Minister flags visa ‘abuse’ as student asylum claims surge

Britain’s Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra defended her government’s immigration proposals during her visit to India and expressed concern over the increase in the number of foreign students seeking asylum at the end of their studies.

Under the new plans, some migrants may have to wait up to 20 years before they can settle permanently in the UK, and the period during which they qualify for indefinite leave to remain will also be extended from five to 10 years.

The recommendations will apply to approximately 2.6 million people who have arrived in the country since 2021. Although the Conservatives welcomed the measures cautiously, they faced criticism from some quarters, including several Labor MPs.

Speaking to the BBC in the southern Indian city of Chennai, Malhotra said the reforms were “in line with what countries around the world are doing to stop the abuse of immigration systems”, adding that it was “a very strong message that we are also sending that we welcome those who arrive legally”.

According to Malhotra, nearly 16,000 international students from around the world applied for asylum in the UK after completing their courses last year; Malhotra said this was evidence of misuse of legal immigration routes.

This year, 14,800 more students applied for asylum until June 2025 Ministry of Internal Affairs figures to show. It is not clear how many of them are Indian citizens.

“We have seen visa abuse on legal routes where people go legally and then try to overstay because their visas are not extended,” Malhotra said.

“If you see this level of abuse, it undermines your immigration system. It undermines public trust and the justice and control that people expect.”

India remains one of the UK’s largest sources of international students but demand is declining.

The number of Indian students going to the UK has fallen by 11% compared to last year as stricter immigration rules came into effect. This has triggered concerns among UK universities that rely on foreign students and are already under financial strain.

India was the top destination for foreign students in the UK in 2023-2024, accounting for 25% of arrivals, according to the Oxford University Migration Observatory. China followed with 23%, while Nigeria followed with 8%.

Malhotra said Britain was still “very welcoming” to Indian students, but his government was working with universities to ensure they were genuine foreign students.

He said the recently signed free trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and India has encouraged UK universities to open local campuses in India, with the University of Liverpool announcing last week that it will open a campus in the city of Bengaluru in 2026.

The FTA, signed in July after years of negotiations, is estimated to increase the UK’s GDP by £4.8 billion annually and increase bilateral trade between the two countries by £25.5 billion.

As part of the education part of the deal, nine UK universities have been given permission to set up campuses across India.

But these broader trade goals face a hardening domestic political climate around immigration.

During a visit to India in October, Sir Keir Starmer said Britain would not relax visa rules for Indian citizens despite long-standing pressure from Delhi for easier mobility in exchange for trade concessions.

Malhotra rejected the idea that Britain wanted deeper trade while closing the door on Indian professionals, citing nearly half a million visas issued to Indian citizens in business, education and visitor categories last year.

Malhotra said the UK was moving towards a “contribution-based” immigration system, where settlement and long-term stay depended on a person’s economic contribution rather than the length of time they lived in the country.

The government’s proposal to overhaul the UK’s immigration system is part of a wider push to impose tighter control on borders, but has faced criticism from some Labor MPs and members of the House of Lords over its potential impact on international recruitment, particularly in sectors such as health and social care.

While the reforms are still in the consultation stage, Malhotra said: “We are expanding pathways for those who have skills in areas the UK needs” when asked about settlement pathways for migrant professionals such as nurses and care workers.

A. questionnaire The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned that up to 50,000 nurses could leave the UK if the government goes ahead with its immigration proposals.

The report says there are currently more than 200,000 internationally trained nursing staff in the UK, making up around 25% of the country’s total nursing workforce of 794,000.

A significant number of these nurses and care workers come from India. Multiple investigations, including by the BBC, have shown that many of these people fell victim to cross-border visa fraud and lost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

But Malhotra said the UK was stepping up its efforts to protect people from such exploitation, and countries such as India were sharing intelligence with law enforcement and working to dismantle such gangs.

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