Anyway, I'm not surprised that as the application period just ended, the US State Department says only 8 million people applied. This is in comparison to last year's figure of 15 million. The Department is saying it is because it removed Bangladesh from the list, but they can go and tell that to the birds. Apart from the disappointment with the system failure, there is the situation of the economy in the United States.
The past few years have been terrible, and it was all over the news how unemployment rates had shot up and how people were losing their homes. Knowing how we're everywhere, I'm sure many Nigerians in America must have been personally affected, and some would have advised their people back home not to bother applying. I even know of several people who actually returned to Nigeria at the height of the crisis. That will certainly not encourage anyone to want to come over.
Another likelihood is that as third world countries stabilize and begin to maximise their own economies, there will be less poor to rich country migration. One can't also rule out the power of the internet. Where once people in such third world countries depended on a few filtered media channels for stale news, nowadays, news is disseminated instantly on blogs, online websites, etc. As people home and abroad, share photos and notes on Facebook and Twitter, the more the mirrored glass walls are broken down.
On Canada, well they seem to be keeping far away from the mistakes of the US, they've just announced a new two-year, multi-entry "super visa" for parents and grandparents of Canadian immigrants. The multiple-entry visa will be valid for up to 10 years, and will allow applicants to remain for 2 years in Canada before requiring a renewal. Launching December 1, the visas will be issued about 8 weeks after the application.
I remember a post by Good Naija Girl on Marrying for Papers, where she discussed how Canadian citizens who file for their spouses to immigrant have to be liable for them for about 3 years or so. This is a similar situation. The children who bring in their parents and grandparents will be responsible for all the expenses of the new migrant including health. They do not qualify for state benefits or other programs.
When you think about it, Canada will be making money hand over fist. Their population will increase and lead to a bigger economy which expands as more people begin to spend more. Their airways and tourist, as well as immigration bodies will make some good dollars from these visitors - travel fares, lodging, immigration fees, etc. In addition, I hear that buying a personal health insurance plan will be one of the requirements for those that seek the visa. The European countries should borrow some pages from whoever wrote this policy :)
BTW, what is Nigeria doing while all this is going on? Let me not go there, Jonathan is...
Canada is definitely the leader when it comes to helpful immigration policies. This is my first time hearing about this Super Visa though, sounds so brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this. A lot of people need this kind of information to make decision that will affect their life.
ReplyDeleteI stay in the UK and in the last few months I have seen about 6 of my friends move back to Nigeria. So far they are not complaining. I am planing moving back too as I am barely surviving.
9jaFoodie, I agree, and so many people I know have moved or have plans pf moving to Canada just because of that.
ReplyDelete@Ossie, thanks for your comment. I wish you and your friends all the best. This is indeed a time of great change.
My best friend won the lottery and moved to the States in August with her whole family. She called me this morning to say she was going back to Nigeria in December finally. She doesn't mind losing her green card. "Nigeria is not as hard as the States o," she told me and I believe her and this post adds more to the truth that the economy in America is just not worth leaving naija for.
ReplyDeleteBlessings.....
ReplyDeletehmmmmmm, one cannot critize anyone for wanting to better their life however one must also be mindful that in any country there is the rich the poor/maginalized and the working class. There is an endless struggle wherever you go and each story and circumstance is different.
The ideal is to be working for a company that brings you over set you up with living accomodations and you come being employed. Only few has that ideal. It makes the transition and settling significantly easier.
Anyone migrating to another country must keep a balance between dreaming and the realities of relocating, i.e. learning the country's laws/policies, the country work experience-not having any may mean longer result for employment, the possibility that education may not be validated with the same equivalency and going back to school maybe a real possibility.
Stay blessed.
Rhapsody
@Lara, wow. I'm really surprised to hear that someone would change their mind so quickly. But at least she didn't burn her bridges or rule out the option of returning if things didn't work out.
ReplyDelete@Rhapsody, so well said. A lot of people who win the lottery are so little prepared or informed about the new place they're going, or what to expect.
The realities of the crippling western economies has meant a shift in the balance of power to developing countries. Even though I doubt Nigeria is one of those coutries that is experiencing this shift in economic power.
ReplyDeleteI believe opportunities stiil abound in the west, depending on where you are and what you do. Maybe not so much as compared to pre-recession years. I wouldn't discourage anyone to migrate to a different country as long as they are realistic and have a clear idea of what they want to do. I personally wouldn't want to relocate to Nigeria any time soon.
I help you complete the sentence..Jona is asleep!
ReplyDeleteGreat Empires fall. Rome was a great empire. America (?) a great empire
ReplyDeleteThe policies will ensure a rethink before a person decides to immigrate. It will only favour their citizens.
ReplyDeleteAnd concerning what GEJ is doing, the answer is NOTHING!
Look at all the trouble that my fellow Nigerians go through just so that they can leave their homeland to another land.
ReplyDeleteIf to say the country hold ground, who would be going through all this stress to leave? Instead we might be in Canada's shoes (i.e getting money for immigration)
We have to start from somewhere oh!!! Find something that makes our nation look good and attracts people. As it stands now, it seems as though the music industry has surpassed the movie industry and is now our frontliner
Or am I wrong?
Thanks NBB, HoneyDame and natural Nigerian.
ReplyDelete@Naija4Life, I really believe it's all about information and proper preparation. Emigration is a fact of life.
@NollywoodReinvented - I think Nollywood is atill ahead of Music or at least at the same level. The sector has more solid stars, both in quantity and quality. :)
hmmm Aunty Myne..I no gree for that your answer to Nollywoodreinvented...music beats movies to it hands down in Nigeria today.
DeleteCanada is being really smart. I bet lots of people will take advantage of this
ReplyDeleteAdiya
http://museorigins.com
Myne I don't think people in Naija realize just how huge the gap is in currencies and affordability. If I could get used to Naija I would stay for that reason. I was explaining to my inlaws about the realities of living outside. They are under the impression that at least if you're in SA for example you will earn 20 000 naira instead of 5000 in naija. I explained to them that the 20k they are talking about would be equivalent to R200 which is perhaps $25 when you start having to spend it and you can't even buy food for 2 days on that. They were so shocked by that bit of news.
ReplyDeleteAnd worse is that there is no lotto to win in some countries like mine and you find that when you get there that your millions of nairas are worthless because not only do you have to figure out a way to live in the country (i'm married to a paper wife divorcee - such is life) they can't even take you through three months of accommodation and living.
So I really think the going "abroad" idea is glamorized so much that people are misled to their detriment and the people left back home have no idea that they are way better off. At least whatever difficulties they face in their country, they are things they have lived with all their lives and can tolerate. I've met Nigerians who had to resort to sleeping in doorsteps at some point in their lives.
Wendy, sometimes I'm very depressed when I hear about the ignorance and lack of information. You're right, emigration has been so glamorized in Nigeria that people end up resorting to sometimes illegal things, or subjected to so many hardships.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised that the # of applicants decreased but the % is drastic. The US economy hasn't helped.
ReplyDeleteU.S. and UK have been quite discouraging for immigration purposes for me right from time. I deferred my plan to study in the UK cuz of the many uncertainties that were looming.
ReplyDeleteCanada seems very inviting and there's a large influx already. I just hope the Law of Diminishing Returns doesn't set in afterwards.
Most people I know think Canada is the place to be :) and this new policy seems to bear them out.
ReplyDeleteThe Western world looks glamorised cause the Nigerians here don't tell their relatives the truth when they come home. To maintain your 'abroad' status few tell the truth about unskilled labor, bills, etc..so the image of a Western El dorado is reinforced..sadly.
@Think about it, indeed.
ReplyDelete@Ginger, sad but true.
on point @ginger..if people abroad told us back home about the stress and degrading things some of them go through there,most people would stay back.But they paint this picture of abundance and riches.Only a handful are truly successful over there.Home is home
ReplyDeleteLet me help you finish that last part...Jonathan is just sitting down and looking like lucozade.
ReplyDeleteI knew things would go wrong with the US and the visa lottery ish.
Ive always had that feeling since the september 11 incident which made many Nigerians want to flee the US.
lol...now Nigerians who lie about what they do over there will confess
Ooh...I like this Super visa idea....sounds so brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThanks Eme and Afronuts. True talk.
ReplyDelete@H, Canada is definitely on top.
I like this post ma, more for how you ended it - the implication of this sort of economic strategy for a nation like ours. Sincerely, I think our leaders are not thinking farther than their pocket. Most of them lack vision; so how do we expect them to have foresight? When I hear news like this, it breaks my heart for my own country. I am sure the government knows its citizens are moving everywhere... is there no retention strategy being planned and soon to be implemented? Chei!
ReplyDelete*BIG SIGH*
- LDP
But some says that is is so hard to get . They have many requirements to get US Visa like there in canada .
ReplyDeletethings are really hard that why most nigerians are left with no choice.............may god help us both those living home and abroad...................
ReplyDeleteHow can one apply for Canadian immigrant visa? thanks
ReplyDeleteGod have mercy on our leaders!!! How come they sit down there, looking like Lukeman, while everybody seems to be emigrating. I wonder who go remain for them to lead when all of us don commot, run away from Naija. They have to sit up to their responsibility. Or are they waiting for us to move, so that they can loot the remaining oil money wey remain? Well, they have been looting, right from when I am one. Now, I am forty . . . they are still looting, from generation to generation, impoverishing the masses!!! Chai!!! What a pity!!! If me get the Canadian visa, I go run with my own family-O before poverty carry me enter grave early. They can never, and will never, frustrate the plan of God for my life!!!
ReplyDeleteHw do i apply for the canadian visa please,its important
ReplyDeleteAzul do you qualify is the first thing you should ask yourself.
DeleteWhen u apply for sumtin,try as much as posible to check on the statuz of wat u applied for.Be ready and prepared for anythin that might surface.And try to study the environment b4 goin AWOL.......Naija iRep.....
ReplyDeletewhat Jona is doing? Jona is being held down by the cabal that have 9ja in dem pocket, any attempt for Jona not to obey cabal`s order, his blokos will make a puff sound, the next thing is Jona in 6 ft below ground level
ReplyDeleteIf you / your parents / your spouse have migrated legally and are permanent residents of Canada. Then you are covered for health by the Government. The only time you are responsible for your parent's health coverage is if they are visitors. The money for Canada is not in the health insurance you buy for your parents to visit.... Trust me you will pay through every pore in your body if your parents visit Canada without insurance and they fall sick / ill.
ReplyDeleteThe money from immigration IMO for Canada is when they have skilled people that they need (which is why they have a list of "professions" as opposed to anyone come in). You move into the society, get a good job and pay your taxes. Lots of taxes.
Anyways, all the info you need on visiting, migrating to Canada can be found on cic.gc.ca
I agree though that Canada has so far been smart and willing to re-evaluate their strategies when needed.
I was thinking of applying for the American Visa Lottery this year, but I gave up all further thoughts about it considering the fact that many of the frogs before me have fallen into the pit and are looking for ways to jump back out. Of course, the fact that a leaf has grown coloured yellow should always be a lesson to the green ones. Now, it's time to fight the very wars I've been trying to escape: stay back here in Nigeria and make things work. At least, even if I don't get to be a Dangote, I should be able to afford my meals and as well care for my family...instead of going to stay in the US...and...well...
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