5 Easy Steps to Get Work in Canada

Canada is home to over 38 million people. Many of its residents are immigrants that have moved from places globally to live in the best-ranked country for quality of life.

There are many reasons why people want to live in Canada, including for its natural beauty, free society, economic and political stability, safety, free healthcare and education, and finally, its unlimited job opportunities.

With an unemployment rate of only 7.8 percent and countless high-paying jobs ready to be filled, finding work in Canada is possible from anywhere in the world.

Getting a Job in Canada 

Although this is the case, most people do not know where to start to find a job in Canada. Some also contemplate whether it is easy or difficult to do so and often give up when they do not land a job quickly. Many foreign nationals are also uncertain if they need a Canada work permit. and what the best job platforms are to apply on.

In the next three years, from 2021 to 2023, the Canadian government plans to welcome 1.23 million immigrants because it requires skilled workers to fill the labour market needs of its ever-growing economy. This has opened an incredible doorway of opportunity for people in some of the most popular and highest-paying jobs globally.

This means that Canadian employers are eager to hire skilled professionals in various fields, and if you manage to get a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, you can get a visa to live in Canada permanently. So, how do you do it?


How to Get Work in Canada 

Since Canada is such a lucrative destination for people worldwide, there will always be competition when you apply to work in Canada. However, not everybody is qualified or has the necessary work experience to fill jobs in the country.

With the Canadian government making more job opportunities available, 1 million alone in 2021, if you follow these five essential steps and meet the requirements, you will be able to land a job faster than you think.

Finding a job first can be more beneficial too, as it can help you get a permanent visa to immigrate to Canada faster. Once you have been notified that a Canadian company is interested in hiring you, the employer has to apply for a job offer from the Employment and Social Development Service Canada. If you receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), your new Canadian employer must give you a copy and a written job offer. It will give your visa application the edge when compared to other applicants’ applications because you meet the most basic requirements by showing that you will work once you arrive in Canada.

5 Steps to Get a Job:

1. Make Yourself Presentable

When you apply to work in Canada, you best believe that you must present yourself like you are worthy of getting a job in one of the best first-world countries. That means that you have to spruce up your online profiles and create the best CV you ever have.

This can be done by keeping your online social media profiles, such as LinkedIn, updated, detailed, and professional. You can also go the extra mile and ask for current or previous superiors and co-workers to endorse your skills on this social networking platform. The same goes for if you are a creative person and have an online profile of your work. If you do not have one, you can create a polished profile on online portfolio tool websites. 

Even if you have not produced a physical product or have proof of your work experience in a photo or video format, apart from creating a good LinkedIn profile to display professionalism, the most important element to make yourself presentable is your CV.

Now, even if you think you do not have what it takes to create a presentable and detailed document that displays your work, education, and a glimpse of your personality and work ethic, with time and effort, you can get it done yourself. Here are some tips on how to do it. If you are really uncertain about how to do it, you can also look at hiring a professional resume designer. 

An additional step to success is to write a brief cover letter about your goals and aspirations to work in your field of work in Canada - Think of it as a letter to introduce yourself as a professional to an employer, and pique their interest with it.

One of the most important elements for a successful job application is to get reference letters from each of your previous employers and mentors (if you have any) and to attach them to your application with your CV.

Did you know that as part of our RCIC service offering, we curate a CV for our clients, which displays their education, work experience and personal details in a formal, professional manner. They even feature NOC codes, and skill types within, making job hunting even easier!

2. Get a Canadian Work Permit

While not all jobs in Canada require a work permit or study permit, most of them do. This can be applied for by following these three steps:

Step 1: Choose your work permit

To get a work permit in Canada, you need to look at your field of work, which will determine the type of employment you need to apply for. There are two work visas to choose from, which includes:

  • Open work permit - A permit that allows you to work for any Canadian employer.
  • Employer-specific work permit - A permit that allows you to work according to specifications detailed in your work permit. This includes your employer’s name, location of employment and the length of the work permit.

If you have or are immigrating through the Express Entry System, an open work permit is best for you because it allows you to work anywhere in Canada. If you have applied through a Provincial Nominee Program, the employer-specific work permit will be the most suitable for you, as it will allow you to only work for a specific Canadian company.

A work permit can allow you to work in Canada while you are waiting for your permanent residency application to be processed for either an Express Entry or Provincial Nominee Program because both offer permanent residency.

Step 2: Check if you are eligible

To be eligible for a work permit in Canada, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Have proof that you will leave Canada once your work permit expires
  • Have a clear criminal record
  • Get a health assessment and show that you are in good health
  • Show proof of funds to prove that you can support yourself and your family members for the entire duration of your stay in Canada, as well as when you return home

Remember, that some Visas like the Working Holiday and Post Graduate Visa's have work permits as part of the Visa, whereas some work permits stand alone, so speaking to a professional about your personal skills, experience and needs is best, to avoid time wasting.

Step 3: Apply for your Canada work permit

You can apply for your Canadian work permit online. This will help you avoid any courier costs, reduce your application’s processing time and prevent you from submitting an incomplete application, as you will be required to submit your online profile with supporting documents.

With the help of a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), you can also reduce the processing time of your application, which is usually between 2 to 33 weeks.


3. Choose the Best Recruitment Platforms

The best and most reputable Canadian job listing websites include:

4. Apply for Jobs that Match Your Career Profile and Experience

This is a very important step because you are far more likely to get a job offer from a Canadian employer if you are qualified and skilled in the role that you apply for.

Given that work experience is one of the main requirements to get a Canadian visa, it is necessary to have relevant work experience in your professional field.

Although education is equally important, companies are especially looking for workers that are experienced to step into a new role and fulfill all the duties expected of them. If you do not have enough work experience, it is wise to first get the experience before applying for a visa. You can surely still apply to work in Canada, but the chances of getting a job will significantly decrease.

5. Live in Canada Before You Get a Job

There are a few ways that you can first live in Canada before you get a job, and this is helpful because it shows that you can sustain yourself in the country before even getting a job.

This can be done with a study permit, which can be used to live and study in Canada, while you look for a job or get a part-time one. Any work experience in Canada can benefit your application for a good, high-paying job in your line of work.

If you are struggling to find a job in Canada, you can also choose the study route, gain some work experience working part-time, and then apply for the job you qualify for the best.

Ready to Make Your Next Career Move?

To live and work in Canada is something that so many people dream of doing in 2022 and beyond. If you are one of the countless individuals that would like to take the leap and work in Canada, you can make it happen.

By following the necessary steps, you can be on your way to working in one of the best countries that offer some of the highest-paying jobs in the world. This can be done by getting your work permit and preparing your application for success.

If you would like to apply for a work permit or need assistance to find a job and the correct visa for you to move to Canada, you can get in touch with one of our affiliated Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs).

FAQs

What is the maximum number of hours you may work in Canada?

The maximum number of hours that can be worked in a week is typically 48. Your total hours of work cannot be more than 10 hours per day or 48 hours per week if you are working both an unpaid student internship and a paid job with the same business to complete the requirements of your educational program.

Is it hard to find a job in Canada?

Once in Canada, there are many of lucrative job options accessible. In Canada, there are more than 50,000 open positions per day. Even if receiving a job offer from outside of Canada is more difficult, it is still possible with a little bit of persistence, especially with the tools and advice that our Canadian law business provides. There is a high need for experts and qualified workers among many Canadian companies. There is no barrier preventing a candidate from outside of Canada from contributing to their solution.

What is the processing time for a Canadian Work Permit?

Depending on whether a medical check is necessary and the workload at the specific visa office where the application was filed, the majority of work permit applications are reviewed and issued within a few days or weeks. It also depends on the demand for your job in Canada, and what country you're from.