By Fred Byrne and Emily Reid
An Aberdeen politician has spoken out against the UK government’s ban on student visas for four countries. Kirsty Blackman, the MP for Aberdeen North, argues that the ban will only drive immigrants to travel across the English Channel illegally.
Shabana Mahmood, the UK government’s home secretary, banned students from Sudan, a country currently facing the largest humanitarian crisis in recent history, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Cameroon this month in a bid to curb “visa abuse”. Each of the four countries are in the midst of conflict, humanitarian crises or both. According to immigration data, nationals of the four countries were most likely to claim asylum in the UK after originally arriving as a student.
The home secretary touted the move as “restoring order and control to our borders” in a speech on Thursday at the IPPR think tank.
“Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused.” Mahmood said. The visa brake is set to come into effect on 26th March 2026.
Critics claim the brake will only lead to more Channel crossings via small boats, stating that very few safe and legal alternatives exist.
Kirsty Blackman MP, the Scottish National Party (SNP) whip in Westminster, told //The Gaudie// that the ban is counter-productive and immoral:
“Reducing legal routes for those coming to the UK will do nothing to discourage illegal travel. We have a responsibility to provide refuge to those born in less fortunate circumstances or living in war zones. The UK Government is not acting in a way that aligns with my view of our international moral responsibilities.”
Scottish universities have bet on tuition fees from international students for revenue, but strict student visa rules are discouraging some prospective students from abroad from enrolling.
“Successive UK Governments have done everything possible to reduce international student numbers,” said Ms Blackman. “This is having a massive impact on Universities and on the vibrance and diversity of our student communities.”
Louise Calvey, the director of the charity Asylum Matters, said: “Our government says it wants to stop people from making dangerous and often deadly Channel crossings to seek sanctuary. But its approach is doing exactly the opposite.
“This government has already put family reunion applications on hold, now it wants to ban a small number of people from leaving conflict zones to continue their education and then claim asylum instead of being sent back to danger.”
Universities UK, an advocacy group for 142 universities including Aberdeen, also stands against the student visa ban.
“The news will be concerning for many current and prospective international students, who make huge sacrifices to study in the UK, work hard and contribute significantly while here. We will be asking to meet with the Home Office to discuss the announcement and clarify the implications for students,” said a spokesperson for Universities UK. They added:
“Universities fully support [the] government wanting to maintain confidence in the immigration system and prevent abuse of the student route. It’s important, though, to recognise that some genuine students may have legitimate reasons to claim asylum when circumstances in their home countries change while they’re studying. We strongly urge [the] government to take forward their own proposals to create a specific visa route for refugee and displaced students to study in the UK.”
There were 15 Sudanese, 10 Afghan, 11 Burmese and less than 10 Cameroonian students enrolled at the University of Aberdeen in December 2025, according to official data.
