The United Kingdom government announced on Tuesday that it will block study visas for nationals from four countries and halt work visas for Afghans, invoking what it described as an “emergency brake” to curb rising asylum claims from individuals entering through legal routes.
The interior ministry said the restrictions would apply to nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan.
Officials reported that asylum applications by students from these countries had increased more than fivefold between 2021 and 2025.
Claims by Afghans on work visas are now exceeding the number of visas issued.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said Britain would continue to provide refuge to those fleeing war and persecution but warned that the visa system “must not be abused.”
Immigration remains a politically sensitive issue for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose government has pledged to tighten asylum rules as the Reform UK party gains ground in opinion polls.
According to government data, asylum claims made after entering on legal visas have more than tripled since 2021 and accounted for 39% of the 100,000 applications submitted last year.
Nearly 16,000 nationals from the four listed countries are currently being supported at public expense, including more than 6,000 housed in hotels.
The annual cost of asylum accommodation has reached £4 billion ($5.34 billion), officials said.
The new measures will take effect on March 26. The government also signaled plans to introduce capped “safe and legal routes” once the asylum system stabilizes.
Since 2021, the UK has granted sanctuary to more than 37,000 Afghans through resettlement schemes and issued around 190,000 humanitarian visas last year.
The government has also secured cooperation from Angola, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on returns, following earlier warnings that visa access could be restricted.
Starmer previously argued that Britain’s asylum system was more permissive than some European counterparts and acted as a “pull factor.”
His government has also proposed making refugee status temporary and accelerating the removal of those who arrive illegally.
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