More Nigerians are paying millions of naira to be allowed to live and work in Canada for up to five years. The number of Nigerians with permanent residency (PR) status in Canada has surged to a new 15-month high.

As of May 2024, over 2,020 Nigerians now call Canada home, recent monthly figures retrieved from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have revealed. This is the largest number of Nigerians Canada has allowed in as PRs at the same time since March 2023, and the number continues to rise.

Last month, report shows that 1,905 Nigerians permanently residing in Canada as of April, and in the first five months of 2024 alone, there have been over three thousand more people admitted than in the whole year of 2017 and preceding years.

A PR status grants individual who are not Canadian citizens the right to live and work in the country for up to five years and serves as an immigration visa, qualifying the holder for most social and healthcare coverage that Canadian citizens are entitled to, including protection under Canadian law.

Permanent residents can also apply for Canadian citizenship after physically living in Canada for at least 1,095 days or three years within the five years of their status validity.

As a leader in migrant resettlement globally, Canada has an immigration policy that attracts more talent into its territories. The government is pursuing an ambitious plan to accommodate 500,000 immigrants every year by 2025, as it battles an ageing population and low birth rate which have created gaps in its labour force.

Canada’s immigration framework prioritises professionals and highly skilled individuals, making it easier for them to obtain work permits and permanent residency, including post-graduation work permits (PGWPs) after completing studies in Canada and the Express Entry system that uses a skill-based point system to grant permanent residency.

This approach contrasts sharply with other countries, particularly the UK, where restrictive immigration policies pose significant challenges for Nigerians and other international talent.

With its Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot programs now expired, Canada launched newer, fast-tracked care pilot programs, with Nigeria as part of its target population. The programs grant professional care workers permanent residency status upon arrival.

Nigerians who make permanent residency in Canada are usually motivated by job opportunities, refugee protection or student transition programs.

Global reports have revealed that international students contributed over $30 billion to Canada’s economy in 2022 alone.

Of its entire international student population, Nigerians were the fastest-growing, with nearly 18,000 Canadian study permits issued between January to June 2023 and 44 per cent more study permits issued during that period than in full-year 2022.

International students studying in Canadian universities can apply to become permanent Canadian residents after completing their studies, provided they meet the requirements of the Canadian immigration program under which they apply.

The government also wooed the students by opening up “Dual intent,” which allows them to apply for a Canada study permit and Canadian permanent resident status at the same during their studies, opening up opportunities for continuity of life after school.

The country’s acceptance of refugees as PRs also makes it attractive to Nigerians who flee persecution at home. When refugees resettle in Canada from overseas, they become PRs through the Government-Assisted Refugee Program or the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

According to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada, Between January and June 2023, there were over 1,700 Nigerians seeking asylum referred to the IRB with many pending.

With an implemented increase in fees for permanent residency applications in April and an upward trend in newcomers from Nigeria, the Canadian government is expected to pocket more. Fees already high due to declining naira are now, more than ever, out of reach.