The UK government has begun directly warning tens of thousands of international students to leave the country once their visas expire, or risk being forcibly removed, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
The Home Office has launched a first-of-its-kind campaign in response to what it calls an “alarming” rise in student visa holders attempting to remain in the UK by seeking asylum. Text messages and emails are now being sent to students, warning of the consequences of overstaying.
“If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you,” one message read.
According to Home Office data, around 16,000 asylum applications last year—roughly 15 per cent of the total—came from people who originally entered on student visas. Although not all applied after their visas had expired, officials say the trend is clear enough to demand action.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that some students are filing asylum claims “even when nothing has changed in their home country.” She added that while genuine refugees will be supported, the system is being misused and is adding strain to asylum accommodation and hotel services.
So far, 10,000 students nearing visa expiry have received direct warnings, with a further 130,000 students and their families expected to be contacted over the coming months, particularly during the autumn intake.
The warnings also caution that “any asylum claim without merit will be swiftly refused,” and that asylum support will only be granted if applicants meet strict destitution criteria.
The move forms part of Labour’s wider crackdown on immigration. In May, the Home Office announced tougher requirements for universities, linking their ability to sponsor foreign students to visa approval and course completion rates.
While public debate has focused on small boat crossings, officials are increasingly worried about legal entrants switching into the asylum system. Of the 108,000 asylum applications made in the UK last year, about 40,000 came from people who arrived legally on work, study, or visitor visas.
Student visa holders were the largest group among them, with numbers nearly six times higher than in 2020—though they have since dropped by 10 per cent.
Cooper stressed that student cases represent just over 10 per cent of asylum applications but insisted that “to fix the system, we must tackle every part of it.”
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As part of the reforms, the post-study work period for international graduates has been cut from two years to 18 months. Home Office figures also show a decline in successful asylum claims from skilled worker visa holders.
