LONDON: The British government has announced a crackdown on international students who remain in the country after their visas expire, following recent measures against asylum seekers.
According to UK media, the Home Office has issued warnings via emails and text messages to thousands of foreign students, cautioning that they will face deportation if they overstay their permitted period. Officials said the move comes in response to a worrying rise in asylum applications from students whose study visas had already expired.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that asylum claims had even been filed by students from countries where no significant changes in circumstances had occurred.
Over the past year, the UK received approximately 14,800 asylum applications from individuals who had initially entered on student visas. Among these, Pakistani students topped the list with 5,700 applications, followed by students from India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.
The announcement comes a day after the UK government temporarily suspended new applications for refugee family reunification, citing overwhelming pressures on the asylum system.
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