Canada has ramped up its immigration enforcement, deporting 366 Nigerians from January to October 2025 alone, while another 974 remain in line for removal orders. This marks the fastest deportation pace in over a decade, driven by pressures on housing, jobs, and border security.
Official Canada Border Services Agency data shows Nigeria ranking ninth among top nationalities removed in 2025, with 366 cases an 8% rise from 339 in 2019. An additional 974 Nigerians are listed as "removal in progress," placing the country fifth in pending cases as of November 25, 2025. Overall, Canada removed 18,048 foreign nationals in fiscal 2024-2025, costing about $78 million.
Failed refugee claims account for 83% of deportations, followed by criminality at 4%, with other grounds including security risks, health issues, misrepresentation, and non-compliance. Removal orders include departure (leave within 30 days), exclusion (1-5 year ban), and deportation (permanent bar without special approval).
Ottawa allocated $30.5 million over three years for removals and $1.3 billion for border security to hit tighter targets amid economic strains. Critics like Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers President Aisling Bondy warn Bill C-12 could ban repeat refugee claims, spiking future deportations.
Deportations dipped post-2019 (302 in 2020, 242 in 2021, 199 in 2022) before rebounding sharply; Nigeria stands as the sole African nation in the top 10 for 2025 removals. The policy shift reflects weekly removals nearing 400, prioritizing inadmissible foreign nationals under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.