Just days after Denmark announced new initiatives to prevent international students – with particular mention of those from Bangladesh and Nepal – from using their study stay as a backdoor to the country’s labour market, a Bill was introduced in the Lithuanian parliament by conservative leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas seeking to amend the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners.
The Bill, which after its initial presentation was supported by 85 lawmakers with two abstentions and no opposition, seeks to curb international master’s students from bringing family to Lithuania, establish a government-authorised list of universities allowed to admit international students, and reduce undergraduate work rights from 40 to 20 hours per week.
Kasčiūnas argues that many students use their status primarily to gain work rights rather than to focus on studies.
“Of course, we attract talent, and there are many benefits, but there is also a group of students who remain first- or second-year students for years, working rather than studying,” claimed Kasčiūnas, chairman of the opposition Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats, as reported by Lithuania’s national public broadcaster, LRT (Lithuanian National Radio and Television).
Although Lithuania’s Migration Department has urged universities to tighten oversight of international students amid rising enrolments from countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Belarus, some observers note that the new rules largely reflect practices students are likely already following.
“Denmark’s policies have long been quite restrictive regarding international students. Lithuania, meanwhile, has been gaining momentum among lesser-known destinations; but I’d assume that the share of Bachelor students who work more than 20 hours is low, and 20 hours are also on par with most destination countries in the EEA,” Gerrit Bruno Blöss, founder and CEO, Study.eu, told The PIE News.
However, problems persist. Reports suggest inspections found that nearly all Lithuanian universities were admitting international students without requisite English skills or earned credits, yet still assisting them in renewing residence permits — which are usually offered up to two years for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and three years for doctoral candidates.
In fact, Lithuanian authorities cancelled 780 residence permits for international students who had “abandoned their studies” as of September 2025 alone in a move they believe will prompt universities to tighten controls and avoid potential sanctions.
Significant waiting times – sometimes stretching well beyond reasonable deadlines – create situations where students either arrive late for classes or are forced to cancel their studies altogether
Vilnius University spokesperson
While Lithuanian universities maintain they have introduced measures to ensure international students are “academically qualified and ready to study”, such as entrance exams and attendance monitoring, they stress the need for a well-resourced system, noting that residence permits can take up to four months to be issued in some cases, leaving some students in limbo.
“Significant waiting times—sometimes stretching well beyond reasonable deadlines—create situations where students either arrive late for classes or are forced to cancel their studies altogether,” said a spokesperson from Vilnius University.
“This not only undermines our efforts to invest in international recruitment and outreach but also damages Lithuania’s reputation in the global competition for top international talent,” the spokesperson added, underlining the need for Lithuanian universities and state authorities to work closely together “to ensure a sustainable, high-quality approach” to international education that benefits students, institutions, and the country alike.
Lithuania’s planned migration policy changes will also affect international residents, the majority of whom come from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
Those seeking to extend temporary residence after five years in Lithuania must prove Lithuanian proficiency, while residents of at least two years wanting to bring family must show their relatives’ language skills, unless exempted for valid reasons.
Reports suggest the amendments would also require former Lithuanian citizens with residence permits, as well as those who have lived in the country since 1993, to demonstrate Lithuanian proficiency and clear a constitutional basics exam when applying for or renewing residency.
Such changes affecting international students and residents are likely to keep organisations like International Organization for Migration (IOM) Lithuania busy, given their role in advising on various aspects of migration in the EU nation.
“We work extensively on this issue – at the IOM Lithuania Migration Information Centre, MiCenter, foreigners are advised both in person and online. Together with migrants, we clarify which documents are needed in various situations, how to smoothly integrate into the labor market, and more,” stated Ramunė Kochanauskaitė, communications coordinator, IOM Lithuania.
“We constantly update our trilingual website for foreigners, MiCenter.lt. The MiCenter team also visits universities with a course specially designed for international students, Welcome to Lithuania, which not only covers bureaucratic matters but also provides advice on coping with culture shock and understanding the written and unwritten local rules.”
According to Kochanauskaitė, Lithuania places strong importance on preserving its identity, language, and traditions, while supporting integration initiatives, including expanding opportunities for migrants to learn Lithuanian, something the locals value.
But would the recent changes in Lithuania and Denmark deter international students from outside the EU and EEA from studying in Europe? Blöss doesn’t think so, citing Germany and Finland as examples.
“Singular decisions by smaller destination countries are unlikely to affect the perception of the EU as a whole. Meanwhile, you have Germany, where job market entry has been made easier for migrants with non-German qualifications. Yet I haven’t heard of any German public university where this led to reduced interest from non-European prospects,” stated Blöss.
“One major change we’ve seen this year was a drop in interest in Finland from outside Europe – triggered by a new €100 application fee. But reportedly this hasn’t had a negative effect on actual enrolment. In other words, those genuinely interested and looking to focus on their studies are still coming, and with changes like in Denmark and Lithuania I’d expect the same.”
