Study in Canada Nigeria
Study in Canada Nigeria
Known as the Giant of Africa, Nigeria is named after the longest river in West Africa, Niger. The country is a federal republic that consists of a Federal Capital Territory and 36 states. The capital of Nigeria, Abuja, is situated in the Federal Capital Territory. Except being the political and administrative center of the country, it is one of the world’s fastest-growing cities, where near 6 million people live.
However, the first capital of Nigeria was Lagos, and its total population today is 21 million people. While it is the biggest city in the country and the continent of Africa, Lagos is also one of the largest metropolitans in the world. By the way, due to its total area and population, the city is nicknamed Big Apple of Africa, referencing New York.
It is common knowledge that Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa. The country is one of the key producers of petroleum products, with an average of 2,5 million barrels a day. Crude oil accounts for more than 90 percent of exports that positively influence the Nigerian economy.
One more interesting fact about the country is that the second-biggest film industry after Bollywood, Nollywood, is situated in Nigeria. It is the nickname for the Nigerian Movie Industry, and it is even bigger than Hollywood in the USA. It produces near 200 movies every week or 10 000 films per year.
The total population of Nigeria is 211,400,708 citizens. It is the most populated country in Africa and the seventh most populated country in the world. Nigeria is home to more than 250 ethnic groups with distinct cultures and customs. Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo are the three biggest ethnic groups in the country, comprising about 70% of the population.
The minorities of British, American, Indian, Chinese, Zimbabwean, Japanese, Greek, Syrian, and Lebanese also live and work in the country, mostly on the oil companies. Moreover, after the Cuban Revolution, many Cubans immigrated to Nigeria as political refugees.
Due to Nigerian multiculturalism, there are different religions practiced in the country. Nevertheless, the majority of the Nigerians practice Christianity or Islam. Still, many citizens of the country believe that the left hand is unclean. Those people do not shake hands, take things, or eat with their left hand since its using considers as a sign of disrespect.
Nigeria is one of the most diverse countries in the world, with more than 520 spoken languages. The official language is English, while Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo are national languages. English is chosen to facilitate the linguistic and cultural unity of the country and is used in education, business, and government affairs. Many citizens of Nigeria also speak French since the country borders some French-speaking countries such as Cameroon and Togo.
Even though English is the official language in the country, most ethnic groups prefer to communicate in their local languages. English as a first language is spoken by the urban elite of Nigeria, and it is not widespread in Nigerian rural areas. The most widely spoken national language in the country is Hausa.
Considering the fact that some Nigerians speak English and even French, many of them choose to come and study in Canada after Nigeria. The total population of Nigerian Canadians exceeds 52,000 people. Most of them live in the Greater Toronto Area, especially in Etobicoke and Brampton. Now, many Nigerians prefer the western cities of Canada, such as Winnipeg, Calgary, and Edmonton. Nevertheless, the majority of applicants who come to study in Canada from Nigeria, choose to live in Toronto since the large Nigerian diaspora lives there.
According to the latest information, near 12,000 students from Nigeria study in Canada. Interestingly, Nigeria has been the main source country from Africa for Canadian educational institutions over the past five years. However, the age of the prospective applicants who come to study in Canada from Nigeria is one of the main reasons for the study permit application refusal. Nigerian students graduate from secondary school at the age of 20. College and university programs also last more than four years. In other words, Nigerian students graduate from universities when they are older than 25. Additionally, all post-secondary graduates must spend a year in the National Youth Service Corps. As a result, post-graduate applicants who decide to come and study in Canada from Nigeria are almost 30 years old.
As a rule, people who come to study in Canada from Nigeria choose post-secondary educational institutions such as public colleges and universities. Applicants who come to study in Canada from Nigeria choose university degrees as they are highly valued in Nigeria due to the perception that they guarantee more stable and well-paid jobs.
One more draw to come and study in Canada from Nigeria is primary and secondary levels of study. Secondary students, who want to study in Canada, comprise the majority of applicants from Nigeria. Typically, they stay with relatives who already live in Canada. Study in Canada from an early age gives students from Nigeria the opportunity to permanently stay in the country.
Since English is the official language of Nigeria, a few students apply for language programs in Canada. However, students from Nigeria ought to meet the language proficiency requirements to study in Canada. They can show English proficiency through former education or an English proficiency test. Applicants can be required to pass CAEL, TOEFL, MELAB, IELTS, or another test. It is better to contact the chosen Designated Learning Institution for further details. It should be noted that some schools do not have the language proficiency requirements for international students who want to study in Canada after Nigeria.
Now it is time to discuss the peculiarities of the study in Canada for Nigerian students. Applicants who come to study in Canada from Nigeria choose Ontario and Manitoba provinces as the most common study destinations. Interestingly, the University of Manitoba is the main place of study in Canada for Nigerian students for the last few years. The reason for choosing Manitoba is its affordability, while Ontario has the biggest Nigerian student population in the country.
Choosing the place of study in Canada, Nigerian students also prefer Seneca College, Humber College, George Brown College, and Centennial College for their high-quality education and low tuition fees. Engineering, Medicine, Accounting, Marketing, and International Business Management are the most popular programs of study in Canada for Nigerian students. The high interest in the study in Canada among Nigerian students can be explained by the Post-Graduate Work Permit Program (PGWPP) implementation. Many graduates from Nigeria apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to gain work experience. Then they can apply for the immigration program such as Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP).
The Canadian Experience Class is useful for potential employees who have work experience in Canada and want to get permanent residence status. It is managed by the online system Express Entry in addition to the other two programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Provincial Nominee Program is for workers who wish to become permanent residents of the country, plan to live in a specific province, and have the education and work experience to develop the economy of one of the Canadian provinces or territories. You can find updated information about each program on the official website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
In other words, students who come to study in Canada from Nigeria, and who want to immigrate to the country, should complete at least a 2-year program of study in Canada, obtain a Post-Graduate Work Permit, have at least 1-2 years of work experience, and meet the eligibility requirements for the chosen immigration program.
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