Canada deported no fewer than 366 Nigerians between January
and October 2025 as the country stepped up immigration enforcement at its
fastest pace in more than a decade, official figures have revealed.
Data obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
removals programme also showed that an additional 974 Nigerians are currently
listed under “removal in progress,” awaiting deportation.
The statistics, last updated on November 25, 2025, placed
Nigeria ninth among the top 10 countries whose nationals were removed from
Canada during the period under review. Nigeria also ranked fifth among
nationalities with the highest number of people awaiting removal.
A review of historical data indicates that deportations of
Nigerians from Canada have varied over the years. In 2019, 339 Nigerians were
removed, a figure that declined to 302 in 2020, 242 in 2021, and 199 in 2022.
Nigeria did not appear among the top 10 deported
nationalities in 2023 and 2024 but returned to the list in 2025, recording 366
deportations within just 10 months. This marks an increase of about eight per
cent compared to the 2019 figure.
The surge coincides with a broader immigration crackdown by
Canadian authorities.
The CBSA is now deporting close to 400 foreign nationals
every week, the highest rate recorded in over 10 years.
In the 2024-2025 fiscal year alone, Canada removed 18,048
persons at an estimated cost of $78 million.
Under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the
CBSA is mandated to remove any foreign national with an enforceable removal
order.
A person may be deemed inadmissible for reasons ranging from
criminality and security concerns to misrepresentation, health issues,
financial reasons, or failure to comply with immigration regulations.
CBSA data showed that about 83 per cent of deportees are
failed refugee claimants whose asylum applications were rejected, while
criminal-related cases account for roughly four per cent of removals.
Canadian law recognises three types of removal orders:
Departure orders, requiring the person to leave within 30
days;
Exclusion orders, which bar re-entry for between one and
five years; and
Deportation orders, which permanently prohibit return unless
special authorisation is granted.
An analysis of the 2025 deportation data showed that Nigeria
is the only African country listed among the top 10 nationalities removed from
Canada.
Other African countries were grouped under “remaining
nationals,” accounting for a combined 6,233 removals.
The top countries for deportations in 2025 were Mexico
(3,972), India (2,831), Haiti (2,012), Colombia (737), Romania (672), the
United States (656), Venezuela (562), China (385), Nigeria (366), and Pakistan
(359).
Similarly, Nigeria is the only African country among the top
10 in the “removal in progress” category, which is led by India (6,515),
followed by Mexico (4,650), the United States (1,704), China (1,430), and
Nigeria (974).
Canadian authorities say the intensified deportation drive
is aimed at meeting revised immigration targets and easing pressures linked to
housing shortages, labour market strain, and border security.
To support these efforts, the government has earmarked an
additional $30.5 million over three years for removals, alongside a $1.3
billion investment in border security.
However, refugee advocates have raised concerns. President
of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy, warned that
deportations could increase further if Bill C-12, widely referred to as the
“border bill” is passed.
“One of the clauses in that bill would permanently bar many
people from making refugee claims in Canada,” she said.
Despite the tightening policies, Canada remains a major
destination for Nigerians seeking education, employment, and improved living
conditions.
The 2021 Canadian census showed that more than 40,000
Nigerians migrated to Canada between 2016 and 2021, making them the largest
African migrant group and the fifth-largest recent immigrant population
overall.
Figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
indicated that 6,600 Nigerians became permanent residents in the first four
months of 2024 alone, ranking fourth behind India, the Philippines, and China.
Between 2005 and 2024, over 71,000 Nigerians acquired
Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria among the top 10 source countries for new
Canadian citizens.
Canada’s ageing population and ongoing labour shortages
continue to attract skilled Nigerian professionals and students, even as
immigration controls grow tighter.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com