The Department for Education is expected to raise objections that a student visa crackdown could put the finances of some universities at risk, while the Foreign Office will want to ensure the plans do not risk the soft power benefits that international students bring to the UK.
The asylum backlog was at least three times higher than during the same period in 2019, and around ten times higher than it was in 2013, leaving tens of thousands of people in limbo over whether they will be allowed to remain in the UK. The figures came after the Home Secretary set a target for caseworkers to make three decisions per week by May and an “ambition” to get to four.
The department has around 1,000 asylum caseworkers but is hiring more. There are due to be around 1,500 by March, depending on staff turnover.