Report: Nigerians are fastest growing international student population in Canada

A report by Apply Board, a study abroad agency, says Nigerians are the fastest growing international student population in Canada.

The report said from 2017 to 2019, the Canadian government processed more student visa applications from Nigeria than any other country except India and China, but with an approval rate of less than 20 percent.

It added that four years later, in 2023, approval rates have “nearly doubled” with almost 40 percent of more than 43,000 study permit applications approved.

“Nigerian student mobility to Canada is increasing at a momentous rate. Nearly 18,000 Canadian study permits were issued to Nigerians in the first six months of 2023, more than for any other but India,” the report reads.

“Nigerians were Canada’s fastest-growing international student population from January to June 2023, with 44% more study permits issued during that period than in full-year 2022.

“Study permit approval rates for Nigerians continued to rise across the first six months of 2023, to just under 40%. That’s more than double what approval rates were in 2020.”

In terms of settlement, Apply Board said Nigerian students are more evenly distributed across Canada than average.

The report said eight of 10 provinces saw more Nigerian students issued study permits in the first half of 2023 than in all of the previous year.

“Nova Scotia’s growth is particularly notable, with more than twice as many study permits issued as in full-year 2022,” the report reads.

“That was the third most behind Ontario and British Columbia. While Ontario and British Columbia were the top destinations, Nigerian students are far less centralized in those two provinces than average.”

According to the report — across British Columbia, Ontario, Atlantic Canada and Prairie provinces — Ontario and British Columbia accounted for around 63 percent of study permits issued to Nigerians in the first six months of 2023.

“This was well short of the nearly 84% of students who chose those two provinces as a destination across all countries of origin,” the report reads.

INCREASE IN NIGERIAN STUDENTS EXPECTED

Apply Board said as a result of the United Kingdom’s new policy preventing most international students from bringing dependents into the country, an increase in Nigerian students going to Canada should be expected.

“Canadian universities should anticipate increased demand from Nigerian students for course-based master’s programs, and we expect some spillover into post-graduate programs at Canadian colleges as well,” the report reads.

In May, the UK had said it would restrict foreign students from bringing family members with them from 2024.

The ban will affect all master’s students and some other post-graduates, but it will not apply to PhD students who are highly skilled and whose courses last between 3 to 5 years.