Canada is becoming a hotspot for Nigerians.
With the United States cracking down harder and harder on immigration and England making it difficult for Nigerians to relocate, Canada’s more relaxed requirements for immigration have made it a popular place for Nigerians.
But a lady on Twitter with the handle @pamelathepundit has poured cold water on the dreams of many, claiming that Canada isn’t as easy as many hope it would be and that the lack of work experience by Nigerians make it difficult to find a job.
In a series of tweets she revealed that Nigerians are left with menial jobs such as waiting tables and so on.
Her tweets read: Dear All who are ‘hustling’ to go to Canada under the Federal Skilled Workers Program, I wish you well.
What you are never told is that all your qualifications, work experience and skills (for which you’ll be granted the visa) will amount to nought when the LACK OF CANADIAN WORK EXPERIENCE will force you to wait tables, beg to take hours at superstore and walk persons with pecial needs as a means of livelihood to pay unending bills and monthly house rent that is equivalent to what large families pay per annum back in Nigeria.
You are never told that as a Researcher/Lecturer, your résumé is as good as a high school leaver simply because you lack Canadian work experience and worst of all if you do not have Canadian education. We all know Research Methods in particular disciplines are universal but hey, welcome to CA. As an Engineer, you’ll need some type of upgrading… The type that a Nigerian with tons of work experience went seeking at Bow Valley College, Calgary, Alberta, before he got stabbed to death by a supposed colleague who the system pronounced as mentally unstable, leaving behind children and a pregnant wife, early this year.
My friends in the abroad who were once CEOs, MDs, 800k NGN salary earners but sold their businesses, resigned their jobs to move to Canada as ‘Skilled Workers’ who now know and experience these things keep asking that one question, “what is there in Nigeria to go back to”? are actually right to ask because what really is there to be back to? Don’t even let me start… 🙁
It hurts. It hurts so bad. Not sure which hurts more; the tales of abundant job opportunities in Canada which drives hardworking Nigerian professionals to pack up & leave only to go struggle for opportunities as described above with Refugees shipped from war-torn Sudan, Syria, Iran etc. I’m not underrating Refugees, no please. I am saying, for ALL that Nigerians go through to get that visa that is given them based on their skill and professional abilities, they deserve more than getting their passports stamped at the Airports (because we sure don’t go by road or water), getting their SIN/SSN and watched as we all get denied opportunities to put our skill to use which was the first reason for going.
I challenge you to show me one single person who found a job in Canada in their area of expertise within 3 months of arrival while painfully spending their savings (take note of unfavourable FX).
Nigeria is tough but dear all, it is tougher living overseas without a proper job.
Even with those survival jobs, one has to work 3 different types to pay $1k rent (with utilities) monthly for a self-contained type of apartment on average. U REALLY want to think again. Have my best wishes in your decision. Spectatorially, P. O.
Femi, your write up is one-sided, and it depicts bias. As said, why not relocate back to Nigeria yourself?
Please allow people to take their own decisions and live their own ways. Any country emigrated to is almost always the same. You have to work hard to meet up. After sometime, you adjust and starts feeling the ‘good tidings’ there. That’s how it is all over.