Canada Deports 366 Nigerians as 974 Face Removal Amid Intensified Immigration Enforcement
Canada has deported 366 Nigerian nationals between January and October 2025, while another 974 Nigerians are currently listed as “removal in progress,” according to official data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The figures, obtained from the agency’s removals programme and updated on November 25, 2025, reflect the most aggressive pace of deportations recorded in over a decade.
The data shows that Nigeria ranked 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 individuals awaiting removal, making it the only African country to appear in the top 10 categories for both completed deportations and pending removals in 2025.
A year-by-year breakdown reveals fluctuating deportation figures for Nigerians over the past several years. In 2019, Canada removed 339 Nigerians. The number declined to 302 in 2020, dropped further to 242 in 2021, and fell again to 199 in 2022. Nigeria did not feature among the top 10 deported nationalities in 2023 and 2024. However, the country returned to the list in 2025 with 366 deportations recorded in just 10 months, representing an eight per cent increase compared to the 2019 figure.
The renewed rise comes amid a broader immigration crackdown by Canadian authorities. According to CBSA records, Canada is now removing nearly 400 foreign nationals every week, marking the fastest deportation rate in more than ten years. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year alone, Canada deported 18,048 individuals, spending an estimated $78 million to carry out removals.
Under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the CBSA is legally required to enforce removal orders against foreign nationals deemed inadmissible. Grounds for inadmissibility include security concerns, human or international rights violations, criminal activity, involvement in organised crime, health-related issues, financial reasons, misrepresentation, and failure to comply with immigration regulations.
CBSA data indicates that the majority of deportees—approximately 83 per cent—are failed refugee claimants whose asylum applications were denied. Criminality accounts for about four per cent of all removals, while other cases stem from overstaying visas, breaching permit conditions, or providing false information during immigration processes.
Canadian law recognises three types of removal orders. Departure orders require individuals to leave Canada within 30 days. Exclusion orders bar individuals from re-entering Canada for a period ranging from one to five years. Deportation orders permanently prohibit re-entry unless special authorisation is granted by the Canadian government.
Authorities say the intensified enforcement is tied to Canada’s efforts to recalibrate immigration targets amid domestic challenges such as housing shortages, labour market pressures, and border security concerns. To support these efforts, the federal government allocated an additional $30.5 million over three years to strengthen removal operations, alongside a $1.3 billion investment aimed at enhancing border security.
Concerns have also been raised by legal experts about the potential for deportations to increase further. The President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, Aisling Bondy, warned that removals could escalate if Bill C-12, commonly referred to as the “border bill,” is passed into law. One provision of the bill would permanently bar certain individuals from filing refugee claims in Canada.
Despite the deportations, Canada remains a major destination for Nigerians seeking education, employment, and improved living conditions. According to the 2021 Canadian census, more than 40,000 Nigerians migrated to Canada between 2016 and 2021, making them the largest African migrant group and the fifth-largest recent immigrant population overall.
Further data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada shows that 6,600 Nigerians became permanent residents in the first four months of 2024, ranking Nigeria fourth behind India, the Philippines, and China. Between 2005 and 2024, over 71,459 Nigerians acquired Canadian citizenship, placing Nigeria 10th among source countries for new Canadian citizens.
Canada’s ageing population and persistent labour shortages continue to drive demand for skilled migrants and international students, even as immigration enforcement becomes more stringent.