Figures released last month indicated that the number of migrants applying for key visa routes into the UK had dropped by more than a third in a year.
Sir Keir Starmer is likely to be taking careful note of Nigel Farage’s electoral success (Image: GETTY)
The UK is set to bring in restrictions on visa applications from several countries considered most likely to overstay and claim asylum, a report has indicated. Applications for work and study visas from nationalities such as Pakistanis, Nigerians and Sri Lankans are among those facing Home Office curbs, according to the Times.
The paper reported that the plans will be announced as part of the Immigration White Paper shortly, as the Government looks to reduce net migration figures. The Government is set to publish its immigration White Paper next week. The fear in Government is is that the system is being used as a back door to gain access to the UK. Coming hard on the heels of Thursday’s disastrous election results, many analysts are seeing the move as a pivot aimed triggered by the strong performance of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Keir Starmer shares statement on migration in 2024
Labour vowed in its manifesto that it would bring down the numbers.
The party said that the overall level of net migration “must be properly controlled and managed”.
The document added: “Failure to do so reduces the incentives for businesses to train locally.
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.
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Nigel Farage pictured with former Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns on Thursday (Image: Getty)
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“We keep the visa system under constant review and will where we detect trends, which may undermine our immigration rules, we will not hesitate to take action.
“Under our plan for change, our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”
Figures released last month indicated that the number of migrants applying for key visa routes into the UK had dropped by more than a third in a year.
Applications across the worker, study, and family visa categories covered a total of 772,200 people in the year to March 2025, down 37% on the nearly 1.24 million in the previous 12 months, according to the Home Office data.
The decline is likely to reflect changes in legal migration rules introduced early in 2024 by the previous Conservative government, including a ban on overseas care workers and students bringing family dependents, and a steep rise in the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700.
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