Nigerians applying to work or study in the UK are among the nationals facing Home Office restrictions.
Others includes those from Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Whitehall officials have suspicions that they are most likely to overstay and claim asylum.
The UK government will work with the National Crime Agency, NCA, to profile applicants from these countries.
Last year, almost 10,000 asylum claimants who had arrived in the UK legally on work or study visas were living in taxpayer-funded accommodation.
In March 2025, the Home Office provided data that showed asylum seekers who had originally entered on a visa, but then ended up in government accommodation and the most common nationalities were Pakistanis, Nigerians and Sri Lankans.
The Guardian reports that the government is looking to reduce the numbers of UK student visa holders who make asylum claims.
Officials will be instructed to use the bank statements submitted by visa holders as part of their assessment when deciding whether to grant them asylum accommodation.
