Thousands of people are reportedly exploiting gaps that exist in the British immigration system, as evidenced by the UK’s shift from visas to asylums that show Pakistani citizens top all other groups.
The report points out a growing pattern of immigrants who enter the United Kingdom on valid temporary visas and later apply for asylum to extend their stay permanently.
New figures released with The Telegraph reveal that more than 11,000 Pakistanis submitted asylum applications by 2024, which is the most in the history of 175 nationals seeking protection.
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Officials say that this sharp rise has led to heated debates over control of migration and the effectiveness of the current UK visa controls.
The documents provided by the UK government reveal that there were nearly 10,000 Pakistani citizens who came legally in the UK later changed their status to asylum seekers.
In total, 40,739 asylum applications in the last year came from those who first came to Britain through work, student, and visitor visas. The figures reflect a wider shift in the way migrants traverse their way through the British asylum system.
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Of all the applications, over 16,000 were made by people who were on student visas. This makes it the most popular category for later asylum claims.
Another 11,400 requests came from people who have a skilled work visa, and over 9,400 applications were submitted by individuals who had arrived on basic visitor visas.
Officials estimate that these categories currently make up more than 38 percent of the asylum requests that are made by 2024. Pakistan is at the top of the list in various visa categories.
The report says that 5,888 Pakistanis have changed from student visas to asylum applications, as well as 2,578 who were on work visas to work.
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The remaining 902 requests were submitted by Pakistanis who had originally traveled with visitor visas, which raises concerns about the increasing use of temporary entries.
The authorities note that Pakistanis are now a part of 10 asylum requests made within the United Kingdom, marking the most significant number since official recordkeeping began.
The current trend has led to calls for a more rigorous screening process and stronger enforcement, as well as an extensive review of the way temporary visas are issued and controlled.
