Canada deported 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025, marking a sharp rise in immigration enforcement actions against foreign nationals, according to official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The records also show that 974 Nigerians are currently listed as “removal in progress” and are awaiting deportation, raising concerns about the scale of enforcement affecting Nigerian migrants in the country.
In the 2025 ranking of countries with the highest number of deportations from Canada, Nigeria placed ninth and emerged as the only African country among the top 10. The figures highlight a notable shift after years of fluctuation in removals involving Nigerians. Deportations dropped from 339 in 2019 to 199 in 2022, before climbing again in 2025, representing an eight per cent increase compared with 2019 levels.
The deportations form part of a broader immigration crackdown by Canadian authorities. Data from the CBSA indicate that nearly 400 foreign nationals are now being removed from Canada every week. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, more than 18,000 people were deported at an estimated cost of $78 million to the Canadian government.
Officials say the majority of those removed are failed refugee claimants whose applications for asylum were denied after due process. A smaller proportion of deportees were expelled on criminality or national security grounds.
Data showed that failed refugee claimants accounted for about 83 per cent of all removals, while criminality-related cases made up roughly four per cent.
Canadian law recognises three categories of removal orders: departure orders, which require individuals to leave the country within 30 days; exclusion orders, which bar re-entry for one to five years; and deportation orders, which permanently prohibit return unless special authorisation is granted.
Despite the heightened enforcement, Canada continues to attract large numbers of Nigerian migrants. Nigerians remain among the top source countries for new permanent residents and naturalised citizens, reflecting the country’s enduring appeal for education, employment and long-term settlement opportunities.
The contrasting trends, rising deportations alongside sustained migration inflows, show the tightening of Canada’s immigration controls even as demand for entry into the country remains strong among Nigerians seeking better economic and social prospects.
