How To Migrate To Canada From Nigeria: Your No.1 Guide

Canada is a destination of choice for Nigerians due to the economic opportunities the country offers in various sectors that are often filled by Nigerian professionals, namely the Oil and Gas Industry, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), healthcare, and other science and engineering-related fields.

Canada also has many advantages such as political stability, a thriving economy, a highly developed health care system, and an internationally recognized education system. Around 70,000 Nigerian Canadians currently reside in Canada and the number continues to increase each year. Most Nigerians come to Canada as skilled workers under the economic category. 

As Canada continues to increase its annual immigration levels, the Nigerian community in Canada is expected to grow even further from its current numbers. More and more Nigerians are choosing Canada as their new host country. 

By 2023, more than 20,000 Nigerians would have been granted permanent residence in Canada. If you are from Nigeria and want to move to Canada, you can learn more about your immigration options on this page. More than 70,000 people of Nigerian origin live, work and study in Canada. 

The country offers great prospects for foreigners looking to start a new life abroad.Moving your life and family abroad can be a difficult and overwhelming process.

What are the popular Immigration Pathways to Canada from Nigeria?

Canada Immigration offers a great immigration program for immigrants to settle in Canada. Canada has many provinces and territories, is a very immigrant-friendly country, provides universal health care, has a thriving economy, and is ranked among the top 10 safest countries in the world. It is no surprise that many people want to immigrate to Canada from Nigeria.

There are different pathways to immigrate to Canada from Nigeria. Generally, you can enter Canada through:

1. Express Entry Program: 

This is the fastest and most popular pathway for newcomers seeking a new life in Canada. It organises and processes applications for people who wish to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence.

• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): 

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is the other major option for Nigerian immigration candidates.

Canada is a federal country with 10 provinces and three territories, the majority of which administer the PNP.

The program allows each province and territory, with its own population and economy, to design immigration pathways based on its economic and demographic needs.

Through the PNP, provinces and territories can nominate skilled worker candidates for immigration to their respective jurisdictions.

Nigerian candidates may be able to apply to immigrate to Canada directly through a PNP, provided they meet eligibility criteria. They may also enter the Express Entry pool and be invited to apply for nomination by a province that will select candidates from the federal pool. 

If they are nominated through an Express Entry-linked stream, they will receive an additional 600 CRS points. This means they are virtually guaranteed to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence (ITA) in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

1. Federal Skilled Worker Program: 

The FSWP also known as the Federal Skilled Worker program is among the three programs managed under the Canadian government’s Express Entry application management system.

Canada is a federal country with 10 provinces and three territories, the majority of which administer the PNP. The program allows each province and territory, with its own population and economy, to design immigration pathways based on its economic and demographic needs.

Through the PNP, provinces and territories can nominate skilled worker candidates for immigration to their respective jurisdictions.

Nigerian candidates may be able to apply to immigrate to Canada directly through a PNP, provided they meet eligibility criteria. They may also enter the Express Entry pool and be invited to apply for nomination by a province that will select candidates from the federal pool. 

If they are nominated through an Express Entry-linked stream, they will receive an additional 600 CRS points. This means they are virtually guaranteed to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence (ITA) in a subsequent Express Entry draw.

• Federal Skilled Trades Program: 

Federal Skilled Trades Program applications are assessed based on an applicant’s ability to become economically established upon immigration to Canada.

From January 1, 2015, eligible candidates for the Federal Skilled Trades Program must make an expression of interest in immigrating to Canada through the Express Entry selection system for immigration to Canada.

The Federal Skilled Trades program allows individuals with job offers or appropriate certification to work in certain occupations to obtain Canadian permanent residence in any Canadian province or territory other than Quebec.

1. Canadian Experience Class: 

The Canadian Experience Class for Nigerians allows Nigerian citizens who have Canadian work experience to gain permanent residency in Canada.

1. Family Sponsorship: 

The family sponsorship visa allows immigrants including Nigerian immigrants that have become permanent residents or Canadian citizens to sponsor their family members to come and live in Canada.  

This visa aims to reunite families and provide them with the opportunity to build their lives together in Canada.  

Under this program, sponsors must commit to financially supporting their family members for a period, ensuring they do not rely on social assistance.  

The Quebec province of Canada has recently imposed a cap on the number of family sponsorship visa applications, a move that could affect many potential immigrants, including Nigerians.

According to CIC News, Quebec has set a limit of 13,000 applications across several categories of family sponsorship visas.  

This cap will be in effect from June 26, 2024, until June 25, 2026.

The cap delineates that 10,400 slots of the 13,000 applications are designated for spouses, common-law spouses, and dependent children aged 18 years and above.

The remaining 2,600 slots are allocated for parents, grandparents, and other eligible family members.

Once this limit is reached, Quebec authorities will no longer accept applications, and any applications submitted after the cap is filled will be returned without processing or charging the procedural fee.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for a Canadian immigration (permanent residence) visa, federal skilled trade applicants must: 

Have a job offer from no more than two Canadian employers for a period of at least one year OR a certificate of eligibility from a provincial or territorial organization.

Provide evidence of basic language proficiency from a designated language testing agency, demonstrating that the applicant meets the minimum threshold set by the Minister – Canadian Language Proficiency Level (CBLC) 5 for speaking and listening, NCLC 4 for reading and writing.

Have 24 months of qualifying work experience in the specialized trade in the past 5 years; and

Demonstrate the skills and experience required to demonstrate that they have performed the essential duties of the occupation.Level of experience.

What kind of work experience do I need?

Your work experience must be in an occupation that falls within skill level B of the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC). You must have had this work experience within the past 5 years.

The skilled occupations currently eligible for the Federal Skills Program are organized into the following NOC main and subgroups:

– Main Group 72, Industrial, electrical and construction occupations,Main Group 73, Equipment operators and maintenance occupations,

– Main Group 82, Supervisors and technical occupations in natural resources, agriculture and related manufacturing,

– Main Group 92, Supervisors and central control station operators in processing, manufacturing and utilities,

– Subgroup 632, Cooks and chefs, and Subgroup 633, Butchers and bakers.

These main groups of the CNP are divided into different occupations. (All of these skills fall under NOC Category B.) You must demonstrate that you have performed the duties listed in the NOC occupation description, including all essential duties and most of the major duties listed. If you cannot demonstrate that your experience matches the NOC description, your application will not be accepted.

How much do I need to Immigrate to Canada from Nigeria? 

– Open an Immigration Account – It’s FREE unless you decide to use a representative for the process.

– Getting your school to mail you your transcripts can cost as little as N15,000 or as much as you can imagine – if you consider the stress that often comes with getting transcripts from some universities in Nigeria. So, aside from money, you may need a lot of luck here.

– Getting WES to transcribe your transcripts. There are various fees that you will have to pay WES to transcribe your transcripts that your school sends to them: 

• The current cost is $227 (CAD). Depending on the exchange rate, the current cost is around N179,000. However, the cost may be higher if you request WES to send you their paper assessment.
• IELTS Application Fee – N107,500 
• The amount you need to submit for Proof of Funds (POF) depends on the number of people moving to Canada with you. 

If you are moving to Canada alone, your proof of funds must be around N10,500,000 or more. While you do not necessarily need to “spend” your financial proof to move to Canada, you do need to present it as proof that you have enough money to cover your living expenses for at least 6 months upon arrival in Canada. 

Total Expenditure (without POF) = N301,500 + Total Funds Required (including POF) = N10,801,500+

Are these the only costs needed to relocate to Canada?

Actually, no.

Remember that we mentioned earlier that you only need to present proof of funds if you receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence.

There are other things you need to present if you receive an ITA and these will cost money:

• Police report – N5,000 and above
• Medical report – N10,000 and above (depending on the hospital you use)
• Biometrics – CA$85 / approx. N67,000 
• Visa requirements – CA$850 / approx. N670,000 
• Right of permanent residence fee – CA$515 / approx. N405,000 
• Total = N1,157,000+

Of course, it is very likely that you will end up paying more than the estimate shared above. Food and other necessities are not included in these expenses so it is necessary to plan for miscellaneous expenses.

If you’re a Nigerian Looking to Immigrate to Canada, take this bold step and apply for a Canadian Visa Today!