A recent post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has shed light on the staggering number of Ghanaians seeking to relocate abroad in search of better opportunities. Digital entrepreneur Derek Nii Laryea revealed that from January to April 2024, an astonishing 63,375 Ghanaians applied for a Canada visa. This figure surpasses the total number of applicants for the entire year of 2023, which stood at 62,151, with 33,756 of those applications being approved.
Laryea’s tweet highlighted the significant increase in both interest and acceptance rates for Canadian visas among Ghanaians. He wrote, “Canada visa applications in Ghana. 2021: 9,109, 2023: 62,151. Of these, 33,756 were approved, reflecting a substantial rise in interest and acceptance rates. 2024 Jan to April: 63,375. The first 4 months surpassed the total number of applications for the entire previous year.”
However, Laryea also noted a concerning trend in the approval rates for the early months of 2024. While January and February saw relatively strong approval numbers of 6,241 and 5,826 respectively, March and April experienced significant drops. Approvals fell to 3,749 in March and further declined to 3,001 in April. Laryea speculated that the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) might be tightening their criteria for visa approvals.
The trend of Ghanaians seeking opportunities abroad is not limited to Canada alone. The United States (US) Embassy in Ghana previously reported that 6,468 Ghanaians secured visas and traveled to pursue graduate programs at American universities for the 2022-2023 academic year. This marked an unprecedented 31 percent increase compared to the 4,140 Ghanaian students who enrolled in US graduate programs during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Experts attribute this mass migration phenomenon to Ghana’s struggling economy, subpar living conditions, and high unemployment rates, which have compelled many Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to seek greener pastures overseas. As the country grapples with these challenges, it remains to be seen how the government will address the underlying issues driving this exodus of talent and human capital.
