Exploring the Option: Relocating from Nigeria to Canada
This article explores the benefits and challenges of relocating to Canada from Nigeria, including its immigration policies, job opportunities, cost of living, and cultural differences.
Year after year, more and more people choose Canada over other countries as their relocation destination, and why they do this is not a mystery that’s being kept a secret.
Canada has so much to offer, such as beautiful landscapes, stable economy and democratic government, free and high-standard healthcare, access to quality education, high-paying jobs, equality, multiculturalism, friendly and welcoming population, and so much more.
What’s more to ask? Especially when you want to build a new life, full of excitement, guaranties, opportunities, joy, freedom, and anything else that you can possible dream of.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Canada Immigration
Let’s dissect each benefit that Canada offers to Nigerians separately.
Beautiful Landscapes
There are so many breathtaking places to visit in Canada, that it is quite hard to point a finger at anything in particular, but some places are a definite must to see.
Examples of beautiful landscapes in Canada include Niagara Falls in Ontario and Banff National Park in Alberta.
If you love winter sports, choose the amazing slopes in Whistler Blackcomb – the famous ski resort in British Columbia.
You don’t even have to leave the city to enjoy nature, as Toronto is home to more than 1,500 parks – these green spaces will amaze you and inspire you!
If you are a beach type of person, Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province which lies off the coast of Nova Scotia, will be your next favorite getaway paradise – it has pristine red-sand beaches, several scenic golf courses and delicious seafood.
Stable Economy
Canada is considered to have the 9th largest economy in the world.
The country offers easy business development opportunities for entrepreneurs, thus, encouraging small businesses.
The unemployment rate is quite low, standing at about 5 percent. There are plenty of jobs in Canada available in an array of industries, so that you can have many options for employment.
In addition, you can live comfortably in Canada making $1,870 per month for a single person; however, most Canadian workers earn much higher monthly salaries.
Democratic government
Canada offers a full democracy when it comes to how it is governed.
The Canadian government is built on the principles of accountable governance, pluralism, respect for diversity and human rights, including political participation of women.
Free and high-standard healthcare
Free healthcare means that all Canadian citizens and permanent residents have access to medical services without expenses out of the pocket (or they pay a relatively small payment).
The healthcare system is funded by taxes that are deducted from each Canadian worker’s salary.
You will have access to high quality facilities, medical staff and prescription drugs.
Access to quality education
Canada ranks 4th in the quality of education, according to US News & World Report (2022).
Here is a mind-blowing fact about the percentage of high school-educated Canadians – 94% of Canadians completed high school.
Canada offers affordable college education that is accessible for everyone.
Canadian university degrees are internationally recognized and provide students with an education that is at a high quality level.
High paying jobs
There are various occupations and industries that are highly valued in Canada and pay very well.
Thus, if you have a degree in one of these fields and relevant work experience, you will be able to earn a nice salary, live comfortably, and be a valued contributor to the Canadian economy: Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Medicine, Marketing, and others.
Let’s take a look at the annual salary that you can earn in the top 10 in-demand occupations or business sectors, according to Job Bank Canada estimates:
- Stationary Energy Sources Installer and Operator – $128,000
- Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies – $74,000
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering – $68,000
- Ground Transportation – $66,000
- Nursing – $54,000
- Software Engineer – $94,000
- Psychiatrist – $172,000
- Marketing Manager – $64,000
- Architect – $97,000
- Surgeon – $191,000
Canada Is Safer Than Nigeria
Nigeria is the 7th most populous country in the world, which also puts it ahead of many other countries in terms of crime and other unsafe living conditions.
The country is considered quite dangerous due to terrorism, kidnappings, and other types of violent crimes.
In addition, there are a lot of scams and moving around Nigeria alone is not recommended.
The locals are well aware of dangerous areas and are in a constant state of alert, which can be very stressful and affects the overall well-being of any person, who is just trying to live his/her life peacefully.
So, what about Canada?
Canada is less densely-populated than Nigeria by far; it is actually mostly uninhabited, and the majority of populated areas in Canada are in the southern part of the country.
Keep in mind that Canada is the second largest country in the world by size, but it only has around 38 million people, so there is plenty of open space and natural beauty to enjoy.
Canada is considered the 4th safest country in the world to live in, according to U.S. News & World Report, coming after Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway.
The crime rate in Canada is rather low and the police are swift to react to any crime report.
You can safely walk the streets of Canada, even alone.
Living in such a safe country is one of the top reasons Canada is being chosen as the number one destination for immigrants from various countries, including Nigerians.
There are very strict gun laws and almost 99% of Canadian residents don’t own a gun, unlike in other countries, such as the U.S., where at least 40% of the population owns a gun.
Canada has higher salaries than Nigeria?
You can earn a much higher salary working in Canada in comparison to Nigeria.
Here are a few examples to help you better understand the difference in pay in Canada vs Nigeria:
- Electrical Engineers will earn on average around $2,190/year in Nigeria vs $77,000/year in Canada
- Web Developers will earn on average $2,100/year in Nigeria vs $69,000/year in Canada
- Nurses will earn $1,700/year on average in Nigeria vs $38,000/year in Canada.
The divergence in the salaries is gigantic, but the cost of living is very different in Canada vs Nigeria.
However, with the pay you receive in Canada, you can live a very satisfying lifestyle, as the salaries are designed to allow the residents to enjoy life and lead a fulfilling lifestyle.
How can you immigrate to Canada?
The Canadian government is on a constant lookout for highly qualified immigrants, who are able to contribute to the Canadian economy and the country’s development, and in addition will be able to smoothly assimilate into Canada’s society.
Successful assimilation can almost guarantee that the new immigrant will succeed in Canada to build a respectful life, grow a family, and overall feel satisfied with his/her life standard level.
Due to this fact, Canada has created many pathways to assess each potential immigration candidate.
Some Canadian immigration programs use a point-system, which evaluates an applicant based on such factors as: age, education, work experience, English or French level proficiency, ties to Canada, previous educational or work background in Canada, special achievements, financial potential for the first couple of years during the assimilation period, etc.
Here is a list of the most popular Canadian immigration programs you could potentially qualify for and apply for, if you are from Nigeria and considering whether to immigrate to Canada:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
- Canadian Experience Class
- Provincial Nominee Program
- Family Class Sponsorship
- Canadian Investor Program
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Conclusion
If this article has managed to convince you that it is indeed a good idea to relocate to Canada from Nigeria, then it’s time you start taking action towards your new life in Canada.
The first step is figuring out which Canadian immigration program you have the highest potential to qualify for.
Why is this so important?
You don’t want to put all of your efforts into applying for the program that you have a very low potential to qualify for, and many people are not even aware that their potential is low, since some of the programs are not as straight-forward as they seem.
We can happily recommend that if you already have a program in mind, to consult with authorized immigration consultants, who will assess your eligibility to see if you are likely to qualify for that particular program.
If you do not know which Canadian immigration program you should apply for, again, you might consider receiving an eligibility evaluation of your best pathway for immigration to Canada performed by an authorized immigration consultant.
Since 2012, Canadian Visa Expert has been working with a team of authorized immigration consultants who can provide you with an Eligibility Evaluation and guide you through the application process if you qualify.
Discover Frequently Asked Questions from Our Support
Can a Nigerian live in Canada?
Nigerians can live in Canada, as long as they meet all of the requirements for admission to the country as legal residents. To move to Canada from Nigeria, a prospective immigrant must first obtain an immigration visa from the Canadian government.
How are Nigerians treated in Canada?
Nigerians in Canada experience a positive and welcoming environment. Canada is considered one of the most multicultural countries in the world, and Canadians are known for their tolerance, acceptance, and openness towards immigrants. Studies show that most immigrants who move to Canada find it quite easy to integrate into society without facing any discrimination or prejudice from locals. For Nigerians living in Canada, this means that they can live freely without any fear of rejection or mistreatment. Additionally, there are many organizations and initiatives set up by the Canadian government to help make integration easier for newcomers from Nigeria. These organizations provide resources such as Canadian employment support, English and French language classes, cultural training programs, and other settlement services to help Nigerians become part of their new community with ease.
How many Nigerians are living in Canada?
Around 70,000 Nigerians have become Canadian residents and live happily in the provinces of Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec.
