Canada is an appealing and leading destination for Nigerians, as it offers vast and thriving economic opportunities, political stability, a renowned and internationally recognized education system, and a highly developed healthcare system. It’s no wonder that more Nigerians are choosing Canada as their new home.
In this article, we delve into the most reliable ways an individual can travel to Canada from Nigeria. Join us as we go through this reliable and sure means of how to travel to Canada from Nigeria.
How To Travel To Canada From Nigeria
1. Express Entry
Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway for newcomers seeking a new life in Canada. Express Entry organizes and processes applications for people who wish to immigrate to Canada and acquire Canadian permanent residence.
Candidates with university or college degrees, skilled work experience and moderate proficiency in English and/or French are ideal candidates. For this reason, Nigerian professionals tend to do well in the Express Entry pool.
Candidates who qualify for the following programs are also eligible to apply for the Express Entry program:
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
- Canadian Experience Class.
A. Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
The FSWP allows candidates with work experience and no connection to Canada or job offers to apply for permanent residence.
The program targets skilled workers who will be able to use their foreign work experience, education, language skills and other human capital factors to become economically established in Canada. More specifically, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:
- One year of continuous full-time or equivalent paid work experience in the past 10 years in a skilled occupation classified under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) TEER category 0, 1, 2, or 3;
- Validated language ability equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in English or French across all abilities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking); and
- Canadian educational credential (certificate, diploma, or degree) or foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
- FSWP applicants must get at least 67 points on IRCC’s six immigration selection factors.
- Show that you have enough money for you and your family to settle in Canada.
Once you confirm you are eligible for the FSWP, you may upload your Express Entry profile onto the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Upon uploading their Express Entry profiles, Nigerian candidates receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on their human capital factors, such as age, education, work experience, and official language ability, among others.
Every two weeks, IRCC sends out invitations to apply for permanent residence to the highest-scoring candidates in the pool. In addition, IRCC sets a 6-month processing service standard under Express Entry.
The target is for more than 110,000 permanent residents to be admitted through Express Entry per year. Together, these elements make Express Entry one of the most attractive options and the fastest way for economy-class candidates to obtain permanent residence in Canada.
B. Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
This is eligible for qualified skilled trade workers with a valid qualification certificate or job offer from a Canadian company.
It is another Express Entry route to relocate to Canada and it involves applying for the FSTP. To be eligible for this program, you must:
- Have at least 2 years of full-time or 4 years of part-time work experience in one of the listed skilled trades. You must have gained this experience within five years of applying. Unpaid or volunteer experience won’t count toward your work experience time
- Meet proficient language levels in English or French
- Meet the requirements for a specific job listed in the FSTP, or have a relevant certificate or qualification to prove your experience or abilities in the field, or
- Receive a full-time work offer from a Canadian company for at least one year or a qualification issued by a Canadian governmental authority.
Examples of jobs eligible for application through the FSTP route are:
- Cooks, butchers, bakers, or chefs
- Occupations in industries surrounding natural resources, agriculture and related fields (supervisors, operators, and controllers)
- Occupations in industries surrounding processing, manufacturing, and utilities
- Occupations related to aircraft assembling,
- Transportation Officers or Controllers.
To apply for the Federal Skilled Trades Program, you must be able to prove that your work experience meets the description of the NOC; otherwise, your application will be refused.
Canadian Experience Class
This is for skilled workers who have at least three years of work experience in Canada.
The Canadian Experience Class is an Express Entry route available to applicants who have at least one year of skilled work experience, or 1560 working hours, in Canada within the last three years. This may look like:
- Have worked a full-time job for at least 30 hours a week for 12 months.
- Have worked a part-time job of around 20 hours per week for 24 months
- Have worked under temporary residence status during your work experience.
- Have worked a part-time job of around 20 hours per week for 24 months.
- Have worked under temporary residence status during your work experience.
2. Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is the other major option for Nigerian immigration candidates.
Each of Canada’s thirteen provinces and territories operates its own immigration programs, called Provincial Nominee Programs, or PNPs. As the provinces have different populations and economies, their immigration programs are unique and built to fit their economic and demographic needs.
Through the PNP, provinces and territories can nominate skilled worker candidates for immigration to their respective jurisdictions.
PNPs are a popular option because they can be the fastest pathway to Canadian permanent residence.
If you are nominated through a PNP that is aligned with Express Entry, you will receive an additional 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. This means you are essentially guaranteed to receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence in the next Express Entry draw.
3. Family Sponsorship
Family reunification is a top priority for Canadian immigration. Canada offers several immigration programs that give Canadians the opportunity to sponsor their family members to Canada.
To sponsor a family member as a permanent resident under family class sponsorship, the sponsor must fulfil the following conditions:
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, aged at least 18 years.
- Reside in Canada, if they are a permanent resident. Canadian citizens can sponsor a family member even when living outside the country. However, he or she must reside in Canada when the sponsored family member becomes a permanent resident of Canada.
- Have adequate resources to provide financial support to the sponsored person for the mandated duration.
- Further, the sponsor must comply with additional requirements like not receiving social assistance (except for the reason of disability), meeting financial obligations, including support for sponsored family members on time, having a clean criminal record, etc.
4. Other Federal Economic Programs
If you have a job offer in an in-demand field or a rural or Atlantic region of Canada, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residence through another federal economic program. The Canadian government offers various economic pilot programs to fill labor or demographic gaps in certain regions or sectors across Canada.
5. Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program
If you are an entrepreneur with an innovative business idea, you may be eligible to immigrate to Canada through the start-up visa program.
Canada is on the hunt for entrepreneurs who are interested in starting businesses that will stimulate the Canadian economy while creating employment opportunities for its residents.
Qualified candidates can come to Canada on a work permit and will be granted Canadian permanent residence once they have established their business.
6. Work permit options
Another option for Nigerian foreign nationals is to work in Canada with a Canadian work permit. Canadian work permits are divided into two programs: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP). The main difference between the two is that a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is required for the TFWP, while it is not for the IMP.
The purpose of the LMIA is for an employer to demonstrate that hiring a foreign worker will either have a positive or neutral effect on the Canadian job market.
In many cases, a job offer from a Canadian employer is required before a foreign national can apply for a work permit. However, there are some situations in which IRCC allows for an open work permit, which is not employer-specific and allows the holder to work almost anywhere across Canada.
7. Study Permit
In 2022, Canada welcomed a record number of international students, reaching 551,405 students from over 184 countries. In 2023, over 16,000 international students came to study in Canada from Nigeria.
There are over 1,500 designated learning institutions (DLIs) in Canada. Once you apply to your school of choice and get accepted, you can apply for a study permit.
The benefit of a Canadian study experience is that a study permit can provide an opportunity to work while you study and offer a permanent resident pathway upon graduation. Many federal and provincial programs value candidates who have Canadian education and work experience.
Requirements Needed To Travel From Nigeria To Canada
- Have a valid passport
- Prove you have enough finances to support yourself during your time in Canada
- Not have any criminal records or previous issues with immigration law
- Demonstrate a clear purpose for relocating to Canada.
Conclusion
Canada is a leading destination for Nigerians as it offers vast economic opportunities, political stability, an internationally recognized education system, and a highly developed healthcare system. The various means through which an individual can travel to Canada to enjoy all these privileges have been listed above.
