It’s understood that the Residence Workplace is particularly planning on limiting visa purposes from Sri Lankans, Pakistanis, and Nigerians – nationalities which can be statistically among the highest asylum candidates linked to overstaying visas.
However they might not be the one nationalities topic to a crackdown, with the federal government planning to reject the visa purposes of people who match the profile of an applicant prone to go on to say asylum as soon as within the UK and are from nations with excessive charges of asylum claims.
Politics newest: High Labour determine urges rethink from the PM
Based on The Occasions, which first reported this story, the Residence Workplace can also be trying to forestall individuals who arrive within the UK on a visa and go on to request asylum from claiming they’re destitute to then obtain taxpayer-funded lodging.
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4:05
Is UK internet migration falling or rising?
When making use of for a visa to return to work or examine within the UK, candidates should show they find the money for to help themselves and any dependents during their deliberate keep.
These new measures are anticipated to be a part of the federal government’s White Paper on immigration, resulting from be revealed shortly, which is able to intention to deliver down the variety of new arrivals to the UK. Web migration stood at 728,000 within the 12 months to June 2024.
Efforts to cut back immigration to the UK are in a lot sharper focus for ministers within the wake of Reform UK’s seismic victory finally week’s native elections, securing 677 council seats and management of 10 native authorities, in addition to two mayoralties.
Based on the newest polling from YouGov, 48% of Britons say immigration is likely one of the prime points going through the nation, which is the second most necessary difficulty after the economic system.
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4:29
Reform recognition surging
However the plans are prone to face a backlash from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nigeria, who might argue the federal government’s measures discriminate towards them. There are additionally questions over the legality of the plans, and they’re going to doubtless be challenged within the courts.
The federal government is beneath extreme stress to cut back migration, having promised main reforms finally 12 months’s common election. Tackling the abuse of labor and examine visas has been a spotlight of each this authorities, and the final Conservative one.
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1:53
Starmer quizzed over internet migration
A Residence Workplace spokesperson stated in a press release: “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.
“We maintain the visa system beneath fixed evaluate and can the place we detect developments, which can undermine our immigration guidelines, we is not going to hesitate to take motion.
“Under our Plan for Change, our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”
Chris Philp, the shadow residence secretary, instructed The Occasions: “This is a desperate response to the thrashing Labour got in last week’s elections, but like everything Starmer offers, it is just performative and won’t make a difference.
“The system already refuses visas for individuals who match the profile of asylum claimants, and asylum seekers already must show they’re destitute to get lodging.”
