The United Kingdom has issued a strong warning to international students, urging them to leave the country once their visas expire or risk being forcibly removed.
According to a BBC report on Tuesday, the Home Office has launched a new campaign in response to what it calls an “alarming” increase in student visa holders attempting to remain in the UK by filing asylum claims.
In an unprecedented move, officials are sending text and email messages directly to students whose visas are nearing expiration. The warnings stress: “If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”
The campaign reflects growing concerns within Whitehall that students are increasingly using the asylum system as a backdoor route to extend their stay. Data from the Home Office shows that about 15% of asylum applications last year—roughly 16,000—came from individuals who originally entered the UK on student visas.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper explained to the BBC that some applicants are exploiting the process: “We obviously will do our bit to support genuine refugees, but if nothing has changed in their country, people should not be claiming asylum at the end of a student course.”
She warned that the rising number of such claims is worsening pressure on asylum accommodation and hotel services already stretched thin.
So far, around 10,000 students nearing visa expiration have received direct warnings, with another 130,000 students and their dependents expected to be contacted during the autumn intake period.
The official message being sent out reiterates: “If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused. Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support. If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”
The crackdown comes as part of the Labour government’s broader tightening of immigration policies. Earlier in May, the Home Office introduced stricter rules requiring universities to meet higher thresholds on visa approvals and course completions to retain the right to sponsor international students.
While much of the public debate has centered on migrants arriving across the Channel in small boats, ministers say they are equally troubled by legal entrants—such as students—switching into the asylum system.
Of the 108,000 asylum claims filed in the UK last year, about 40,000 came from legal entrants, including those on work, study, and visitor visas. By comparison, 35,000 claims were linked to small boat crossings. Among legal categories, students represented the largest share, with applications nearly six times higher than in 2020. Although that figure dropped by 10% recently, officials say they are determined to push it down further.
Cooper acknowledged that students accounted for just over 10% of total asylum applications but argued: “To fix the system, we must tackle every single bit of it.”
As part of these measures, the government has shortened the post-study work period for overseas graduates from two years to 18 months. Recent figures also show a decline in asylum approvals for skilled worker visa holders.
