Sri Lankans planning to work or study in the UK may soon face stricter visa regulations, as the British government considers measures to curb abuse of the asylum system.
According to a report in The Times the UK Home Office is preparing new immigration rules that could target countries with higher risks of visa overstays or asylum claims—Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nigeria among them.
UK officials allege a growing trend of individuals entering legally on student or work visas and then filing asylum claims to remain in the country long-term.
The Home Office stated that its upcoming Immigration White Paper would outline a comprehensive plan to reform the current system. However, a lack of recent exit data has made it difficult to verify claims of widespread visa abuse.
Professor Jonathan Portes of the UK in a Changing Europe think tank remarked that while the new policy may not drastically cut overall numbers, it is aimed at deterring perceived misuse of the asylum process.
This comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledges to reduce both legal and illegal migration. Though no specific target has been set, the government is focused on lowering net migration through stricter controls and domestic workforce development.
Net migration dropped from a peak of 906,000 in mid-2023 to 728,000 the following year after reforms under former PM Rishi Sunak raised the skilled worker salary threshold and restricted family visas for care workers.
