A sharp rise in asylum claims by Pakistani nationals has highlighted what British media and officials describe as major vulnerabilities in the United Kingdom’s immigration and visa system.
Newly released data shows that Pakistanis have become the largest group of asylum seekers, with applications increasing fivefold since 2022 — and many entering the country on legal visas before switching to asylum status.
According to UK media reports, 11,234 Pakistanis applied for political asylum last year, making them the biggest nationality group among applicants. Overall, 40,739 migrants applied for asylum after arriving in the UK through legitimate visa routes.
Pakistan emerged as the only country to appear in the top three across all major visa categories — student, work, visitor, and temporary routes — before transitioning into asylum seekers. Figures obtained by the Conservative Party through Freedom of Information requests revealed that Pakistan accounted for one in every ten asylum claims.
Most asylum seekers entered legally
British publications reported that 9,783 Pakistani nationals arrived on temporary visas before applying for asylum, representing 24% of all visa-to-asylum switches in 2024.
Breakdown of Pakistan’s visa-to-asylum conversions:
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5,888 on student visas
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2,578 on work visas
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902 on visitor visas
Pakistan’s student visa-to-asylum switches alone surpassed the combined totals of India (2,295) and Bangladesh (2,374). In total, the UK issued 162,000 visas to Pakistani citizens last year, making Pakistan one of the largest visa-recipient nations.
‘Pakistanis exploited loopholes the most’
British newspapers reported that Pakistani nationals benefited most from loopholes in UK immigration regulations. In 2022, Pakistanis submitted only 2,154 asylum applications, meaning the number has risen more than fivefold in just two years.
The surge has raised concerns that the UK’s temporary visa system is being used as a “back door” to secure long-term residency.
Criticism of UK immigration system intensifies
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp labelled the data evidence of a “broken border and visa system.”
“Tens of thousands are walking straight through the front door, exploiting legal visas and staying for good. It’s a complete failure,” he said, calling for stricter controls to prevent misuse of temporary visas.
Jamie Jenkins, former head of health and employment statistics at the ONS, said the migration system was being “gamed from the inside.”
“With 162,000 visas granted to Pakistani nationals, the UK’s generous system is feeding directly into record asylum claims,” he said, arguing that the surge exposes systemic flaws in the visa and asylum framework.
UK introduces tougher new measures
The findings come shortly after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood introduced stricter rules requiring migrants who enter illegally — including visa overstayers — to wait 20 years before qualifying for settlement. Their asylum status will be reviewed every 30 months, with possible repatriation if their country of origin is later deemed safe.
British media noted that most Pakistanis claimed political asylum, even though Pakistan insists its citizens do not face state persecution.
