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Economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, education, career advancement has been adduced as some of the reasons why Nigerians are fleeing the country in search of greener pastures.
Business Hallmark reported that over one million Nigerians have migrated to several countries in Europe, America, Asia, and even Africa, since the advent of the present administration in 2015.
“The figure could be much higher as many Nigerians who leave the country are undocumented immigrants, while the larger percentage of legal travellers who travelled abroad as visitors absconded after the expiration of their visas,” Business Hallmark stated.
Business Hallmark reported that a survey conducted by CLEEN Foundation and Afro-barometer which was released in 2018, revealed that one in every three young and educated Nigerian has considered leaving the country for a variety of reasons.
The survey found out that 35% of the potential emigrants want to go abroad to find work while 24% say they are trying to escape economic hardship.
Also, 12% say they are taking concrete steps to leave the country while 35% say they plan to leave within the next year or two and 52% say they had considered emigrating but have not made specific plans yet.
So, if you are planning to move out of Nigeria, bear the above statistics in mind, and instruct yourself that planning a trip can be a herculean task especially when the intention is to relocate permanently.
Here are five important things to do to ensure a smooth transition from Nigeria to your “new” country.
- Ensure you have sufficient funds
When moving to another country, you need to have a lot of funds to be able to sustain yourself especially if you don’t have a job offer waiting for you. Also, because you never know when you are going to get a job, it is good to have enough funds that can sustain you for the first six months but preferably a year. - Look for a job
Another way to avoid being broke or stranded within your first few months in a strange land is to get a job. You could do that by using online search engines, engaging recruiting agencies or attending a job fair.
Infact, it is always good to familiarise yourself with the online engines and information about jobs in your destination country before you embark on the journey.
In a situation you do not get a job offer that is remotely similar to your field, you can start a business if you have enough money. - Know the country
It is advisable to arm yourself with knowledge and relevant information about the environment, people and culture, language, food, etc. of your destination country. This will make it easier for you to settle in your new environment and get things done faster. - Get a long term visa
This could be a temporary residency, permanent residency, work, business, a tourist visa, or any other class but ensure it is a long term visa. This would afford you the opportunity to plan and settle in without worrying about what to do or how to extend your visa.
Also, if your passport is about to expire, make sure you renew it. It would save you time and money you could have spent on other things. - Access to your funds
Before leaving for your destination, make sure you can access your funds easily. This is important because it is difficult to pay for goods and services with foreign cards in some countries. You can get an international debit or credit card.