366 Nigerians deported from Canada as immigration crackdown tightens

Canada deported 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025 as immigration authorities stepped up enforcement to a level not seen in more than a decade, according to official data obtained over the weekend.

Figures from the Canada Border Services Agency removals programme also showed that 974 Nigerians are currently listed under “removal in progress,” meaning they are awaiting deportation from the country.

The data, last updated on November 25, 2025, placed Nigeria ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported from Canada during the period under review. Nigeria also ranked fifth among countries with the highest number of people waiting to be removed.

Historical data revealed fluctuating deportation numbers over recent years. In 2019, Canada removed 339 Nigerians, 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 re-entered the list in 2025, with 366 removals recorded within just 10 months—an increase of eight per cent compared with 2019.

The removals are occurring amid a broader immigration enforcement push by Canadian authorities. The CBSA is now deporting nearly 400 foreign nationals each week, marking the highest weekly removal rate in over a decade. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, Canada removed 18,048 individuals, spending about $78m on the exercise.

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is required by law to remove any foreign national subject to an enforceable removal order. Individuals may be deemed inadmissible on several grounds, including security concerns, human or international rights violations, criminal activity, organised crime, health or financial reasons, misrepresentation and failure to comply with immigration regulations.

Data show that failed refugee claimants make up the bulk of removals, accounting for approximately 83 per cent of cases. Criminality-related removals represent about four per cent.

Canadian law recognises three categories of removal orders: departure orders, which mandate exit within 30 days; exclusion orders, which prohibit re-entry for one to five years; and deportation orders, which permanently bar return unless special authorisation is granted.

The Canadian government has said the intensified deportation drive is part of efforts to meet tighter immigration targets and respond to challenges such as housing shortages, labour market strain, and border security concerns. To support this, Ottawa has earmarked an additional $30.5m over three years for removals, alongside a $1.3bn commitment to strengthen border security.

President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy, warned that deportations could increase further if Bill C-12—commonly referred to as the ‘border bill’—is passed.

“One of the clauses in that bill is that a lot of people will be permanently banned from filing a refugee claim in Canada,” Bondy said.

An analysis of CBSA data indicated that Nigeria is the only African country listed among the top 10 nationalities deported in 2025. Other African countries fall under the category of “remaining nationals,” which together accounted for 6,233 removals during the year.

The top 10 countries for deportations in 2025 are 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).

A similar pattern appears in the removal-in-progress inventory, where Nigeria, with 974 individuals awaiting deportation, is again the only African country in the top 10. India leads the list with 6,515 cases, followed by Mexico (4,650), the United States (1,704), China (1,430), Nigeria (974), Colombia (895), Pakistan (863), Haiti (741), Brazil (650), and Chile (621).

Despite the rising deportation figures, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians seeking improved economic and educational opportunities. The 2021 Canadian census showed that more than 40,000 Nigerians migrated to Canada between 2016 and 2021, making them the fifth-largest group of recent immigrants and the largest African migrant population in the country.

Further data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada revealed that 6,600 Nigerians became new permanent residents within the first four months of 2024 alone, ranking them fourth after India, the Philippines, and China. Between 2005 and 2024, a total of 71,459 Nigerians acquired Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria 10th among countries of origin for new Canadian citizens.

Canada’s ageing population and persistent labour shortages continue to make the country an attractive option for skilled Nigerian professionals and students, even as immigration enforcement tightens.

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