Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, Mar 4: The Government of the United Kingdom on Tuesday announced that it will stop issuing education visas to nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and suspend work visas for Afghans, as part of a broader crackdown on asylum seekers.

The Home Office said there had been a sharp rise in asylum applications from students belonging to these countries. Since 2021, nearly 1,35,000 asylum seekers are estimated to have entered the UK through legal routes.

“Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused,” Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said in a statement. “That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity.”

According to official data, asylum applications from students of the four countries have “rocketed” by over 470 per cent between 2021 and 2025.

Migration has emerged as a key political issue in Britain, with the right-wing Reform UK gaining ground in opinion polls on an anti-migration platform. Successive governments have faced mounting pressure to curb irregular migration, particularly small boats crossing the English Channel from France carrying undocumented migrants.

However, authorities are also under pressure to reduce the number of asylum seekers entering through legal routes, including student and work visas.

The Home Office said the government had already reduced student asylum claims by 20 per cent during 2025, but noted that individuals arriving on study visas still account for 13 per cent of all asylum claims currently in the system.