Lithuania's "Migration Fix": A Disaster for International Students in Vilnius

Lithuania, once seen as an emerging hub for affordable European education, is facing a growing storm over its migration policy for non-EU (European Union) and non-EEA (European Economic Area) students. A set of new legal measures, meant to “tighten control” over study-based migration, is being called out by student groups as “discriminatory and short-sighted.”

Under the proposed amendments, non-EU and non- EEA students would face an eight-year ceiling on their study-based residence permits. They would lose the right to bring family members and see their work hours slashed to 20 per week, even as living costs and rents continue to rise. No extra financial support is being offered. For thousands of students from countries like India, Nigeria, and Pakistan, who make up a growing share of Lithuania’s 9,000-plus international student community, that means tighter budgets and interrupted degrees.

The government insists the measures are about “migration integrity.” Officials argue that some foreigners are abusing the study route to gain residency or access the labour market, citing cases where universities renewed residence permits even when students earned no academic credits. But the numbers tell a different story.

Migration Department data show that only around 4-5% of all international residents hold study-based residence permits, and just 0.4% of them were revoked for misuse.Student unions call these new restrictions disproportionate, arguing that they punish genuine students to address a minor issue.

The fallout is already visible, students have reported surprise inspections in dormitories and classrooms, often without coordination with universities. Residence permit renewals are slower due to which some applicants are stuck waiting months to enter the country. As part-time work gets harder to balance with tuition and living costs, more students are reconsidering whether Lithuania is worth it.

The Lithuanian National Union of Students and the European Students’ Union have demanded that the government withdraw the proposed measures, calling them “disproportionate and discriminatory.” They argue that the changes violate Lithuania’s commitments under the European Higher Education Area, which upholds equal access and non-discrimination in education. The unions also urge transparent migration procedures and coordination with universities to protect student privacy and institutional autonomy.

Lithuania has spent years branding itself as a modern, open, student-friendly destination. Yet, this law signals something else; in some countries, the welcome mat comes with fine print. Lithuania’s challenge is balancing migration control with fairness but if the balance tips too far, the classrooms it’s trying to protect could start to empty out.

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