London, 3 August 2025 — A record number of migrants who initially entered the UK on legal work or study visas are now claiming asylum, according to new data from the Home Office.
In 2022, 4,394 migrants who arrived with temporary visas filed asylum claims within three years of arrival—almost triple the 1,518 who did so in 2020. The figures reveal a growing trend of migrants switching from temporary visa routes to the asylum system, prompting concerns within the UK government.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is preparing to unveil a series of restrictions aimed at closing what officials describe as a “backdoor” into the asylum system. Proposed measures include denying study and work visas to individuals from countries with high rates of post-arrival asylum claims and blocking asylum claims from those whose home country conditions remain unchanged.
Home Office data shows that as of 2024, more than 18,000 people residing in the UK had transitioned from work, study, or other visas to claim asylum or were granted refugee status—a sharp rise from just 151 in 2006. Pakistani nationals accounted for the largest share, with 3,982 such cases, followed by Afghans (2,097), Iranians (1,685), Libyans (1,367), and Bangladeshis (1,463).
The government also plans to tighten access to taxpayer-funded asylum accommodation. New rules would require visa holders who claim asylum to prove destitution using financial information they submitted during their original visa application, making it more difficult to access free housing and support.
Notable cases cited by the Home Office include a Pakistani man who arrived on a student visa in 2006 and remained illegally for over a decade before being granted asylum—despite a conviction for sexual assault. Another case involved a woman who arrived on a five-month visa in 2004 and secured refugee status after a 16-year legal battle, claiming religious persecution.
The Home Secretary said the reforms aim to protect the integrity of the UK’s immigration and asylum systems while ensuring support remains available to those with genuine claims.
Written by: LIIE IMMIGRATION
