Overview
- New FOI figures show 40,739 people who entered legally on visas or other leave claimed asylum in 2024, equal to about 37.6% of all claims, including roughly 16,000 students, 11,400 skilled workers and 9,400 visitors.
- Pakistan recorded 9,783 switches from work, student or visitor visas to asylum last year, the largest number by any nationality.
- Total asylum applications from Pakistani nationals reached 11,324 in the year to June, about one in ten of all claims and roughly five times the 2022 level.
- Pakistan topped student-to-asylum switches with 5,888 cases and ranked second for both work (2,578) and visitor (902) visa switches.
- Politicians are pressing for tighter visa rules and faster removals, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has outlined longer settlement waits for illegal entrants and periodic status reviews.