A sharp rise in asylum claims by Pakistani nationals has exposed what British media and officials describe as serious flaws in the UK’s immigration and visa system.

New data reveals that Pakistanis are now the largest group of asylum seekers, with applications increasing fivefold since 2022 and many entering through legal visas before switching their status.

According to British media reports, 11,234 Pakistanis applied for political asylum last year, making them the biggest nationality group among asylum applicants. In total, 40,739 migrants lodged asylum claims after arriving in the UK on legitimate visas.

Pakistan topped asylum statistics across all major visa categories, becoming the only nationality to appear in the top three for student, work, visitor, and other temporary routes before switching to asylum.

Figures obtained by the Conservative Party through Freedom of Information requests show that Pakistan accounted for one in ten of all asylum claims in the UK.

Most asylum seekers entered legally

Data reviewed by British publications revealed that 9,783 Pakistani nationals entered the UK on temporary student, work, or visitor visas before claiming asylum — representing 24% of all visa-to-asylum switches in 2024.

Breakdown of Pakistan’s visa-to-asylum switches:

5,888 arrived on student visas
2,578 arrived on work visas
902 entered on visit visas

For comparison, Pakistan’s student visa switches alone exceeded the combined totals of India (2,295) and Bangladesh (2,374).

A total of 162,000 visas were issued to Pakistani nationals last year, making Pakistan one of the UK’s biggest visa recipient countries.

'Pakistanis exploited loopholes the most'

British newspapers described Pakistani nationals as the group that benefited most heavily from weaknesses in UK immigration rules.

One year earlier, in 2022, Pakistanis submitted just 2,154 asylum applications — meaning claims have risen fivefold in only two years.

The surge has triggered concerns that the UK’s immigration system is being used as a “back door” to permanent residency.

Criticism of UK immigration system intensifies

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp sharply criticized the data, calling it 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. He urged tougher safeguards to ensure that temporary visas cannot be misused for asylum purposes.

Jamie Jenkins, former head of health and employment statistics at the ONS, said the migration system was being “gamed from the inside”, not just at the borders.

“With 162,000 visas granted to Pakistani nationals, the UK’s generous system is feeding directly into record asylum claims,” he said. He argued that the rise in Pakistan’s ranking exposes failures within the visa and asylum framework itself.

UK introduces tougher new measures

The report comes shortly after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced strict new rules requiring migrants who enter the UK illegally, including visa overstayers, to wait 20 years before becoming eligible for settlement.

Their asylum status will be reviewed every 30 months, with the possibility of repatriation if their home country is later deemed safe.

British media noted that the majority of Pakistanis sought political asylum, although Pakistan maintains that its citizens are not subject to state persecution.