AmazingGenius: Someone you know has left or is planning to leave. 1,000 Ways To Japa will speak to real people and explore the infinite number of reasons and paths they use to get to Japa.
In this edition of 1K Ways to Japa, Daniel shares how he secured Canadian Permanent Residency after a four-year journey filled with delays, marriage, ordination and fatherhood. He also breaks down his unexpected move to Nunavut—one of Canada’s coldest regions—where he’s adjusting to extreme weather, pricey flights, and surprising interactions with Nigerians in the Arctic.
Where do you currently live, and when did you move?
I currently live in Canada. I moved here with my family in December 2022
How did you move?
Good
We moved through the permanent residency route. We started the application in 2018.
The process took 4 years?
It’s a long story. I started the process in 2018 and met my wife in 2019. I also submitted my application in 2019, but COVID happened, which slowed down the application. While the process was pending, we had our first child in 2021. Later, in 2021, I got ordained as a pastor, which made me acknowledge that even delays can be blessings in disguise. We ended up getting the Permanent Residency (PR) sometime in 2022, and we moved in December.
Congratulations! What was it like moving with your family?
Everything worked out so well. We moved to Vancouver because that was where the church I was pastoring had a branch. When we moved there, we didn’t even struggle with accommodation because the senior pastor at the church had a property that he was initially going to rent out as an Air BNB. He asked if we were interested in renting it, and we accepted the offer. The space he rented out to us was also fully furnished, so we moved there when we got to Canada. But we ended up moving to Montreal shortly after.
What happened?
The church where I serve started another branch in Montreal. One day, the senior pastor there called me and asked if God was speaking to me about moving. At that point, I hadn’t gotten any leading and didn’t fully believe I knew enough to pastor a new branch. I didn’t tell my wife about it, but a few days after I had that conversation with the senior pastor, she told me that she felt that we were supposed to help out with the new branch. I took that as the confirmation I needed, and we moved.
Two big moves in less than a year. What was that like?
It wasn’t that much of a big move because the two towns are not that far part. It was also divinely orchestrated because we experienced so much ease during the move. A friend reached out to us and told us that he knew a realtor who had a great space. The realtor turned out to be my younger sibling’s old classmate, and the landlord of the property was a Nigerian.
One thing we were initially worried about was the logistics of the move itself, and that worked out, too. A church member offered to drive us for free. We just saw God come through for us in many ways.
What does life look like for you and your family now?
I’m currently in Nunavut, the northern part of Canada, which is literally in the Arctic region.
Another move? When did that happen?
I had to move for work, but I’m a family-oriented man, so I go home biweekly.
That’s impressive. What’s life in Nunavut like?
Life is different here, and contrary to popular opinion, there are many Nigerians here. However, the indigenous people, called Inuits, have a unique way of life. For context, Nunavet is a 3-hour flight from Montreal, where my family stays. This territory is also mostly surrounded by water so you can either come via flight or sea. Sea transportation can be tricky at times because the water around it is frozen. That’s one of the reasons why most people don’t want to come here. Flight tickets and everything else are expensive because of the logistics of moving the most basic items.
Housing is also a slight problem here because the population has been booming lately, and the government probably didn’t anticipate it. But they’ve begun working on it. Generally, there are lots of opportunities here because the job market is less saturated.
What do you find most interesting about Nunavet?
The temperature here can hit as low as minus 50 degrees. I haven’t experienced that, but I’ve been told it happens. Some territories also have seasonal periods when the sun doesn’t shine. Sunrise here can also start around 9 a.m., and sunset can start around 3 p.m. But if you have the right gear and types of equipment to cope with the weather, it’s actually not that bad.
Things have been changing around here because of the increased population. For example, there’s a cinema here, and there’s also a recreation centre with a pool. There was an African store here where you could buy everything from beans to garri, but it got burned recently in a fire. Despite the weather extremes here, the government still makes life easy. There is an increase in job demands here, so it’s not a bad place for anyone who wants to do multiple jobs. The only thing I’d advise people to do is to pray about it before they decide to move; don’t just follow the crowd.
You mentioned that there’s a good number of Nigerians there. Have you made friends since you moved?
It’s not just Nigerians; we have lots of Africans and Filipinos here. There’s even a Redeem church here, but it doesn’t have enough members because some people choose the chance to do a weekend shift over Sunday service, which is something I don’t advise. There’s something about being with a company of believers wherever you are, and I highly recommend it. As for finding Nigerian friends, the Nigerians who have been here for about 15 years have a WhatsApp group where they keep in touch and support each other.
Let’s discuss your PR application process in more detail. What advice do you have for Nigerians who intend to apply this year?
The first thing I’ll say is pray. Ask God if you’re supposed to move. This applies more to people who go through life with a Christian worldview. Even if God says it doesn’t necessarily mean things will be easy, all things will align at the end of the day. There’s a big difference between moving to Canada as a permanent resident and exploring other visa options. For example, if you’re coming as a student, there’s a limit to the number of hours you can work, automatically limiting how much you can earn.
I recommend the permanent residence route if you intend to come to Canada with your family. There are so many benefits the visa offers. First, a PR will not be required to pay the same school fees as international students. You can also work in any province as a permanent resident. The benefits are endless, but it’s essential to be sure that relocation is God’s will for you. And don’t be desperate to move because desperation drives the worst out of people.
For example, we’ve heard of Nigerians who come here as a married couple and get divorced on paper because they want to enjoy the benefits the Canadian government offers single mothers. Crazy things like that are not necessary if you follow the actual process.
What’s the best way to follow the process?
I started my application in 2018, so I can imagine that things might have changed a little. But there was an app that I used, and it guided me through the entire process. The app is called CanPR. It has details on the step-by-step process for applying for the visa as well as the updated cost. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in applying for a visa in 2025 because they constantly update it. But one important thing to note is that Canada wants skilled people. They have different preferences regarding the industries and the professionals they are looking for. They also consider your age, income and marital status to give you a score.
If you have all your documents ready, you can complete the application on the IRCC page. You’ll likely get higher points if you’re young. Speaking good French and being married also increases your score points.
When you create your application, you’re thrown into something that is known as a pool. That’s where all the potential candidates for the visa are reviewed. It’s from that pool that the government draws people they want to offer something called an Invitation To Apply (ITA).
After you get an ITA, you’ll be given a deadline to provide all the documents you claim to have. This is the part where you’ll have to provide proof of funds. Once they approve your documents, you’ll be asked to go for medicals. When that’s done, you should get a certificate of permanent residence. And with that document, you can travel and move with your family. The certificate has a deadline, and you’ll be required to relocate before it expires. That’s the summary of the process, but everything I just said can be a long process.
On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you right now with your life in Canada?
Very happy. I’m where God wants me to be. I’m at the right place at the right time. I’d say a solid 9.
Alphabyte3: While in school one lecturer said we should embark on hydroelectricity project to create it using the river at the back of the university to turn a turbine. He didn't even do a solid estimate. The cost was about N5m the next lecture he stopped because of funding.
Is it unilag ? Which lecturer was that and what department?
U made a political blunder ,mandated ur ex law makers to decamp and when u saw that u v lost it that the law was not with you u ran to tinubu then called fubara and dictated to a whole governor and after which Gov fubara withdrew and allowed peace to reign instead u went ahead with ur group to obtain court judgement against Gov Fubara as against the instructions of the President yet the president kept a blind eyes just so Gov Fubara would fall into a trap and be impeached then when the governor fought back to survive your evil plot you are everywhere using the of tinubu to fight Gov Fubara
Is tinubu from Rivers State or is he in PDP . .why not fight Gov Fubar alone if you are sure
SmartPolician: 300k bags to feed over 200 million people? These people are jokers! Only 50 million bags of rice can crash the price of rice in Nigeria. 300k bags cannot even feed a state for two weeks.
to
It can crash it . This is just the first shipment and if tinubu continues the shipment, it will crash the hell out of the rising food cost
Nigeria's problems are bigger than one individual.
Nigeria's problems are rooted on its imposed military constitution that gives too much power to the federal government in controlling the resources of each states.
Your emphasis on a messianic figure to come and right all the wrongs is delusional as much as its deceptive.
The only way forward is for each state to have control of its affairs and a heavily watered down federal government.
I don't engage tribalistic animals like you that v kept this country like this .
Just go look for your bigot fellows and leave here .
givedemwotowoto: I wonder what they did to that woman. They must have dealt with her so much during her humble beginnings, that she vowed to erase her past and embrace her present and future
For me, she is still in the gutters . .a slave me tslity
No solution whatsoever only playing the race cards
justified007: Don't mind these people. They believe they can just come up with any character and expect everyone to line up behind them. The person they want us to line up behind was a former minister and was sacked for alleged corruption
Anybody can be sacked ,conflict of interest..the minister was doing the right thing until those who wanted to buy the power stations and gencos ganged up against him and he stood his ground
Atleast he did not go to jail anywhere in the world or was convicted . It was all rumours
Politics › Re: Militant Group Issues Stern Warning To Wike, Tinubu Over Supreme Court Judgment by peleson1: 12:58pm On Mar 06, 2025
FUBARA just thank God I was not there while you are saying all this rubbish