Canada Deports 366 Nigerians as 974 Await Removal

Canada deported 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025, amid an intensified immigration enforcement campaign operating at its fastest pace in more than a decade, official data obtained by Saturday PUNCH has revealed.

Statistics from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) removals programme also show that 974 Nigerians are currently listed as “removal in progress,” awaiting deportation from the country.

Nigeria Ranks Ninth in Deportations

According to figures updated on November 25, 2025, Nigeria ranked ninth among the top 10 nationalities deported from Canada during the period under review. In the removal-in-progress inventory, Nigerians ranked fifth, making Nigeria the only African country featured in both top-10 lists.

Deportation Trends Over the Years

CBSA data indicate fluctuating deportation figures for Nigerians in recent years:

• 2019: 339 removals
• 2020: 302
• 2021: 242
• 2022: 199

Nigeria did not appear in Canada’s top-10 deportation list in 2023 and 2024, but re-entered the ranking in 2025, recording 366 removals in just 10 months—an eight per cent increase compared to 2019.

Canada’s Immigration Crackdown Intensifies

The removals are part of Canada’s broader immigration enforcement push, with the CBSA now deporting nearly 400 foreign nationals every week, the highest rate in over a decade.

In the 2024–2025 fiscal year, Canada deported 18,048 individuals, spending approximately $78 million on removal operations.

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is legally mandated to remove any foreign national subject to an enforceable removal order.

Why People Are Deported

Foreign nationals may be found inadmissible and removed for several reasons, including:

• Security concerns
• Human or international rights violations
• Criminality or organised crime
• Health or financial grounds
• Misrepresentation
• Non-compliance with immigration rules

CBSA data show that about 83 per cent of deportees are failed refugee claimants whose asylum applications were denied. Criminality accounts for roughly four per cent of removals.

Types of Removal Orders

Canadian law recognises three forms of removal orders:

• Departure Orders: Require individuals to leave within 30 days
• Exclusion Orders: Bar re-entry for one to five years
• Deportation Orders: Permanently prohibit return unless special authorisation is granted

Government Justifies Policy Shift

The Canadian government says the intensified deportations are aimed at tightening immigration targets while addressing housing shortages, labour market pressures, and border security concerns.

To support these efforts, the government has allocated an additional $30.5 million over three years for removals and committed $1.3 billion to strengthening border security.

However, concerns remain. The President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy, warned that deportations could rise further if Bill C-12, also known 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.

Top Countries Affected in 2025

Top 10 Nationalities Deported from Canada (2025):

1. Mexico – 3,972
2. India – 2,831
3. Haiti – 2,012
4. Colombia – 737
5. Romania – 672
6. United States – 656
7. Venezuela – 562
8. China – 385
9. Nigeria – 366
10. Pakistan – 359

Top 10 Removal-in-Progress Inventory:

1. India – 6,515
2. Mexico – 4,650
3. United States – 1,704
4. China – 1,430
5. Nigeria – 974
6. Colombia – 895
7. Pakistan – 863
8. Haiti – 741
9. Brazil – 650
10. Chile – 621

Other African countries are grouped under “remaining nationals,” accounting for 6,233 removals in 2025.

Nigerians Continue to Migrate to Canada

Despite the deportations, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians seeking better opportunities.

• Over 40,000 Nigerians migrated to Canada between 2016 and 2021, according to the 2021 Canadian census
• Nigerians ranked as the fifth-largest recent immigrant group and the largest African migrant population
• 6,600 Nigerians gained permanent residency in the first four months of 2024, ranking fourth behind India, the Philippines, and China
• Between 2005 and 2024, 71,459 Nigerians obtained Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria 10th globally

Canada’s ageing population and labour shortages continue to drive demand for skilled Nigerian professionals and students.