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ISLAMABAD: Around 13,000 to 15,000 Pakistani students travel to the United Kingdom for permanent residence each year, a Foreign Office (FO) official told a Senate panel on Friday, Dawn.com reported.
“Every year, 13,000 to 15,000 Pakistani students go to the UK for permanent residence,” a FO representative said in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada.
The official noted that these students often prefer to remain in the UK rather than go back to Pakistan and become part of the British labour market.
“Pakistani students prefer to settle in the UK rather than return to the country,” the official added. “These students are willing to work even for minimum wage.”
The representative told the panel there are currently 1.8 million Pakistanis living in the UK, though some face challenges. “Pakistani citizens face difficulties [in the UK] due to lack of English proficiency,” the official said.
Senate panel told many prefer work on minimum wages instead of returning
The committee meeting followed a week of notable developments in UK-Pakistan relations.
The UK government launched e-visas for Pakistani students and workers, and the two nations signed a Trade Dialogue Mechanism Agreement.
However, the trend of Pakistani student migration could face new hurdles.
In May, a British official said the government may restrict visa applications from students living in countries, including Pakistan, that are considered most likely to claim asylum.
The plans are seen as part of Labour’s effort to curb system abuses, like using asylum claims to stay in the UK.
The official suggested this move was designed to bring down annual net migration.
The discussions around potential new restrictions follow local elections in England where the opposition Labour Party was reportedly punished by voters over issues including illegal immigration.
Some reforms under consideration could force foreign graduates to leave the UK unless they secure a graduate-level job based on skill levels rather than salary.
Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2025
