A guide to getting a job in Canada in 2023

Why work in Canada?

• Canada offers the highest quality of life. The costs of living in Canada are very affordable. There’s easy access to financial and healthcare services. The country has a stable economy.
• The opportunities to join your choice of employment are more in Canada compared to many progressive countries. The number of job opportunities available for skilled foreigners as well as international students in many industrial sectors is as high as 1 million.
• Canada has a relatively low crime rate and high communal harmony. Over 20% of the Canadian population are immigrants. The people in Canada are friendly, polite, and welcoming.
• The working conditions in Canadian workplaces are world-class. Overall, Canada provides a healthy atmosphere to live in and invites immigrants through state-of-the-art immigration policies.
• Canada is blessed with natural beauty. The country has various types of topographic features that include beaches, mountains, national parks, and more.
• The social environment you will get in Canada is highly conducive for you and your family. The country is culturally diverse, which even reflects in the workplace. You will learn and feel happy to gel with people of different cultures.
• Canada’s healthcare system is one of the best in the world. You can get treatment in hospitals for free.
• For the taxes you pay to the Canadian government, you are assured to get the highest quality of life, thanks to healthcare and other social benefit plans.
• Canada is a much more affordable place to live in when compared to countries like the USA, Australia, and Germany.
• Canada has state-of-the-art financial institutions including banks that help you achieve financial stability and freedom.

1.1 million job vacancies in Canada

In the second quarter of 2022, Canada had over a million job vacancies waiting for skilled workers in various industries. Now is a good time to look for a job in Canada and build a flourishing career.

Compared to the first quarter, there has been a 4.7 percent (45,000) increase in job vacancies in Canada. More recently, in October 2022, Canada added 108,000 jobs. The highest number of jobs added in Canada was in scientific, professional, and technical services and in accommodation & food services.

Here are the number of job vacancies added in Canadian provinces in the second quarter of 2022:

Province	Number of job vacancies added
Ontario	379,700
Nova Scotia	22,400
British Columbia	163,600
Manitoba	29,300
Alberta	100,900
Quebec	248,100

Here are the details on the increase in job vacancies by industry in the second quarter of 2022:

Job Sector	Number of job vacancies added
Healthcare and social assistance	30,500
Accommodation and food services	16,800
Professional jobs in natural and applied sciences	51,100
Technical jobs in natural and applied sciences	26,900
Professional occupations in business and finance	30,300

Top in-demand occupations in Canada

Occupation	Average annual salary (in Canadian Dollars)
IT and Software Development
Developer	78,000
Cloud Architect	122,000
Engineering
Engineer	68,000
Mechanical Engineer	69,000
Healthcare
Registered Nurse	71,000
Accounting and Finance
Accountants	57,000

Canada Work Visa

If you want to work in Canada, you will need a Canada work visa or a work permit. A work permit can be either:

• An employer-specific work permit or
• An open work permit

Before applying for a work permit, you need to be clear about which of these is suitable for you. For an employer-specific work visa, you will have a job offer from an employer in Canada. An open work permit doesn’t bind you to any particular employer or job.

A temporary work permit is extendable upon expiry or when it’s nearing expiry. The application to extend the work permit must be lodged at least 30 days prior to the expiry of the work permit.

In case you have applied for a Canada PR visa and are awaiting the result, you can get a bridging open work permit. This visa will allow you to stay in Canada and keep working while you are waiting for the results of your PR application in Canada.

When you are applying for a Canada work visa, you have to be sure that you are accepting a job offer from an employer who is found compliant with the TFW (Temporary Foreign Worker) Program or IMP (International Mobility Program).

At least one of the following documents will be required for you to apply for a Canada work permit:

• an LMIA number obtained from your Canadian employer in case your job requires an LMIA
• proof that your Canadian employer has made the submission of an offer of employment via the Employer Portal
• a contract of employment or letter (where your employer is exempted from the compliance process meant for employers in Canada)
• proof that you are qualified, credited or certified to be employed in the occupation you want

Eligibility criteria for Canada Work Visa

Here are the essential eligibility requirements for applicants for a Canada work visa:

• You must present proof to an officer that surely you will leave Canada once your work permit meets its expiry.
• You have to show that you have sufficient money with which you can take care of yourself as well as the members of your family during the period of stay in Canada and while going back to their home country.
• You must show obedience to the law of Canada and mustn’t have a record of criminal activity (you may need to produce a police clearance certificate).
• You mustn’t pose danger to the security of Canada.
• You must be in good health, which you must prove with a medical exam, in case that’s required.
• You mustn’t have plans to work for an employer who's present on the list of “ineligible” employers as they failed to meet the conditions of being an eligible employer.
• You mustn’t have plans to work for an employer in Canada who indulges in categories of adult services deemed ineligible.
• You are required to provide the immigration officer with any miscellaneous documents that are asked for so that you can prove that you are fit to enter Canada.

Steps to apply to work in Canada

Step 1: Check your eligibility - Canada points calculator

You may use our Canada points calculator to check the number of CRS points you will get for each of the factors counted to determine your eligibility level for Canada immigration.

Step 2:  Get your ECA done

For educational qualifications you had outside Canada, you will require to prove upon submission that they are equivalent to Canadian qualifications. For this, you have to get an ECA (Educational Credential Assessment).

Step 3: Search for job vacancies in Canada for Foreigners

You can use different methods to search for jobs in Canada:

• You can check with research companies where you want to be employed, by
  • checking their website for job postings
  • contacting employers directly to enquire if they are hiring
• You can visit job fairs in your town/city, where you will be able to meet employers and do discussions on jobs.
• You can browse websites for job search and go through classified sections of newspapers to find out who's hiring.
  • You can visit the Canadian government’s Job Bank which has close to 2,000 new job vacancies posted daily.
  • You visit the jobs.gc.ca website of the federal public service where there are numerous job postings.
  • You can utilize the services of an employment agency that can pick job opportunities for you.
• You can ask friends and family whether they are knowledgeable about job vacancies that are open in Canada.

Step 4: Arrange a checklist of documents

Here’s a typical checklist for documents to submit for a Canada Work Visa:

• Application for Work Permit made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295)
• Family Information form. This must be completed by people aged at least 18 years or a minor arriving alone in Canada. (You have to complete the Family Information form (IMM 5707)
• Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409)
• Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) (Complete this form only in case you are making use of the services of an authorized representative, or if you are appointing/canceling such an authorized person)
• Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (IMM 5475) (Complete this form only in case you authorize IRCC) and CBSA to give out information from your case file to any person other than yourself)

Here are some other documents to be submitted

• Fee payment in a format deemed acceptable (application processing fee, biometric fee, Open Work Permit Holder fee)
• A photocopy of the page containing information on your valid passport/travel document which includes:
  • the issuance and expiry dates
  • the passport number
  • your name, photo, date, and place of birth
• Two photos that meet the statutory requirements with your name and date of birth on the rear side.
• Proof of current immigration status
• Photocopy of your Certificate/Marriage License
• Proof indicating you meet the requirements of the job being offered.
• One of the following
  • A copy of the LMIA provided by ESDC to your Canadian employer and a copy of your job offer issued by your prospective employer in Canada, or
  • An Offer of Employment issued to a foreign national who’s exempt from an LMIA.
• If you are working in Quebec, submit evidence of a valid CAQ
• If you have received a provincial nomination and have an Offer of Employment issued to you being exempt from an LMIA, issued by an employer in the province/territory from where you got a nomination, submit a copy of the nomination letter and an R204c letter issued by the province/territory.
• If your certificate of nomination has expired include a copy of the letter of acknowledgment that confirms that IRCC got your PR application prior to the expiry of the nomination.
• If applying for a PGWP, submit proof of having completed all the requirements of your study program which includes:
  • a letter from the institution and/or the formal notice of graduation
  • a final transcript
• Any other document that’s to be added as required by the visa office responsible for your application.

Step 5: Apply for Canada Work Visa

Submit the application for the work permit online.

Canada work visa to Canada PR

Apply for permanent residence as a Canada work visa holder through one of the following Canada immigration programs.

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP)
• Quebec Experience Class (QEC)

How can Y-Axis assist you?

For trusted and globally reputed multiple services necessary for a potential immigrant wanting to move to Canada, visit Y-Axis. Professionals like mining engineers wanting to move to Canada can seek our valuable services namely:

• Free Canada immigration points calculator to figure out your best chances to move to Canada.
• Expert assistance to apply for a Canada PR visa.
• Immigration consultancy to show you the right path to immigrate risk-free and hassle-free.
• Expert coaching services for language proficiency tests like IELTS, CELPIP, and PTE that are accepted in Canada.
• Career counseling with expert advice.

If you are willing to migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the leading immigration and career consultant in the UAE.

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