Overview

• The UK government plans to limit visas for applicants from countries with high asylum claim rates, including Pakistan, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka, as part of Labour's new immigration strategy.
• The measures aim to prevent work and study visas from being exploited as pathways to asylum and permanent residency in the UK.
• Officials will use financial checks, such as bank statements, to block claims for taxpayer-funded accommodation by visa holders seeking asylum.
• The Home Office, in collaboration with the National Crime Agency, is developing an intelligence model to identify and reject high-risk visa applicants.
• Legal experts warn the proposed nationality-based restrictions could face discrimination challenges under UK and international laws.