For those who desire to check out of the country, it is very important to immigrate while you are young and agile. This advice is underrated. You see, the older you are the harder it is to adapt to a foreign country. If one is observant, most of the people making so much noise abroad about the cultural differences between the developed world and Nigeria tend to be those from their late twenties to their early thirties. These guys have spent all their lives in Nigeria. They have completed all their education in the country from nursery to University. A few of them even have work experience (which is vital in the west).

The ideal age bracket to JAPA in my own opinion, is between the ages of 18-30. Once you are 30, it becomes more difficult. At 30, you are expected to have at least 5 years work experience. Employers like consistency. They want you to show them that you have been consistently occupied by either acquiring more skills or more experience. I can talk about this topic because I went through the system. I left Nigeria immediately after completing my Secondary School (NECO). Completed my A'levels, Bachelors, Post Grad and Law School abroad. As such, it was easier for me to adapt to the system.

Many working professionals who were climbing the career ladder in Nigeria struggle once they move abroad because they have to start all over again from scratch and that's not an easy thing to do. Many of them have families that depend on them and it's difficult trying to rebuild your life again as foreign countries don't rate Nigerian degrees and you have to accept menial jobs in the meantime to pay the bills.

All I am saying is that it is best to immigrate when you are in your prime. It is easier. The older you are the more difficult it gets. Once you have lived in a country for a very long period of time, it becomes difficult to leave except you have no choice. That is not to say that people who immigrated at a much older age didn't succeed abroad. Many of them did but they themselves would tell you how difficult it was to adapt. If you are 40 & above you can still JAPA but it's going to be very difficult because the job market abroad is youth oriented. Late teens to late twenties should be the target age to JAPA.

Japa na japa

Truth

The best is if you leave Nigeria as a teenager, or at best, right after high school. Then do your university there, in the language of that country. That's a sure way to integrate.

You'll make friends, speak the language in a professional and academical level, date, and have no responsibilities to anyone (wife, kids, parents). You're still at an impressionable age.

Also, it's an age where many channels for naturalization (becoming a citizen) is opened to you. Channels such as through marriage and work. Which getting will be easy because you're at that age range.

At worse, come for masters if you can't come for bsc. Getting a job is easier with a degree from the host country. In any case, the younger you are, the better. But if to suffer is your hobby, then try this.

Come with a visit visa in your 30's when you're married with responsibilities, where you can't work legally, with no educational qualifications except "God will make a way", lol. Then you'll understand what suffering means.

And to make thunder scatter you finish, come as an unmarried woman in your 30's, with a visitor visa but with the intention to stay permanently.Then you'll realize that the " I'm independent and don't need no man" doesn't apply here

pansophist:


But if to suffer is your hobby, then try this;

Come with a visit visa in your 30's when you're married with responsibilities, where you can't work legally, with no educational qualifications except "God will make a way", lol. Then you'll understand what suffering means.

May you be blessed in all that you do for saying this truth...

I remember someone who did this in Germany years ago.(come in to hussle with a visit visa).

He and suffer were pals literally, but when he was taking pictures in the snow, people thought he was "living la vida gloria".

He is fine now though... but after losing four fingers due to a blue collar job accident(that could have been avoided assuming he got in the country properly)

No ideal age abeg! Na when you wake up be your morning 😄

YOLO!!!

eniolorunfe:
No ideal age abeg! Na when you wake up be your morning 😄

YOLO!!!

I would say right after uni to a place that gives citizenship in 4 to 5 years.

I guess this post is directed towards me

I'm 39 but I won't give up on JAPA, I won't go with a visit visa either, that's suicide

I will carefully study the immigration programs of UK, Canada and Shengen countries, there will surely be a pathway for me after studying Masters degree in any of these countries.

babakb:
I guess this post is directed towards me

I'm 39 but I won't give up on JAPA, I won't go with a visit visa either, that's suicide

I will carefully study the immigration programs of UK, Canada and Shengen countries, there will surely be a pathway for me after studying Masters degree in any of this countries.

I think your only chances are Canada but I doubt you will be given the visa from Nigeria even if you have the money cause of your age. I would avoid the UK. Probably focus on Finland as they don't care for your age and citizenship is in 4 years.

omoh if you no plan to get another country passport before clocking 40 sorry nah your case

tensazangetsu20:


I think your only chances are Canada but I doubt you will be given the visa from Nigeria even if you have the money cause of your age. I would avoid the UK. Probably focus on Finland as they don't care for your age and citizenship is in 4 years.

I concur. Finland don't give a shit about your age. In my class then, you'll see old naijamen in their late 40's doing a degree program with us teenagers. It was so funny

Many will now be sleeping in class because they were working the night before. They used study as a route to migrate, and still have to meet up with responsibilities back home. It was hard.

babakb:
I guess this post is directed towards me

I'm 39 but I won't give up on JAPA, I won't go with a visit visa either, that's suicide

I will carefully study the immigration programs of UK, Canada and Shengen countries, there will surely be a pathway for me after studying Masters degree in any of this countries.

Are you single or married?

You don’t have to answer. I asked to let you know that if you’re single, going via visiting to some of these countries may not be suicide as you stated😄

Even if you’re married, as long as you’re financially capable, there are options to explore whilst on visiting visa.

tensazangetsu20:


I think your only chances are Canada but I doubt you will be given the visa from Nigeria even if you have the money cause of your age. I would avoid the UK. Probably focus on Finland as they don't care for your age and citizenship is in 4 years.

Hmmm I will definitely put Finland under my redar!!!

pansophist:


I concur. Finland don't give a shit about your age. In my class then, you'll see old naijamen in their late 40's doing a degree program with us teenagers. It was so funny

Many will now be sleeping in class because they were working the night before. They used study as a route to migrate, and still have to meet up with responsibilities back home. It was hard.

I may have to tow this path, but I don't mind, 6 to 7 years pathway to citizenship in Finland is definitely worth it.

eniolorunfe:


Are you single or married?

You don’t have to answer. I asked to let you know that if you’re single, going via visiting to some of these countries may not be suicide as you stated😄

Even if you’re married, as long as you’re financially capable, there are options to explore whilst on visiting visa.

I'm married with two kids 🤣🤣🤣

I'm open to any viable option for now ohhh..

babakb:




I may have to tow this path, but I don't mind, 6 to 7 years pathway to citizenship in Finland is definitely worth it.

Five years, or four if you have a strong command of Finnish/Swedish

babakb:


I'm married with two kids 🤣🤣🤣

I'm open to any viable option for now ohhh..

If you want to leave before the end of this year, UK via student route is your best option. Go with your spouse to help out and leave your kids with family in naija until you find your feet. You can also move from UK to US, Canada or Australia with time.

I don’t know much about Finland though and I don’t know if they give spousal visas to students.

This is not true. Age is not required for you to get a job in most countries as long as you are not looking old and impaired . Many Nigerians in usa, Canada, uk, UAE are working with Nigerian degrees including me. So this myth of they don’t recognize Nigerian degree is a lie. BSC from Lasu with 3 years experience from KPMG, access bank, Nestle will get job in usa or Canada faster than a Nigerian that did msc in usa or Canada but has no tangible work experience. You can go to LinkedIn and verify . Nigerian nurses and Doctors in Uk are they not using Degrees from Nigeria I know people who entered tech and nursing in their late 30s and 40s and are cashing out today in same abroad. But if your field has lots of available indigenes they may take them over you. So na to be strategic and wise:

ednut1:
This is not true. Age is not required for you to get a job in most countries as long as you are not looking old ans impaired . Many Nigerians in usa, Canada, uk, UAE are working with Nigerian degrees including me. So this myth of they don’t recognize Nigerian degree is a lie. BSC from Lasu with 3 years experience from KPMG, access bank, Nestle will get job in usa or Canada faster than a Nigerian that did msc in usa or Canada but has no tangible work experience. You can go to LinkedIn and verify . Nigerian nurse and Doctor in Uk are they not using Degrees from Nigeria I know people who enter tech and nursing in their late 30s and 40s and are cashing out today in same abroad.

Preach!!!

Thank you for this😄
Age is not rated overseas the way people rate it in naija. Nobody even asks for your age on your CV or resume.

If you know the age I relocated sef…. 😂🤣

Hmm
Right after uni

eniolorunfe:


Preach!!!

Thank you for this😄
Age is not rated overseas the way people rate it in naija. Nobody even asks for your age on your CV or resume.

If you know the age I relocated sef…. 😂🤣

personal information on resume like age, sex, state of origin, marital status are not even included . So be like this op don smoke igbo🤣

ednut1:
personal information on resume like age, sex, state of origin, marital status are not even included . So be like this op don smoke igbo🤣

Hahaha😂

pansophist:


Five years, or four if you have a strong command of Finnish/Swedish

So the five years will start counting after my MSc I guess

babakb:


So the five years will start counting after my MSc I guess

No with your msc years

babakb:


So the five years will start counting after my MSc I guess

No. It counts only from the date you become registered in the population registry.

So let's say you got a four years student residence permit starting on 1st January 2024, from the finnish embassy in Abuja.

If you arrived Finland and register at Maistratti (population registry) on the 1st of February 2024, then your four years starts to count from that day.

Then in February 1st 2028, if you didn't commit any crime, can speak the language and have provable source of income in the previous four years, then you can apply for your citizenship

tensazangetsu20:


I think your only chances are Canada but I doubt you will be given the visa from Nigeria even if you have the money cause of your age. I would avoid the UK. Probably focus on Finland as they don't care for your age and citizenship is in 4 years.

Nice points Tensa, but I disagree with the bolded.

1. Age is really not a roadblock for him @babakb if he's going for a postgraduate course (PGD, PGC, Msc.) in Canada.

I have seen a lot of over-40year-olds who got the Canadian study visa with their families, especially since last year. You can also confirm this from the Canada Student Visa thread. He even stands a better chance now that the process is faster and easier.

2. He @babakb could also explore the PR route, so long as his wife is way younger, one or both of them have two or more certificates, they both have significant years of experience, can pass IELTS exceedingly, and can write a French Test.

3. Even better, if he's in tech or any of these high-ticket/prospect jobs (tech, production, academia, e.t.c), he could polish his CV, start searching for sponsorship jobs via LinkedIn, Indeed, WeworkRemotely, e.t.c. He would probably land a job via these means and get a LMIA that would allow him apply for a work visa from Nigeria.

Regardless of the age, his possibilities are endless if he's a high-value individual.

cc babakb

#Mytake. 🌚

ednut1:
This is not true. Age is not required for you to get a job in most countries as long as you are not looking old and impaired . Many Nigerians in usa, Canada, uk, UAE are working with Nigerian degrees including me. So this myth of they don’t recognize Nigerian degree is a lie. BSC from Lasu with 3 years experience from KPMG, access bank, Nestle will get job in usa or Canada faster than a Nigerian that did msc in usa or Canada but has no tangible work experience. You can go to LinkedIn and verify . Nigerian nurses and Doctors in Uk are they not using Degrees from Nigeria I know people who entered tech and nursing in their late 30s and 40s and are cashing out today in same abroad. But if your field has lots of available indigenes they may take them over you. So na to be strategic and wise:

wait fess Mr oga, shey Lasuite ni e ni?

The best time is the teens.

Nigerians that are stuck in their ways are annoying.

Younger ones may have some advantages but no time is late for traveling and excelling in careers abroad if one is focused and disciplined.

Africans get nursing, medical, chiropractor, CPA, Realtor, Legal and commercial driving licenses including ordinary fork lift licenses to work in Lowe's at 50+ and still have successful careers.

As for age limits in jobs, I haven't seen that in many countries I've been to and I've been to quite a handful if measured that way.

I know a Nigerian man that recently got a federal entry job in one of the exciting Departments in the States and he migrated not too long ago at 50+. Not hearsay because I was contacted as his referee during a background check. He barely landed with greencard visa filed by his older brother and insisted on getting a government job because he retired early from a ministry in Nigeria.

Another Nigerian widow migrated at 50+ via same family visa filed by her daughter and today, she is married to a Cuban widower she met at DMV and today, lives happily with him in Arizona state. Not saying marriage is a successful career but at that age and being widow for a long time, it is an achievement for her.

Change in culture will be an inconvenience for sure but only for awhile. No time is late in a country of opportunities, no one except those who plan to go pluck money in trees should be discouraged from traveling at any age.

eniolorunfe
No ideal age abeg! Na when you wake up be your morning 😄

YOLO!!!

Abeg tell am

There's nothing like an ideal age as long as you have a defined plan. One thing about oversees is things will surely be hard on you but with hard work and patience, you'll be alright.

I know alot of people that leave at various stages of their lives, tgey complained a lot at first but with time,things got better for them there.