You might have been asking yourself if moving to Canada is still worth it and I’m happy to tell you that it is! I recently became a Canadian citizen just in 3 years of moving. Let me tell you all about it.
I left Nigeria in September 2019 to Canada as a Permanent resident all by myself! I was literally just 23 and I remember being filled with so much anxiety and fear for the unknown. Thankfully I’ve been able to navigate life as an immigrant in Canada. I’d say it took about 2 years for me to fully settle in and get a hang of my new life. Things got better with time and I’ve been able to build a strong community around me.
I migrated to Canada as a PR so my pathway to becoming a citizen was much more straightforward. You’re required to reside in Canada as a PR holder for at least 3 years/1,095 days before you become eligible to apply for citizenship. I became eligible in September 2022 and I submitted my application online. I was invited for the citizenship test March 2023 and approved for citizenship ceremony May 2023. My total application timeline is about 7 months from my Acknowledgment of receipt (AOR) date. Life in Canada is definitely not easy! There would be times you wish you never left home but eventually, you would be glad you did.
One of the toughest challenges new immigrants in Canada face is finding jobs in their desired profession. Job search is definitely hard I must say but some tips that has helped so far include upskilling, pivoting to a different career and networking.
The level of professionalism in workspace abroad is very high and a lot of Nigerians do struggle with this. You must work on your soft skills and people skills to navigate your career abroad.
If you move to Canada as a student, your journey would be much longer, expensive and stressful. Consider immigration programs that allow you to move as a PR holder like FSW or PNP. The study route should be your last option.
I encourage you to watch my full vlog on YouTube this video covers more details like my story so far, in-person citizenship ceremony, application process, timeline, and cost.
Now that I have received my blue passport, do you think I would be returning back to Naija or moving to the US? Share your thoughts in the comments.
I am aware of the shooting. I was to join a friend there that night. But they are open. They should have moved elsewhere to honour those two kids. I won’t go there again to honour their memories. But it’s a great place to meet people. I visited 1-2 times every 4-6 weeks. Were you a patron?�
I was there a week before the incident happened and I don’t think I can go back there anytime soon. It’s just too traumatizing for me cos I’ve been there quite a lot and it could have been anyone really.
Thankfully I’m done for this summer, so I’m not missing out much.
Hi whizqueen longtime my lady crush I'm very happy and excited that this write-up is from you because I know very well that you never add salt or sugar to your observations. Thank you for sharing. Much love
Thank you for guiding people to make an informed decision. I understand you are not bashing the country you live, rather you are trying to show the pitfalls for people to consider before they make the life-changing decision to relocate. Relocation to any country is not bad, but it becomes a problem when people have unrealistic expectations.
Ignore individuals calling for your heads, you have a sizable numbers here cheering you on. God bless you a lot!
Tvegas: I have watched your video on YouTube so I laughed when I saw it on nairaland. You are preaching to the wrong crowd and you will surely be eaten raw.
If people visit Quora,Reddit and other platforms they will see that you are saying nothing new from what the whites themselves say. Kudos to you and keep creating a balanced content.
Okay I am calm. Unfortunately there are no luxury apartments going for $1500 per month and I never said that there were LUXURY apartments for that price. A quick search on Kijiji showed high end one bedroom apartments for an average cost of $1500.
If you are really looking to move I would suggest you avoid the housing rental agencies and try to rent directly from the Landlords. Apart from Kijiji (which is where I looked and found) join the facebook groups Toronto apartments and house rentals and Toronto - apartments for rent. Avoid the city centre and look everywhere else in the 25 municipalities that make up the GTA.
Exactly my point! There are no Luxury apartments in Toronto for that price. Luxury = High end
One might find something decent for that price which is likely a studio but not one bed room. Even basement these days goes for $1,200. Most landlords would rarely rent directly to you when they know they can get better offers. People are paying 4 months rent upfront just to secure nice places to live in GTA.
A major reason people prefer Toronto is not cos they want to “throwaway” money on rent but it gives easy access to a lot of things like transportation. You can live and work in Toronto for years without driving a car but people that live in Hamilton can’t say the same.
At the end of the day, it’s a trade-off. You pick and choose what matters most to you. If it’s city-life at the expense of paying more or staying in smaller cities where you need to drive hours to work or see your friends/loved ones
I searched Kijiji and other housing rental engines before coming to respond to you. Now out of 5 I countered 4.5 of your claims. And you are responding to only a fraction of one counter claim?
If you don't know how to search for housing and you want me to do the work for you, how exactly do you plan to research and unearth information for your you-tubing?
Accommodation is the second point ( I'm on vacation this week) lets debate on No 1, after we are done there we will move and debate on No 2. I am very big on references (you can check my past posts) so before I come to claim something, I have done some research.
I fully expect you to decline this offer except you want us to scrutinize every sentence you wrote up there.
Lol babes calm your tits! Of all your responses the only one important to me is the rental cos I’m really looking. If you’re able to find me one, I will pay for your time.
Your screenshot holds no water. I can love living in Canada and I’m freely allowed to still talk about things I don’t like.
Like I mentioned in the beginning of my original post this thread is not to bash Canada or discourage people from coming here.
So pls my darling I’d be waiting for those links to $1500 luxury apartments. Thanks b
franchasofficia: I understand the urge to defend where you live, but you guys are misinterpreting the op.
The op didn't say Nigeria is better than Canada.
She listed points and I can boldly tell you that all she said are true.
After Moscow Russia, Canada is one of the coldest countries on earth, so it is normal for blacks to feel awkward about the new cold weather, and that cold have made many people leave Canada, so the op didn't lie.
Wealth creation: the op is 100% correct. It is easier to become rich in USA, Australia, and some other developed countries than in Canada. To become rich in Canada is very difficult just as it is also difficult to become rich in UK as a Nigerian migrant unless you join business/entrepreneurship.
Go to any community in Nigeria, the richest people (professionals) living abroad from that community are either those living in the US, Europe and maybe UK, you can hardly hear of a rich Nigerian living in Canada, so it is a prove that Nigerians living in Canada hardly become rich in Canada, they could be comfortable but rich, nope.
The op is absolutely correct with that point.
Loneliness: the op is also very correct.
Medical professionals: Canada is the only country that require a foreign trained Nurse to acquire Canadian nursing license before studying nursing in Canada. It is bullshiiit. Canadian healthcare system is below US, UK, Germany and others that accept our Nurses without further educational qualification from their country. How many groundbreaking medical research comes out of Canada? How many new drugs are manufactured in Canada? How many rare case surgeries are first discovered or performed in Canada?
Canada is good for Nigerians tired of Nigeria and have no other developed country option to migrate to, but it is never an option for someone that can migrate to US, Australia, Germany, etc to consider.
US is the number one country where nobody can become billionaire.
Ellon Musk tried in Canada and couldn't achieve his dream of becoming a billionaire in Canada so he migrated to US and today he is the richest man on earth.
How many world billionaires comes from Canada? Absolutely none that is known but US, UK, Australia, Germany, France, etc have long list of billionaires which should tell you where the wealth is.
Canada is not for anybody that desires to become rich and wealthy, it is for people that want to break the yoke of family poverty and give their children a secured future to become middleclass and upper middleclass.
Thank you!! You’re literally one of the few people that understands what I’m saying. Most people are comparing Canada to Nigeria. You should compare it with other western countries and see if what I’m saying isn’t true.
Lol you think it’s about the views for me?? It’s not a mistake that the video is already at almost 50k views. See below screenshots from non-Nigerians on that video. People are leaving!!!
NoFucksToGive: You cap too much nonsense just for likes... No one sent you to Canada nor did anyone ask you for this trash.
Should we open a thread about why Nigerians are fleeing to Canada?
All these servants of Saboteurs disgusting as advisers .
1.Is making wealth in Nigeria easy ? No! Only through politics or crime is the only way for someone without connection to make it in Nigeria
2. Cost of living in Nigeria is too fvcking high! Just ask anyone
3. Loneliness? Misery loves company that's why Nigerians flock around you in Nigeria
4. Cold... Give me cold over mosquitoes biting me while I slap myself at night while trying to kill them
5. Getting professional jobs ... E still better pass Nigeria 1 million times over and over..
See guys and girls becareful what you read or whom you take seriously. Some people are servants of Satan sent to misguide you .
This is how the Federal government wants to prevent brain drain ? Instead of ADDRESSING why all the doctors lawyers engineers and professionals are running abroad they are employing quacks to come online and type shit.
Run from such people
To wipe this OP USB cord for neck just dey hungry me!
Stop comparing Nigeria with Canada. Compare Canada to other first world countries like Australia, UK, etc. compare Nigeria to India, other African countries, third-world countries too.
Shokoloko: As a (So Toronto is the whole of Canada? Besides your single room cost is false; a quick search on Kijiji shows that a high-end one bedroom in Toronto is $1500, so a single room should be $850-$1000)
Pls send me those $1,500 luxury apartments Cos I’m looking to move and I don’t want to spend 2k. I will pay you agency fee if you find me a good one. Thanks hun
That’s why whizqueen who has digested this very very very :Dwell, crafted this well thought out article along with the video recording to help and warn pipu to digest this better,, all the While sitting comfortably in her parlour in Canada and mind you, she has already secured her Canadian Permanent residency (all the way from naija) and currently just two or three years short to getting her blue passport and Canadian citizenship and she won’t leave the Canadian hell hole and come back to Lagos but will warn others to steer clear. The joke is on you
Actually few months short. And you’re very right, I can complain all I want but I’m not leaving This is my home now, it’s a love-hate relationship.
ednut1: Although the op na my friend i will tackle her.
1. There are people building wealth in cheaper provinces like Alberta or New Brunswick where houses go for 300k to 400k. In Ontario its like 900k to 1.5m for the average house and you suppose drop 5% deposit for mortgage. Married people or common law guys are able to build wealth too due to combined income. Solution is move to a cheaper province, get married or find a partner.
My dear friend
So I have to live with my partner to save money?? Why are you still living in Ontario let’s all move to Alberta since it’s cheaper there at the expense of getting good jobs lol
Summer is almost over, when are we going for drinks?
Revolution2022: CRAP! Why don't we hear Canadian citizens protest against high cost of living?
Go on the internet and read about how Canadians even white people rant about how tough it is to live here. Just take a stroll to YouTube and see all the comments on my video affirming all these things. Wake up to reality hun!
Today, I thought to share with you some untold truths about why immigrants are leaving Canada. This thread is not in any way to bash my new home (Canada) or to discourage anyone from moving here. But most threads and information we see online just show you the good things about living in Canada.
As a Nigerian immigrant residing in Canada for 3 years now, here are some of the reasons why people are leaving Canada.
1. Building wealth is hard: Unlike other western countries, particularly the US, it’s really hard to become wealthy in Canada. Taxes are higher in Canada than UK, the US, and even Australia. Canada thrives at redistributing wealth and making sure everyone is at the same income level. It favors low-income earners because they get to enjoy govt benefits, this demotivates people from working hard to become better versions of themselves. For most immigrants, they work hard and succeed in their professions, when they get to high-income bracket where they have to pay almost 50% of their income in Taxes it gets frustrating so they decide to leave.
2. High cost of living: After paying so much in taxes, you spend what is left of your income on bills to live a good life. Expensive houses, high insurance cost, high phone/internet bills, food, and a lot more. The average cost of renting a single room apartment in Toronto is $2,000 per month, the average salary of Canadians is $50,000 per year! Isn’t it insane that you’re spending over 30% of your income on rent? This is another reason why people leave.
3. Boredom/Loneliness: Most immigrants have been seen to encounter their first depression once they move to abroad. Like other western countries, Canada could get very boring and lonely. There isn’t so much to do in Canada even in the big/busy cities. Even though Canadians are considered “Nice” People rarely interact with one another; it’s so hard making friends or building long-lasting connections. Immigrants are used to having people-friendly culture and family-oriented relationships with friends and neighbours, so they miss that lifestyle and leave.
4. Cold: This thread would be incomplete if I don’t mention the harsh weather conditions in Canada. Summer barely lasts for 3 months and the rest of the year you’re cold. Is the weather unbearable? Absolutely not, but it’s very sad and depressing. Imagine having to go to work on a cold morning at 6am when it’s pitch black (cos sunrise during winter is like 7am) to a survival job that doesn’t care if you’re 10 minutes late. There’s something called winter depression and it’s unexplainable, you have to witness it yourself to fully grasp what it’s like. As most people age, they just can’t deal with the cold anymore and would rather move somewhere else that is much warmer.
5. Getting professional jobs: I think it’s insane that Canada encourages skilled workers to immigrate to Canada to start a new life only to not consider them professional enough to get into the professional workforce. Most people have to start all over from the scratch in their careers, it’s even worse for healthcare professionals (Doctors, Nurses, etc) they spend several years trying to get licensed to practice while managing with ridiculous jobs like support workers, Uber drivers, etc. It’s very sad to leave your home country as a Medical Doctor just to become someone else’s food delivery guy. What about for other professionals? They start off their careers with just anything to pay the bills cos they can’t land their first Canadian job without having Canadian experience!! How do I get Canadian experience if you don’t hire me? Are you saying I don’t have transferable skills after migrating here as a “Skilled-worker”? Some people just get fed up and move to other countries with higher-paying jobs.
Honestly, there’s a lot more to say but I’d rather not bore you with too much story. I encourage you to check out my YouTube video, where I discussed this in full detail with another friend of mine.
Do you think these reasons are valid? Or are they exaggerated?
Hey @whizqueen! You have a protégé that will be more than happy to know you are in North York. She is a 10Yr old girl that your vlogging inspires who also wants to be a vlogger... Interestingly, her family is moving to Canada soon and also looking at living anywhere around Toronto with North York being strongly considered.
Really?!! I can’t wait to meet her. I know for sure she’s love it here
Aha! @whizqueen... Good to know that I was able to connect both of you. Enjoy yourselves... and hey, I love your spirit of enterprise as well. You take care.
Hey ModestGal, it seems you were in a "hurry" to leave for Canada and have a real blast that you didn't bother to get the contacts of Naija folks in the area. Lol...
@Whizqueen is in the Toronto area and she's on NL so you can link up with her right now via the contacts on her NL profile. She's got some functional and insightful YouTube videos as well. I'm sure she'll be of further assistance to you.
Are you now permanently in Canada or you're just on a brief visit? From your sig, I assume you'll have to continue your social media business in Canada if you're staying for the long haul.
Have a great time.
Ciao.
Hey ModestGal, I’m in North York too, would you like to grab a drink sometime?
Travel / Re: My Journey To Canada PART 1 by whizqueen(f): 12:57pm On Oct 20, 2023 
This is my home now, it’s a love-hate relationship.
