Canada has deported 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, marking the start of its most aggressive immigration enforcement drive in over a decade. Data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reveals that Nigeria is currently the only African nation ranked among the top 10 nationalities most frequently removed from the country this year.
In addition to those already removed, 974 Nigerians are currently listed under “removal in progress,” placing Nigeria fifth globally for pending deportations.
Historical Trends and the 2025 Spike
After dropping out of the top 10 list in 2023 and 2024, Nigeria re-emerged as a primary focus of enforcement in 2025. The 366 removals recorded in just 10 months represent an 8% increase compared to the full-year figures of 2019.
Historical Removal Data for Nigerians:
- 2019: 339
- 2020: 302
- 2021: 242
- 2022: 199
- 2025 (Jan–Oct): 366
Grounds for Removal
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA enforces removal orders based on several criteria. The 2025 data indicates that the vast majority of removals are administrative rather than criminal:
- Failed Refugee Claims (83%): The largest group consists of individuals whose asylum applications were denied.
- Criminal Cases (4%): A small percentage involves individuals linked to criminal activity or organized crime.
- Other Grounds: These include security concerns, misrepresentation, and financial or health-related inadmissibility.
Understanding Canadian Removal Orders
The Canadian system utilizes three distinct types of orders to manage the exit of foreign nationals:
- Departure Orders: Require the individual to leave within 30 days.
- Exclusion Orders: Prohibit re-entry for a period of one to five years.
- Deportation Orders: Issue a permanent ban on returning to Canada unless special authorization is granted.
Global Context: Where Nigeria Ranks
As of late November 2025, the nationalities most frequently removed from Canada are:
- Mexico: 3,972
- India: 2,831
- Haiti: 2,012
- Colombia: 737
- Romania: 672 …
- Nigeria: 366
In the pending removal inventory, India leads with 6,515 cases, while Nigeria sits at the fifth spot with 974 cases.
Policy Rationale and Bill C-12
The Canadian government has attributed the intensified enforcement to efforts aimed at realigning immigration targets amid housing shortages and labor market pressures. To support this, the government approved $30.5 million specifically to boost removals and $1.3 billion for broader border security.
Aisling Bondy, president of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, has warned that Bill C-12 (The Border Bill) could further accelerate these numbers by permanently prohibiting many individuals from even submitting asylum applications.
The Paradox: High Deportation vs. High Immigration
Despite the rise in enforcement, Nigeria remains one of the most significant sources of new talent for Canada.
- Migration Hub: Over 40,000 Nigerians moved to Canada between 2016 and 2021, making them the largest African immigrant group.
- Permanent Residency: In the first four months of 2024, 6,600 Nigerians became permanent residents, ranking fourth overall.
- Citizenship: Between 2005 and 2024, over 71,459 Nigerians became Canadian citizens.
As Canada continues to battle an aging population and labor shortages, it remains an attractive destination for Nigerian professionals, even as the government tightens the rules for those outside its formal immigration streams.
Source: CBSA Data
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