UK Launches Crackdown on Overstaying Foreign Students, Warns of Deportation

The United Kingdom has begun directly contacting tens of thousands of international students, warning them to leave the country when their visas expire or face removal, in a sweeping new enforcement campaign targeting visa overstayers.

The Home Office confirmed on Tuesday that around 10,000 students whose visas are nearing expiry have already received official warnings via text and email. A further 130,000 students and their dependents are expected to be contacted in the coming months as the campaign intensifies.

According to BBC, the unprecedented move comes amid government concerns over a sharp increase in asylum applications from student visa holders. Home Office figures show that about 16,000 asylum claims last year came from individuals who initially entered the UK on student visas almost six times higher than in 2020. Although that number has since fallen by roughly 10 per cent, ministers say additional action is needed.

“If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you,” the warning message reads. It further cautions that unmeritorious asylum applications will be “swiftly and robustly refused,” and that asylum support will only be available to those who meet strict destitution criteria.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the campaign is aimed at protecting the integrity of the immigration system and easing pressure on the country’s overstretched asylum accommodation network. “We will continue to support genuine refugees, but people should not be claiming asylum if nothing has changed in their home country,” she said.

The crackdown is part of broader immigration reforms under the Labour government. In May, ministers announced a reduction in the post-study work period for overseas graduates from two years to 18 months. The government is also considering stricter compliance thresholds for universities sponsoring foreign students and exploring the rollout of a digital ID system to strengthen border and employment checks.

While much public attention has focused on illegal small-boat crossings, government data shows that legal entrants including students, workers, and visitors account for more than 40,000 asylum applications annually, outpacing the roughly 35,000 claims from irregular Channel arrivals.

Officials insist the new measures are designed to ensure that all parts of the immigration system are enforced uniformly.