How to Immigrate to Canada from Nigeria

Nigerians are the fourth largest source country of immigrants to Canada.

In 2021, over 15,000 Nigerians have been granted permanent residency in Canada.

Find out if you qualify for Canadian immigration

Canada is a top destination for Nigerians because of the various economic opportunities and sectors the country offers to Nigerian professionals such as oil and gas sector, information and communications technology sector, health and other science and engineering related fields. Therefore, it is not surprising to learn that most Nigerians come to Canada as skilled economy class workers.

Nigerians are generally well qualified for Canadian immigration programs for reasons such as high English proficiency, level of education and work experience. Two popular options for Nigerians to immigrate to Canada are the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Provincial Nominee Program.

Federal Skilled Worker Program

The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) may be a good option for you if you are a candidate for Nigerian immigration abroad. The FSWP allows applicants with work experience and no connection to Canada or job offer to apply for permanent residency.

In order to be eligible for the PTQF, candidates must be able to use their foreign work experience, education, language skills and other human capital factors to establish themselves in Canada. In particular, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• One year of continuous full-time paid work experience or the equivalent within the past 10 years in a skilled occupation classified in National Occupational Classification (CNP) skill level 0, A or B;
• Validated language ability equivalent to Canadian language proficiency level (CLB) 7 in English or French in all abilities (reading, writing, listening and speaking); and
• Canadian diploma (certificate, diploma or degree) or foreign diploma and Academic credential assessment (ECA).
• Score at least 67 points on IRCC’s six immigration selection factors.
• Prove that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada.

The FSWP is one of three programs run under Express entry, which is the Canadian government’s application management system. Once you know you are eligible for the FSWP, you can upload your Express Entry profile at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada(IRCC).

Candidates will then receive a Comprehensive filing system (CRS) based on factors such as age, education, work experience, language ability and more. Every two weeks, IRCC sends invitations to apply for permanent residence for the highest-scoring candidates in the pool.

By 2024, the goal is to admit 110,000 permanent residents through Express Entry. Therefore, Express Entry may be the most attractive and fastest option for economic class applicants to gain permanent residency in Canada.

Provincial Nominee Program

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is another great option for Nigerian immigration applicants. The majority of Canadian provinces and territories administer the PNP, which allows each province and territory to design its own immigration pathways based on its own economic and demographic needs. Under the PNP, provinces and territories nominate skilled worker candidates for immigration to their respective jurisdictions.

Nigerian immigration applicants can apply to come to Canada directly through a PCP, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. They can also enter the Express Entry pool and be invited to apply for nomination by a province which will select candidates from the federal pool. If nominated via Express Entry, they will receive an additional 600 CRS points, which means they are effectively guaranteed to receive an invitation to apply for permanent residence in a future Express Entry Draw.

Find out if you qualify for Canadian immigration

© CIC News All rights reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to find out about your options for immigrating to Canada.