Work In Canada

When the decision to immigrate to Canada has been made, one would possibly start the job hunt. It is indeed natural for immigrants to search for a prospective employment offer that would make their immigration process worthwhile. It is definitely a time consuming process and proper planning will make it a success.

Note: There is no guarantee for any kind of employment in any particular field of profession in Canada, just because a visa has been granted.

How do you want to work?

Canada offers both temporary and permanent jobs so as to suit both the categories of job seekers.

To work temporarily

The country receives more than 150,000 foreign nationals every year, to fill up the skill shortages and work as live – in caregivers.

Getting the work permit

The first step to start working temporarily is to obtain a work permit. Applicants who fall in specific categories like athletes, business visitors, emergency service providers, foreign representatives and family members, military personnel , press and media people, students working on campus, judges, referees to name a few, are exempted from getting a work permit.

Applying for a work permit has to be done from outside the country (this is the case mostly) and also needs a written job offer from the Canadian employer. The processing time of the application may vary depending upon the place from where it is being filed in. Common reasons for delayed or extended processing would be insufficient information, criminal or security problems with the form etc. An application package will carry a guide and all the required forms that are needed to be completed. Once the application is ready, the next step would be to file it in the respective Canadian embassy in the country of residence of the applicant.

Besides the above mentioned, a valid passport and a temporary resident visa are a must so as to start working in Canada.

To work permanently

Landing on a permanent job in Canada will not be as easy as it would have been back in the applicant’s home country. Some of the most common challenges encountered by the applicants will be

• No recognition of credentials
• Insufficient proficiency in the languages English and French that are required to work in Canada
• Some jobs may require Canadian work experience

So before applicants start to look out for jobs, it is advisable that they do a bit of research to get an idea of what exactly the Canadian employers are looking for. This will help them start their preparations quite early and to equip themselves with the required skills. Students who are pursuing their education in Canada can also work either on or off campus.

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

This is a unique nine digit number that is required to work in Canada. This will also grant access to programs and benefits offered by the government. This number is issued by the Service Canada.

Help tool

The Working in Canada tool, which is managed by the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, helps applicants on their preparation to seek employment in the country. Based on the information provided by the application, this tool generates a report. The report contains information on the most suitable job opportunities with descriptions, wages, skills etc. for the applicants.