“Easy” is doing a lot of work in most japa conversations.
Someone says Canada is easy because their cousin got PR. Someone else says the UK is straightforward because nurses are getting visas fast. Then you actually sit down and look at the requirements and realise that “easy” usually means “worked for someone with a specific profile, at a specific time, on a specific route.”
There is no country that accepts Nigerians without requirements. But there are countries where the pathways are clearer, the demand for skills is genuine, the processing systems are functional, and the route from “I want to go” to “I have my visa” is more predictable than others.
That is what this article is actually about. Not fantasy, not hype. Five countries where Nigerians are successfully relocating right now, what makes each one accessible, and what you need to do to start.
Quick Summary
- “Easiest” depends on your profile. A nurse, a software developer, and a recent graduate will find different countries most accessible.
- Canada, the UK, Germany, Ireland, and Portugal are currently the most accessible destinations for Nigerians with the right qualifications.
- Every country on this list has at least one route that does not require a prior job offer to begin the process.
- Language scores, credential assessments, and financial proof are required for almost every route. These take time to prepare. Start now.
- Immigration policies change. Always verify current requirements on official government websites before committing to any route.
1. Canada: The Most Structured Path to Permanent Residency
Why it makes the list: Canada has one of the most transparent immigration systems in the world. The rules are published, the scoring is algorithmic, and the pathways to permanent residency are multiple and well-documented. Nigerians are one of the largest groups applying through Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Programs every year.
What makes it accessible: Canada’s Express Entry system lets you enter a pool of candidates based on your age, education, language scores, and work experience. No job offer needed to create a profile, though one boosts your score. The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) gives individual Canadian provinces the ability to nominate candidates who match their labour needs, which means even applicants with lower CRS scores have a path if they target the right province.
For healthcare professionals (nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists), the demand is particularly high. For tech professionals, several provinces have dedicated streams.
The honest part: CRS score cutoffs have been competitive in recent years. Without a provincial nomination, some applicants sit in the pool for a long time. Credential assessment through WES (World Education Services) takes time and money. IELTS scores of at least 6.0 per band (often higher for competitive pools) are expected. Settlement funds are required before you can claim your PR.
How to start:
- Take IELTS and aim for 7.0 or higher per band to be competitive.
- Get your credentials assessed through WES.
- Create an Express Entry profile on the official IRCC portal (ircc.canada.ca).
- Research PNP streams for your province of interest while you wait for your CRS score to build.
2. United Kingdom: Fast Lanes for Skilled Professionals
Why it makes the list: The UK has an active, employer-driven immigration system with genuine shortages in healthcare, engineering, and technology. Nigerians have been relocating to the UK in large numbers through the Skilled Worker visa, and the infrastructure for Nigerian applicants, from IELTS centres to TB test clinics to UKVCAS biometric centres, is well-established in Lagos and Abuja.
What makes it accessible: If you work in a profession on the UK’s Shortage Occupation List (or the equivalent occupation list following recent policy updates), you may benefit from reduced salary thresholds or other advantages. Healthcare workers especially, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and allied health professionals, have had a particularly direct path through NHS and private sector recruitment programmes.
The Graduate Route also allows international students who studied in the UK to stay and work for 2 years (3 for PhD graduates) without needing a job offer, which is a meaningful stepping stone for those who studied there.
The honest part: The UK changed its salary threshold requirements in 2024, raising the general minimum salary for Skilled Worker visas significantly. These changes affect how accessible the route is for different salary bands. Check the current thresholds on the official gov.uk website before assuming any figure you have seen elsewhere is still accurate. Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees have also increased substantially and add meaningfully to the total cost.
How to start:
- Check whether your occupation appears on the current UK eligible occupations list on gov.uk.
- Search for UK employers who are Home Office-approved sponsors. NHS Jobs and sector-specific recruitment platforms list many of them.
- Get your IELTS or equivalent English test done at a UKVI-approved centre.
- For healthcare roles, begin the regulatory body registration process (NMC for nurses, GMC for doctors, HCPC for allied health) early, as it runs parallel to visa preparation.
3. Germany: The Option Most Nigerians Are Sleeping On
Why it makes the list: Germany has a genuine skills shortage and has been actively updating its immigration laws to attract non-EU skilled workers. The Skilled Immigration Act, which was expanded in 2023, opened more routes for people with vocational qualifications and work experience, not just university degrees. And unlike the UK or Canada, Germany does not require a points-based score or an invitation from a pool.
What makes it accessible: If you have a recognised qualification and a job offer from a German employer, you can apply for a work visa. Germany also introduced the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte), a job-seeking visa that allows you to enter Germany for up to a year to look for work, without needing a job offer first. This is a newer route worth researching seriously.
Engineers, IT professionals, healthcare workers, and skilled tradespeople are in high demand. German employers are increasingly open to recruiting internationally, and there are federal programmes supporting this.
The honest part: The language barrier is real. While some roles are available in English, particularly in tech, most integration into German society and many professional roles require at least B1 level German. Learning German takes consistent effort over months. Also, credential recognition in Germany can be complex, especially for qualifications from Nigeria. The anabin database and the NARIC Germany equivalent are the tools to check recognition status for your specific qualification.
How to start:
- Check whether your Nigerian qualification is recognised in Germany using the Recognition in Germany portal (anerkennung-in-deutschland.de).
- Start learning German. Apps like Duolingo are a starting point, but structured courses (Goethe Institut has centres in Nigeria) get you further faster.
- Research the Opportunity Card eligibility criteria on the official Make it in Germany website (make-it-in-germany.com).
- Look at German job platforms like Make it in Germany’s job board, StepStone DE, and LinkedIn filtered to Germany.
4. Ireland: English-Speaking, EU Access, Active Tech and Healthcare Demand
Why it makes the list: Ireland is English-speaking, inside the EU, and has a booming economy with genuine shortages in technology, healthcare, construction, and financial services. The Critical Skills Employment Permit is one of the more employer-friendly work visa routes in Europe, and several Nigerian professionals have used it successfully.
What makes it accessible: Ireland’s Critical Skills Employment Permit is for occupations on the critical skills list, primarily technology, engineering, science, and healthcare. It requires a job offer above a salary threshold (check the current threshold on the DETE Ireland website), and once you have it, your route to long-term residency is relatively clear. After 2 years on a Critical Skills permit, you can apply for a Stamp 4, which gives you broad rights to work without employer sponsorship.
Ireland also has a General Employment Permit for roles not on the critical skills list, though this has different conditions.
The honest part: You need a job offer first. Unlike Canada’s Express Entry or Germany’s Opportunity Card, Ireland does not have a widely accessible job-seeking visa for most nationalities. Getting the job offer from Ireland while based in Nigeria requires either strong remote networking, direct applications to Irish employers, or leveraging recruitment agencies that specifically place international workers in Ireland.
How to start:
- Check the current Critical Skills occupations list on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment website (enterprise.gov.ie).
- Search Irish jobs on IrishJobs.ie, Jobs.ie, and LinkedIn filtered to Ireland.
- Connect with Nigerian professionals already in Ireland through LinkedIn groups and diaspora communities. They often know which employers are actively hiring internationally.
- Once you have a job offer, check the work permit application process on the DETE website directly.
5. Portugal: The European Gateway That Still Has Room
Why it makes the list: Portugal became a popular destination for non-EU nationals over the past decade, partly because of its relatively accessible residency programmes and its D7 Passive Income Visa for remote workers and people with stable income. It is also a gateway to EU residency, and after 5 years of legal residency, you can apply for Portuguese citizenship.
What makes it accessible: Portugal’s D8 Digital Nomad Visa (introduced in 2022) allows remote workers and freelancers who earn above a threshold to live in Portugal while working for clients or employers outside Portugal. This is particularly relevant for Nigerian tech professionals, designers, writers, and consultants who already work with international clients or remote-first companies.
Portugal also still has the D7 Visa for people with passive or regular income above a threshold, including pensions, rental income, or investment returns.
The honest part: Portugal’s Golden Visa programme, which was the most talked-about route, has been significantly scaled back. Real estate investment no longer qualifies under most conditions. Verify current Golden Visa eligibility on the official AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum) website before assuming any investment route is still available.
Cost of living in Lisbon has risen considerably, which matters if you are planning on a modest remote income. Portuguese language learning is not required for the initial visa but matters for long-term integration and citizenship.
How to start:
- Check whether your income or remote work situation meets the D8 Digital Nomad Visa threshold on the official Portuguese immigration authority website (aima.gov.pt).
- Ensure your remote employment or freelance contracts are documented, as you will need to show proof of income.
- Consult the Portuguese consulate requirements for Nigerian applicants specifically. Processing requirements can differ from the general rules.
- Join Nigerian-in-Portugal communities on Facebook and Reddit to get ground-level information from people already there.
A Quick Japa Options
Tosin is 31, a software engineer in Lagos with 6 years of experience, working for a remote-friendly company based in the US. He has three realistic options from this list.
Canada: He can build an Express Entry profile, get a strong CRS score with his tech background and IELTS scores, and potentially get an ITA within 6 to 18 months depending on his score.
Portugal: His remote work setup makes him a natural fit for the D8 Digital Nomad Visa, and he could potentially be in Lisbon within 6 months if his paperwork is clean.
Ireland: His skills are on the critical list, but he needs an Irish-based job offer, which requires direct job hunting effort.
All three are real options. His decision came down to speed (Portugal), long-term PR clarity (Canada), and salary growth (Ireland). He chose to apply for Portugal’s D8 visa first while simultaneously building his Express Entry profile. Both tracks ran in parallel.
That is how to think about this. Not which country is “easiest” in general, but which route is most accessible for your specific situation right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is genuinely easiest to get a visa for as a Nigerian? It depends on your profile. For healthcare workers, the UK currently has the most active recruitment pipeline. For tech professionals with remote income, Portugal’s D8 visa has fewer barriers. For people targeting permanent residency from the start, Canada’s system is the most transparent. There is no single easiest country for everyone.
Do I need an agent to migrate to any of these countries? No. Every country on this list has an official government portal where you can check requirements and submit applications directly. Agents can help organise documents, but they cannot access any route or process that you cannot access yourself. If someone is charging you to “secure” a visa or claiming insider access, that is a scam.
How much money do I need to start the migration process? It varies widely by country and route. At a minimum, budget for language tests (IELTS costs around $200 to $250 USD), credential assessments where required, visa application fees, and document authentication. For Canada, you also need settlement funds in your account. For Portugal’s D8, you need to show regular income above a threshold. There is no route on this list that is free, and most require at least a few hundred thousand to a few million naira in preparation costs before the actual visa fee.
Can I migrate to any of these countries without a degree? Germany is the most accommodating for people with vocational qualifications and trade skills rather than university degrees, especially with the expanded Skilled Immigration Act. Some routes in Canada also recognise work experience in lieu of formal degrees. The UK and Ireland are more degree-oriented for skilled routes, but healthcare-adjacent roles and trades can qualify depending on the specific occupation.
How long does it take to get permanent residency after relocating? Canada is the fastest on this list, with some PR pathways completable in under a year for Express Entry candidates. The UK requires 5 years of continuous residence on a qualifying visa before you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Germany typically requires 5 years of legal residence. Ireland requires 5 years for long-term residency. Portugal requires 5 years of legal residence for permanent residency and citizenship.
Pick Your Country, Then Go Deeper
Reading about five countries is useful. Committing to one and actually researching it properly is what moves things forward.
Based on what you have read, identify one or two countries that fit your profile. Then:
- Go to that country’s official immigration website and read the specific requirements for the route that applies to you.
- Use DeyWithMe’s destination-specific tools to calculate your eligibility, estimate your costs, and map your timeline.
- Start the preparation tasks that have long lead times first, language tests, credential assessments, financial building, before you worry about the visa application itself.
The countries are accessible. The routes exist. What turns “I want to japa” into an actual plan is doing the specific work for your specific situation.
