The British government has halted work and study visas for Afghan nationals after a sharp rise in asylum claims from people who initially entered the country through legal routes.
Under what officials described as an “emergency brake,” the Home Office will halt sponsored student visas for applicants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, and will also stop issuing skilled worker visas for Afghan nationals.
The measures will be introduced through changes to immigration rules on March 5 and are set to take effect on March 26.
British officials said the decision followed a surge in asylum applications from people who arrived in the country legally on work or study visas.
According to government data, asylum claims by students from the four countries rose by more than 470 percent between 2021 and 2025. Officials said Afghans on work visas are now seeking asylum at a rate that exceeds the number of such visas issued.
Overall, asylum claims from people who entered the country legally have more than tripled since 2021, accounting for about 39 percent of the roughly 100,000 asylum applications filed last year. In the past five years, about 133,760 people have sought asylum after arriving through legal routes.
Officials say many applicants then rely on government support while their claims are processed. The government estimates asylum support costs more than £4 billion a year, with nearly 16,000 nationals from the four countries currently receiving public assistance, including more than 6,000 housed in hotels.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the restrictions were necessary to prevent abuse of the visa system.
“Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused,” she said. “That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity.”
Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s special envoy for Afghanistan, said the measures were aimed at preventing misuse of migration routes while maintaining support for Afghans in need.
“The UK is introducing a brake on work and study visas for Afghan nationals due to abuse of these routes to claim asylum,” he said. “We remain committed to support those in genuine need, and this does not diminish our support for the rights and freedoms of all Afghans.”
The announcement comes as the government prepares broader immigration reforms aimed at tightening border controls and reducing pressure on the asylum system.
Despite the new restrictions, officials emphasized that Britain continues to provide refuge through humanitarian programs. Since 2021, the country has resettled more than 37,000 Afghan nationals through two resettlement schemes, while about 190,000 visas were granted globally through humanitarian routes in 2025.
