UK warns international students against overstaying visas
2 Min Read
The UK government has begun sending text and email alerts to international students whose visas are close to expiry, warning them not to use asylum claims as a means of extending their stay in the country.
According to the Home Office, around 130,000 students and their families are expected to receive the messages, which caution that “bogus” asylum applications will be swiftly refused. The move follows what officials have described as an “alarming” rise in students attempting to remain in the UK after their studies by submitting claims that lack merit.
The warning, already sent to 10,000 students, makes clear that those without legal right to remain must leave or face removal. It also states that asylum support will only be provided under strict destitution criteria.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the measure, telling the BBC that while the UK would continue to support genuine refugees, the asylum system should not be misused by students seeking to extend their stay. “We need to clamp down on that kind of abuse,” she said.
The announcement comes in the wake of the government’s immigration white paper, which noted that nearly half of asylum claims made by people already in the UK came from individuals on study visas. However, Home Office data indicates students account for 16% of total asylum claims, albeit six times higher than five years ago.
Critics have strongly condemned the policy. Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, described it as an “attack on international students” and accused the Labour government of echoing the rhetoric of the anti-immigration Reform party. She argued that international students play a vital role in strengthening Britain’s higher education sector and wider economy.
While asylum applications from students have fallen by 10% since the publication of the immigration white paper, the government insists further measures are needed to deter misuse of the system. With roughly 16,000 students arriving each year on study visas, the Home Office is determined to maintain stricter oversight.
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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