How to Apply for a Canadian Visa from Nigeria
If you are from Nigeria and you’re wondering why so many people from all over the world want to live and work in Canada, perhaps what you don’t know is that Canada offers job opportunities within a vast amount of fields, it offers people a chance at receiving the best medical care, it offers safety to the people living there, and overall Canada offers a higher standard of living. If this is something you would like for you and your family, then continue reading to learn how to apply for a Canadian visa from Nigeria and be one of over 1.2 million immigrants welcomed to Canada within the next three years.
Canadian Visa Options for Nigerians
Express Entry
Express Entry is an online immigration system that manages three federal immigration programs for skilled immigrant workers to become Canadian permanent residents. The three programs under the Express Entry are:
- Federal Skilled Workers Program
- Federal Skilled TradesProgram
- Canadian Experience Class
The Express Entry system is a great immigration pathway as the processing time can be as little as six months. It’s also one of Canada’s largest entry points, as the Express Entry system is open to almost everyone.
How does the Express Entry system work?
Once you’ve determined that you’ve met all the Express Entry requirements, you’ll need to create an online profile. The documents needed to complete the profile include your passport, language test results, and your educational credential assessment report. This online profile needs to be submitted within 90 days of starting.
Once completed, you’ll then get placed into the Express Entry system draw pool along with other eligible applicants and be given a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Your CRS score is determined by factors such as your level of education, language proficiency, work experience, and more.
Your CRS score will determine if you receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA). This means you will have the opportunity to apply to become a Canadian permanent resident. Each draw pool has its own unique CRS score to qualify and happens as frequently as every two weeks.
An advantageous aspect of the Express Entry system is that if you aren’t successful with the first draw, your profile stays in the pool for one year, which allows you to improve your CRS score to qualify for the next draw.
Read more here about the Express Entry System and how to apply.
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
An agreement was made between the government and the local provinces of Canada. This allows them to nominate immigrants who want to live and work in a particular province. In order for you to receive a nomination through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), you are required to choose a province and apply under its specific program.
The provinces will select a candidate based on immigration and labour needs. Most provinces want to boost their economy, which is why it’s important to choose a province where your skills are in demand. This will increase your chance of receiving a nomination.
How does the Provincial Nominee Program work?
When applying for Canadian permanent residency through PNP, there are two main options available to you. You can either choose to apply directly to the province (or territory) or through the Express Entry-linked process.
Direct Application Process
The process is done through a paper application via mail or courier. This means there will be extra costs involved for you, and the waiting period for the application result can take anywhere from 15 to 19 months.
Express Entry Application Process
There are two options available:
- Expression of interest – you can express interest in a specific province or territory when creating your online profile. This allows the province to select your profile directly from the Express Entry draw pool.
- Apply through a Provincial Nominee Express Entry Stream – almost every province in Canada has an Express Entry stream along with a list of in-demand occupations.
Going through the Express Entry system will have you living in Canada sooner than later as it has an average processing time of just six to eight months.
Learn more here about the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and how to apply.
Nigerian Living in Canada
Most Nigerians in Canada are living in Ontario and Alberta. These are both known to be incredible cities full of opportunities, have low crime rates, which make them great places to raise a family, and both have breathtaking forests and mountains, which make for a desirable living environment. The best benefit is that both Ontario and Alberta have the highest and second-highest minimum wage in Canada, respectively.
Canada has over 100 immigration programs. This means there are several Canadian visa options for Nigerians to choose from. To find one best suited for you and to know exactly how to apply for a Canadian visa from Nigeria, visit CanadianVisa.org, and you could be well on your way to living in Canada!
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