UK Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra has defended her government’s new immigration plans during a visit to India. She also said she is worried about the growing number of foreign students who apply for asylum after finishing their studies.
Under the new rules, some migrants may have to wait up to 20 years before they can settle permanently in the UK. The time needed for indefinite leave to remain will increase from five years to 10 years.
These changes will affect about 2.6 million people who arrived in the UK since 2021. Some Labour MPs have criticised the plans, while the Conservative Party has given a cautious welcome.
Malhotra told the BBC in Chennai that the reforms are similar to what many other countries do to prevent misuse of their immigration systems. She added that the UK still welcomes people who come legally.
She said around 16,000 international students applied for asylum in the UK last year after completing their courses. She said this shows that some people are misusing legal migration routes.
Home Office data shows that another 14,800 students applied for asylum between January and June 2025. It is not known how many of them are from India.
Malhotra said that when students overstay their visas after coming legally, it weakens the immigration system, reduces public trust, and affects the fairness that people expect.