My name is Ken, and this is my story and experience leaving Nigeria for more close to 6 years now, to Canada, which has now become my new home.
I left Nigeria over 5 years ago, in 2019, to be precise. My pathway to leaving the country for Canada was through the Express Entry program, which makes it possible for skilled workers to be accepted into the country.
How much did you spend?
Back in 2019, Nigeria’s economic situation was slightly better than it is today, and the value of the naira was also stronger. As a result, I spent around #1.5 million naira on everything, including one-way airfare.
Needless to say, if you want to embark on the same journey today, you must be ready to spend over 10 million naira.
What procedures did you follow?
The procedures I followed were the Express Entry process. The process involved creating a profile and entering a pool for the Express Entry. You get selected based on points, and then you will be invited to fill out application forms. These forms are reviewed, and successful candidates are picked.
How is life in Canada?
So far, life in Canada has been way better than what was within reach in Nigeria. Of course, this country has its unique challenges, but nothing to compare with Nigeria.
I would make the decision to move again if I were to go back in time, because leaving the country was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
How stressful is/was it both financially and otherwise, living in the country?
Different story for everyone, but because I already had family here, the transition was easy for me. For someone going without any family or support here, settling in can be stressful for you in most ways, but with time, it gets better.
How friendly is the country to immigrants, most especially Nigerians?
The main thing Canadians are known for is their niceness, and that became obvious as soon as I came. As with every other country, there is a little aversion to foreigners due to fear and misinformation, but I have not, in my over 5 years of stay, experienced significant hostility from anyone.
Any plans of coming back to Nigeria?
As it stands, and having stayed abroad for this long, I have zero plans of ever coming back to Nigeria. However, I am considering visiting the country sometime in the future, but not to live there again.
