Canada has significantly ramped up its immigration enforcement, resulting in the deportation of 366 Nigerians between January and October 2025 alone. Official statistics from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) show an intense, decade-high pace of removals, with a total of 18,048 people removed in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Nigeria has returned to the top 10 list of nationalities facing removal, ranking ninth globally, and is the only African nation featured in the list.
Key Takeaways: The Deportation Drive
- Rising Figures: The 2025 figure of 366 removals marks an eight per cent increase over the 2019 number (339), reversing a previous downward trend.
- Removal Inventory: Currently, 974 Nigerians are in the “removal in progress” inventory, meaning they are awaiting deportation. This places Nigeria fifth globally for individuals in the removal queue.
- Nationals Affected: Nigeria (366) ranked behind countries like
(3,972),
(2,831), and
(2,012) in the 2025 removal statistics.
- Reasons for Removal: The majority of those removed (83%) are failed refugee claimants. Other reasons include criminality (4%), security grounds, and non-compliance with immigration rules.
Government Justification and Concerns
The Canadian government attributes this aggressive push to efforts to tighten immigration targets and address national concerns regarding housing shortages, labour market pressures, and border security.
However, the intensified efforts have drawn criticism. Aisling Bondy, President of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, expressed concern that new legislation like Bill C-12 could further increase deportations and permanently ban many individuals from seeking asylum in Canada.
Despite the removals, Canada remains a top destination for Nigerians seeking better opportunities, with Nigerians forming the largest African migrant group in the country.