More Nigerians are choosing Canada as their new place of residence. In 2022, over 20,000 Nigerians were granted Canadian permanent residency. If you’re from Nigeria and aiming to settle in Canada, discover your immigration options on this page, exploring how to immigrate to Canada from Nigeria.
Canada remains a sought-after destination for Nigerians due to its array of economic opportunities across sectors highly sought by Nigerian professionals, including the oil and gas industry, information and communication technology (ICT), healthcare, and various science and engineering fields.
Additionally, Canada boasts political stability, a thriving economy, a well-developed healthcare system, and an internationally acclaimed education system.
Currently, around 70,000 Canadians of Nigerian descent call Canada their home, and this number continues to grow annually.
Most Nigerians immigrate to Canada as skilled workers under the economic class. With Canada steadily increasing its immigration rates, it’s anticipated that the Nigerian community in Canada will expand beyond its current numbers.
How to Immigrate from Nigeria to Canada?
Nigerians are often well-positioned to qualify for Canada’s immigration programs due to high English proficiency, education levels, and work experience.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) could be an optimal choice for Nigerian candidates abroad. This program allows applicants with work experience and no ties to Canada or a job offer to apply for permanent residency.
The FSWP aims at skilled workers who can leverage their international work experience, education, language proficiency, and other human capital to establish themselves economically in Canada. Specifically, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
- One year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience within the last decade in a skilled occupation classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3;
- Demonstrated language proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French across all abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) and
- Possess a Canadian educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) or foreign credential and an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
- FSWP applicants must score at least 67 points on IRCC’s six immigration selection factors.
- Sufficient financial resources to settle in Canada for you and your family.
What to Do if You Qualify for the FSWP
The FSWP is one of the three programs operated under the Canadian government’s Express Entry application management system.
Once you have confirmed your eligibility for the FSWP, you can upload your Express Entry profile to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
Upon profile submission, Nigerian candidates receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on age, education, work experience, and language proficiency.
IRCC invites the highest-scoring candidates in the pool to apply for permanent residence every two weeks. Furthermore, IRCC aims for a six-month processing period under Express Entry.
The target is admitting over 110,000 permanent residents annually through Express Entry. These aspects collectively make Express Entry an appealing and expedited pathway for economy-class candidates seeking permanent residence in Canada.
Provincial Nominee Program
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) offers another significant avenue for Nigerian immigration candidates.
Canada, a federal country with ten provinces and three territories, allows most of them to administer the PNP. This program enables each province and territory to design immigration pathways aligned with their economic and demographic needs.
Through the PNP, provinces and territories nominate skilled worker candidates for immigration.
Nigerian candidates can directly apply through a PNP if they meet eligibility criteria. Alternatively, they may enter the Express Entry pool and be invited by a province to apply for nomination, which grants an additional 600 CRS points. This effectively assures an invitation to apply for permanent residence (ITA) in a subsequent Express Entry draw.