The United Kingdom has announced emergency restrictions on study visas for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan following a significant rise in asylum claims from individuals who initially entered the country through legal routes.
The UK Home Office confirmed that the measures will end sponsored study visas for the four countries and suspend skilled worker visas for Afghan nationals.
The changes will be introduced through an Immigration Rules Amendment on March 5 and will take effect from March 26, 2026.
According to the government, the decision marks the first use of an “emergency brake” mechanism designed to respond to pressures within the asylum system.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the move follows a sustained increase in asylum applications from visa holders.
Official figures show that in the past five years, approximately 133,760 people who entered the UK legally later claimed asylum.
Since 2021, nearly 135,000 individuals arrived on student or other visas before applying for protection.
In 2025 alone, such cases accounted for 39 per cent of roughly 100,000 asylum applications.
Applications from the four affected countries have risen sharply in recent years.
Asylum claims by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan increased by more than 470 per cent between 2021 and 2025.
Claims from Myanmar rose sixteen-fold, while those from Cameroon and Sudan increased by more than 330 per cent.
For Afghan nationals, asylum claims relative to study visas issued reached approximately 95 per cent during the same period.
The government also reported a growing trend among Afghan work visa holders, with asylum claims now exceeding the number of visas granted.
Despite a reported 20 per cent drop in student-related asylum claims in 2025, individuals arriving on study visas still represent about 13 per cent of all asylum cases currently in the system.
Officials say asylum support costs the government more than £4 billion annually.
Nearly 16,000 nationals from the four countries are currently receiving state support, including more than 6,000 accommodated in hotels.
The government added that it has reduced the asylum support bill by £1 billion since taking office.
Mahmood said the UK remains committed to providing refuge to those fleeing conflict, but stressed that migration routes must not be misused.
She described the restrictions as part of broader efforts to restore order and control to the asylum system.
Under the new reforms, refugee status will be reviewed every 30 months instead of the previous five-year period.
Individuals from countries deemed safe may be required to return, while unaccompanied minors will continue to receive longer-term protection.
The government said it intends to expand controlled legal migration pathways once stability is restored to the system.
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