The UK government will halt the issuance of student visas to nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and suspend skilled worker visas for Afghans, effective Thursday, March 6, 2026. The move, announced Tuesday by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, is framed as a response to a surge in asylum claims made by individuals arriving in the UK via legal immigration routes.
Mahmood described the decision as an “emergency brake” on visas, the first of its kind implemented by the UK. She accused individuals from the four named countries of “exploiting our generosity” by using student visas to enter the country with the intention of seeking asylum. According to Home Office figures, nearly 40% of the 100,000 asylum applications filed in 2025 originated from individuals who initially arrived in the UK legally. DW reports that since 2021, almost 135,000 people have entered the country legally before subsequently lodging asylum claims.
The Home Office stated that asylum applications from students originating from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Sudan, and Myanmar have increased by more than 470% between 2021 and 2025. Mahmood stated, “Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused. That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity.”
The visa restrictions approach as the UK government is also implementing stricter asylum rules, including a review of refugee status every 30 months for those granted protection, and expectations that refugees from countries deemed “safe” will be required to return home. France24 notes these reforms took effect this week.
Mahmood’s approach reflects a broader strategy influenced by Denmark’s stringent immigration policies. She has publicly expressed admiration for Denmark’s system, which prioritizes temporary protection and the return of asylum seekers to their home countries once conditions allow. Since coming to office, Denmark’s government has reduced asylum applications to their lowest level in 40 years and deported 95% of rejected applicants. The Standard reports Mahmood has visited Denmark to study its approach.
The Labour government’s move is occurring amid rising anti-immigration sentiment and a surge in support for the right-wing Reform UK party. The government is also facing internal pressure, with the Green party’s recent Westminster by-election win highlighting concerns from the left flank. Mahmood has warned that failing to address public concerns about immigration could lead to a right-wing government, while simultaneously arguing that high levels of immigration are “creating division within communities across the country” and threatening support for the asylum system. Al Jazeera reports that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has tightened the asylum process and expedited deportations of those arriving illegally.
The government remains committed to ending the leverage of hotels to house asylum seekers by the next election, though plans to utilize former military sites have faced opposition. The new visa restrictions will be formally introduced through changes to immigration rules on Thursday.
