UK Eyes Visa Curbs for Countries Without Migrant Return Deals

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer before the start of the G7 summit in Ottawa. Photo by Suzanne Plunkett /Photographer: Suzanne Plunkett/G

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(Bloomberg) — The UK is looking to restrict the number of visas it gives to countries which refuse to sign returns agreements with Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, as his government pursues more assertive measures to reduce levels of net migration.

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Starmer discussed the issue with his French, Italian and German counterparts at the Group of Seven summit in Kananaskis, Canada on Monday. They covered topics including what can jointly be done through counter-terrorism powers and sanctions to tackle the increasing number of people traveling on small boats across the English Channel. Starmer told reporters on Tuesday that he wants to pursue more returns agreements with countries throughout Europe and beyond, though the European Union would prefer to do a bloc-wide deal. 

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“We are looking at whether we should tie our visas to the work that the countries we’re dealing with are doing on preventative measures and on return agreements,” Starmer told reporters in the mountain resort. “It will be much more transactional,” he said, adding that the “smarter” use of visas will apply to countries which don’t have return deals with Britain. 

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After almost a year in power, Starmer is coming under increasing pressure to devise a strategy that successfully reins in net immigration numbers that have touched records in recent years. One of his first acts in power was to scrap the previous Tory administration’s controversial plan to deport small boat arrivals to Rwanda, which he described as a “gimmick” because it had yet to bear fruit. 

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The premier has said his focus is on cracking down on the criminal gangs responsible for people smuggling, as well as ramping up the processing of arrivals, including deporting those who fail in their asylum bids. Nevertheless, cross-channel arrivals this year have hit a record, laying bare the challenge facing the government.

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Starmer has also pursued a series of agreements, which return people lacking legal residence to either their country of origin or where they hold citizenship. The UK has such agreements with Albania, Pakistan, India and Iraq. Some of the deals, including Albania, cover third party nationals. 

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