Over 25,000 international students from more than 130 countries come to study in Wales each year
Across the UK, tens of thousands of international students are being contacted by the government to inform them that they be removed from the country if they overstay their visas. An “alarming” spike in the number of international students who live in the UK legally on student visas going on to to claim asylum after their visas expire has led the Home Office to respond with a new campaign.
The Home Office has announced that it will contact around 130,000 students and their families across the UK noting that they could be made to leave the country.
The full message will read: “If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused. Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support. If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”
Those foreign students with visas set to expire soon have been contacted by the government and been made aware of their possible deportation. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter here
According to Home Office data, 41,100 claims for asylum came from people who entered the country legally, with the largest group among visa holders being students.
In 2024, 16,000 asylum claims were made across the entirety of the UK from people who arrived on student visas.
Over 25,000 international students from more than 130 countries come to study in Wales each year with figures from 2023 showing that they benefited the economy in Wales by £1.43bn.
The latest Home Office data published on September 1, 2025 details the number of people seeking asylum in Wales in June 2025 by each local authority.
As of the end of June 2025, 76 asylum seekers were housed in contingency accommodation hotels in Wales, all being in Cardiff.
Out of a population of 3,167,331 across Wales, 3,246 people are asylum seekers receiving support by the government.
