Addressing discriminatory migration measures in Lithuania against non-EU/EEA international students
The European Students’ Union (ESU), the organisation representing 20 million students at European level, and the Lithuanian National Union of Students (LSS) express concern regarding ongoing political initiatives in Lithuania that would significantly restrict the rights of international students from outside the EU/EEA.
The current proposals, which seek to limit the temporary residence permit (TRP) on study grounds to a total of eight years, forbid non-EU/EEA Master’s students from bringing their family members to Lithuania, and reduce non-EU/EEA international students’ right to work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week, without introducing additional financial or social support mechanisms, risk discriminating against these students by limiting their access to higher education and undermining Lithuania’s commitments to quality, inclusion, and openness in higher education.
Available data shows that the scale of alleged misuse of study-based TRPs for employment-related migration is minimal. Around when the current policy debate began, records from the Migration department showed that only about 4-5 % of all international residents in Lithuania held a residence permit issued on study-based grounds1. Of those, the permits that were suspended or revoked after the Migration Department’s inspections accounted for just 0,4 % of all international residents and around 8-9% of international students2.
These numbers indicate that the proposed restrictions are disproportionate to the actual scope of the issue and constitute a failure to uphold education as a public good. They would penalize the majority of non-EU/EEA students who study and work in good faith, and who ultimately contribute positively to the Lithuanian higher education system and society at large.
LSS and ESU are concerned about reports that migration checks have taken place in student dormitories and classrooms, occasionally without clear coordination with the respective higher education institutions. These practices illustrate the need for more transparent procedures, institutional involvement, and respect for students’ academic and privacy rights. Higher education institutions must remain autonomous spaces of learning and not be used as instruments of migration control.
Restricting the right of non-EU/EEA international students’ to work more than 20 hours per week creates severe financial vulnerability, resulting in hindered integration into Lithuanian society. Although new support measures are being developed, they are of limited scope and largely exclude those most affected. Research from EUROSTUDENT3 confirms that financial insecurity leads to poorer mental health, reduced academic success, and higher dropout risk. International students often rely on work to afford the continually increasing rent and living costs.
ESU and LSS affirm that education is a public good and public responsibility, and students should not have to rely on paid work to meet basic living costs. However, students should have the possibility to work if they wish to, as access to employment can enhance their learning experience, integration, and autonomy when adequately protected by fair labour conditions. A research article written in Australian Journal of Human Rights4 shows that restrictions on international students’ working hours, when living costs are high, can create conditions for illegal or exploitative employment practices, which harm both student well-being and the interests of the state.
In a similar way, introducing an overall eight-year ceiling on residence permits disregards the diversity of study paths, requalification needs, and lifelong learning trajectories that are essential for a resilient and innovative higher education system and a sustainable labour market.
International students from outside the EU/EEA must have equal access to work, study, and social rights as EU/EEA students. Limiting these rights contradicts Lithuania’s obligations under the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) framework5, the Principles and Guidelines to Strengthen the Social Dimension of Higher Education6, and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, particularly Article 21 on non-discrimination7.
Internationalisation is the foundation of higher education quality, intercultural understanding, and democratic cooperation. By ensuring international students’ access to higher education, we can strengthen teaching, enhance support systems, and promote an inclusive learning environment. Any approach that frames students outside the EU/EEA as potential threats rather than valued members of the academic community endangers both student rights and Lithuania’s international reputation as a study destination.
Therefore, ESU and LSS call for:
- The immediate withdrawal of restrictive proposals targeting the residence, work, and family rights of non-EU/EEA students;
- Transparent, proportionate, and institutionally coordinated migration procedures that respect institutional autonomy and student privacy;
- A constructive policy dialogue between government bodies, higher education institutions, and student representatives, ensuring that migration and education policy remain aligned with European commitments to fairness, equality, accessibility and non-discrimination.
ESU and LSS reaffirm that international students are part of Lithuania’s academic community, not outsiders to be controlled. Upholding their rights strengthens the integrity and quality of higher education both nationally and in the entire EHEA as a whole.
1 https://migracija.lrv.lt/public/canonical/1754384735/1347/imig-2025-08.pdf
3 https://www.eurostudent.eu/download_files/documents/ES_IB_Financial_difficulties_health_WEB.pdf
4 https://doi.org/10.1080/1323238X.2025.2466859
5 https://ehea.info/Immagini/Tirana-Communique1.pdf
6 https://ehea.info/Upload/Rome_Ministerial_Communique_Annex_II.pdf