. Both categories have historically employed the legal channels to gain entry into the UK, and there have been increasing cases wherein they switch to asylum seekers.
For prospective applicants:
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If they are from a high-risk country, their chances of getting the visa may also be reduced.
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In significance, measures should be taken to demand more paperwork and proof that shows individuals’ intention of going back to their home country.
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Those who will fail to secure skilled employment after gaining their qualifications may be forced to leave the United Kingdom.
It should be noted that applicants who are in countries that are not deemed high-risk for money laundering (except India and China) will not be affected by these new measures.
Criticism and Expert Views
Critics have raised concerns that such an act will significantly reduce the number of asylum seekers, but some scholars believe that this is not necessarily the case. In his research, a distinguished professor at the, Professor Jonathan Portes, Senior Fellow at UK in a Changing Europe, pointed out the fact and made it quite clear that little or no asylum seekers travel to the United Kingdom through legal means, let alone from one legal category to another but cross the English Channel in tiny boats. He mentioned that its purpose cannot be aimed at decreasing global migration in general, but to restrict certain paths that are thought to be vulnerabilities in the system. This is compounded by the fact that the latest check-out statistics were provided by the Home Office in 2020, and thus, the overstay rates cannot be accurately ascertained.
Also Read: Spain Ends Golden Visa Program: A Shift in Housing Policy
Conclusion
The proposed cuts to the visa entrée for people from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka signal a lame change in the policy of immigration in an attempt to cut down on refugee claims and the number of net migrants. The details would be provided in this White Paper, yet the recent policies point to a likely rise in standards of education and other entrance barriers for students and skilled workers from these countries. The change is due to political tension and ongoing changes to immigration policy that have made it more selective in the United Kingdom.
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