Canada wants over 15,000 Nigerians among 432,000 immigrants expected to take up jobs
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
More than 15,000 Nigerians gained permanent residence in Canada in 2021, far above the average 6,146 who did in the three years from 2018 to 2020, which totalled 18,438, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data.
Canada expects more Nigerians to come in 2022, having granted permanent residence to 35,260 immigrants from across the world in January alone.
That places the North American country on the cusp of attracting 400,000 immigrants for the second year in a row.
Under its Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024 announced earlier this year, Canada targets nearly 432,000 immigrants in 2022, the highest level in its history.
It achieved more than 8 per cent of this target in January.
Canada recorded over 405,000 immigrants in 2021, largely by transitioning those already in the country to permanent residence because of pandemic travel restrictions.
It marked a record-breaking year for the country and was the first time since 1913 it landed more than 400,000 immigrants.
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Economic class
Some 65 per cent of new permanent residents in January 2022 came under the economic class, higher than the 56 per cent targeted in the levels plan.
Around 20 per cent made it under family class, lower than the 24 per cent levels target.
Refugee and humanitarian class accounted for the remaining 15 per cent of landings, lower than the 20 per cent goal for this year.
The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) remains the leading program for new economic class arrivals, having accounted for almost 7,700 immigrants in 2021.
IRCC relied heavily on the CEC in 2021 to achieve its immigration levels plan, as the CEC accounted for about one-third of new admissions.
Focus shifting to FSWP
Nairametrics reports that IRCC seems to be shifting course by processing more Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) applications in recent months.
It processed over 9,000 people under the FSWP between the middle of December 2021 and the end of February 2022, much higher than the average 600 processed under the FSWP for much of 2021.
IRCC may be normalising its operations which entail striking a balance between processing immigration applications submitted in Canada and abroad.
Favourite of African immigrants
Canada is one of the top countries for Nigerian and other African immigrants seeking to further their education and ultimately earn a living in greener pasture.
With travel restrictions now reduced, Canada is set to receive more permanent residents later in the year, a major opportunity for Nigerians seeking life abroad.