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Japa: Nigerians Shun Travel To US Over Trump’s Immigration Policies

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Trump’s immigration policies have discouraged many Nigerians from traveling to the United States.

Many people who were considering the US as a destination for higher education have reconsidered, leading to a reduction in the number of people applying for US visas.

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Speaking to The PUNCH, about the matter, the Chief Executive Officer of a travel consultancy firm, Cardinal E-School and Edu Services, Sulaimon Okewole, said Trump’s executive orders had negatively impacted travel activities to the US.

He noted that prospective international students from Nigeria were exploring alternative destinations due to uncertainty and fear about studying in the US.

READ ALSO: Deportation: Trump Administration Revokes Protected Status For Venezuelans

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Okewole stated, “Political stability is now a key consideration, alongside economic stability when choosing a study abroad destination.

“The US is going to experience a decline in international student enrollment, and addressing these concerns is crucial to regaining its position as a premier destination for international students.”

A representative of Renpha Consulting, another education consulting firm, Choice Ukpe, stated that obtaining a US visa was already difficult under normal circumstances.

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Ukpe added that the executive orders would make it even harder for Nigerians seeking opportunities in the country.

READ ALSO: US-based Nigerians Go Into Hiding Amid Trump’s Deportation Crackdown

She said, “It will be very difficult for Nigerians to study in the country now as they will tighten requirements and all. Schools in the US offer scholarships to encourage international students, but this still doesn’t guarantee a visa.

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“What we’re doing here now is finding alternatives for our clients. Just like when the United Kingdom introduced a policy on dependents, we looked for other options.”

A student seeking admission to the US, Wale Dada, expressed sadness over the matter, stating that it was already affecting him.

He added that he had been planning to start a Master’s degree programme in the US this year.

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READ ALSO: We Will Reciprocate If Trump Hikes Tariffs – Brazilian President

Dada said, “With what I have heard about the orders, I do not think I will proceed with the preparations. I cannot afford to leave the country only to get there and be rejected or treated like a criminal. I believe this order will severely impact my plans and those of many people like me.”

Another prospective international student, Abdulateef Oriyomi, noted that Trump’s executive orders had deterred his plans to study in the US.

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Oriyomi said, “I was already seeking admission and exploring various options, hoping to begin my academic journey at one of the prestigious institutions in the US. Unfortunately, with the recent policy, that aspiration now feels almost unattainable.”
(PUNCH)

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9 Most-requested Documents For Work Visas

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Planning to work abroad? Whether you’re heading to Canada, the UK, Germany, Australia, or the UAE, securing a work visa is a critical step and the process often comes with a long list of required documents.

While specifics vary by country, most immigration offices demand a core set of paperwork before granting a work visa. Here’s a breakdown of the most commonly requested documents:

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1. Valid Passport

Your passport must typically have at least six months’ validity beyond your intended stay. Some countries require blank visa pages as well, so double-check the requirements.

2. Job Offer Letter

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This is one of the most important documents in your visa application. It must come from a verified employer or government-approved sponsor. The letter should include details such as your job title, salary, and terms of employment.

READ ALSO:Fashion Designers, IT Specialists: UK Opens Door To Foreign Talents With New Visa Rules

3. Educational Certificates

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These include your university degrees, diplomas, and any vocational qualifications relevant to the job you’re applying for. In some cases, you may need to have these credentials assessed or authenticated.

4. Proof of Work Experience

Most countries will want to see evidence of your past employment. This could include:

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Reference letters from previous employers
Employment contracts
Payslips

5. Language Proficiency Test Results

If you’re going to an English-speaking country like the UK, Canada, or Australia, proof of English proficiency is often required. Commonly accepted tests include:

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IELTS
TOEFL
PTE Academic

Some non-English-speaking countries may ask for proof of proficiency in their official language.

READ ALSO:PHOTOS: President Tinubu Hosts Class Of 1999 Governors In Aso Villa

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6. Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)

This is a document issued by law enforcement to confirm that you have no criminal record. It’s essential to prove your good character and legal standing in your home country.

7. Medical Certificate

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Many countries require a medical exam to ensure you’re fit to work and free from contagious diseases. The test is usually conducted by a panel physician authorized by the destination country’s immigration authority.

8. Proof of Funds

You may need to show bank statements or other financial documents to prove you can support yourself (and your dependents, if applicable) until you start earning.

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9. Professional Accreditation or Licensing

If you’re applying for jobs in regulated sectors like healthcare, education, or engineering, you may need proof of accreditation or registration with a professional body in the destination country.
(VANGUARD)

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Over 1.3 Million Return To Homes In Sudan – UN

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More than 1.3 million people who fled the fighting in Sudan have headed home, the United Nations said Friday, pleading for greater international aid to help returnees rebuild shattered lives.

Over a million internally displaced people (IDPs) have returned to their homes in recent months, UN agencies said.

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A further 320,000 refugees have crossed back into Sudan this year, mainly from neighbouring Egypt and South Sudan.

While fighting has subsided in the “pockets of relative safety” that people are beginning to return to, the situation remains highly precarious, the UN said.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, commander of the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The fighting has killed tens of thousands.

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READ ALSO: Militia Attack On DRC IDP Camp, Kills 10, Mostly Women, Children

The RSF lost control of the capital, Khartoum, in March and the regular army now controls Sudan’s centre, north and east.

In a joint statement, the UN’s IOM migration agency, UNHCR refugee agency and UNDP development agency called for an urgent increase in financial support to pay for the recovery as people begin to return, with humanitarian operations “massively underfunded”.

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Sudan has 10 million IDPs, including 7.7 million forced from their homes by the current conflict, they said.

More than four million have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.

– ‘Living nightmare’ –

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Sudan is “the largest humanitarian catastrophe facing our world and also the least remembered”, the IOM’s regional director Othman Belbeisi, speaking from Port Sudan, told a media briefing in Geneva.

He said 71 percent of returns had been to Al-Jazira state, with eight percent to Khartoum.

READ ALSO: Katsina, UNDP To Return 270,000 IDPs To Ancestral Homes

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Other returnees were mostly heading for Sennar state.

Both Al-Jazira and Sennar are located southeast of the capital.

We expect 2.1 million to return to Khartoum by the end of this year but this will depend on many factors, especially the security situation and the ability to restore services,” Belbeisi said.

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With the RSF holding nearly all of the western Darfur region, Kordofan in the south has become the war’s main battleground in recent weeks.

He said the “vicious, horrifying civil war continues to take lives with impunity”, imploring the warring factions to put down their guns.

READ ALSO: Panic In Borno IDP Camp As Police Defuse IED Planted By Boko Haram/ISWAP Insurgents

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“The war has unleashed hell for millions and millions of ordinary people,” he said.

“Sudan is a living nightmare. The violence needs to stop.”

– ‘Massive’ UXO contamination –

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After visiting Khartoum and the Egyptian border, Mamadou Dian Balde, the UNHCR’s regional refugee coordinator for the Sudan crisis, said people were coming back to destroyed public infrastructure, making rebuilding their lives extremely challenging.

Those returning from Egypt were typically coming back “empty handed”, he said, speaking from Nairobi.

READ ALSO: One Dead, Scores Injured As Mysterious Fire Hits IDPs’ Camp 

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Luca Renda, UNDP’s resident representative in Sudan, warned of further cholera outbreaks in Khartoum if broken services were not restored.

What we need is for the international community to support us,” he said.

Renda said around 1,700 wells needed rehabilitating, while at least six Khartoum hospitals and at least 35 schools needed urgent repairs.

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He also sounded the alarm on the “massive” amount of unexploded ordnance littering the city and the need for decontamination.

He said anti-personnel mines had also been found in at least five locations in Khartoum.

“It will take years to fully decontaminate the city,” he said, speaking from Port Sudan.

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Trump Says Hamas Doesn’t Want A Deal, ‘Want To Die’

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President Donald Trump said Friday that Hamas did not want a ceasefire deal in Gaza, after Israel and the United States quit indirect negotiations with the Palestinian militant group.

It was too bad. Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die,” Trump said.

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In Qatar, mediators had been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas delegations for more than two weeks in a bid to secure a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages after nearly two years of fighting.

READ ALSO:US Appeal Court Rules Against Trump Birthright Citizenship Order

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was still seeking a deal despite recalling its negotiators from Doha.

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Trump blamed Hamas, saying “now we’re down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages.”

The US president also dismissed the decision by France’s Emmanuel Macron to recognize a Palestinian state.

He’s a very good guy, I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight,” Trump said.

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