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Foreign immigrants view Canada as a land of opportunity in their pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families.
Having a job offer from a Canadian company can greatly increase your chances of being invited to apply for permanent residency. Employers who use Express Entry to offer job offers may receive additional CRS points. An Express Entry job offer requirement of many Provincial Nominee Programs.
Over 25% of the workforce in Canada is made up of immigrants, according to a Statistics Canada report. A growing population and a severe labor shortage make it more difficult for Canada to find qualified employees.
Way to immigrate to Canada as an American
With Canada’s Express Entry draw, immigrating to Canada from the United States is easy. IRCC conducts this draw every two weeks. Canadian immigration officials rank applicants in an Express Entry draw using the CRS score before inviting them to apply for permanent residence.
In three of Canada’s economic immigration programs, Express Entry processes the majority of applications. Through Express Entry, you may qualify for Canadian permanent residence if you meet the requirements for one of the following programs.
One of the fastest immigration systems in the world, Express Entry processes 80% of applications for permanent residency within six months.
Working in Canada as an American
Even though Canada has a cold climate, it has the tenth-largest economy in the world. Considering that Canada is the second largest landmass on earth, it has plenty of potential for growth. Immigrants and foreign workers are welcome in Canada. Americans and Canadians have a strong cultural and economic affinity. However, the government forbids US citizens from working in Canada if they do not match the prerequisites.
When seeking employment in Canada or when signing a contract for work, a Canadian work permit is necessary. A work permit is also required when applying for a Canadian visa. A visa application and a work permit application are submitted simultaneously, and both will be treated as one by the consular office.
Can I work in Canada as an Us Citizen?
Work visas are available depending on your circumstances if you are traveling from the US to Canada:
1. NAFTA Work Permits
The NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) unites Canada, the United States, and Mexico, facilitating trade between the three countries by allowing certain kinds of temporary employees access to their markets. The International Mobility Program may grant NAFTA work permits to Americans with a qualifying employment offer from a Canadian company without first completing a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Moreover, they enable American companies with offices in Canada to transfer managers and executives easily and quickly.
2. Employer-Specific Work Permit
If you have a legitimate job offer from a Canadian employer, you may qualify for a work permit specific to your employer. In order to apply for an employer-specific work permit, employers are required to submit a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), which demonstrates that the company aimed to fill the position with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident before making it available to a foreign national.
For foreign employees with employer-specific work permits, fresh work permits are necessary when their employment changes.
Spousal Open Work Permit
Spousal open work permits are available to spouses and common-law partners who are temporary foreign workers or students in Canada, or who have been sponsored inland. Permits like this aren’t employer-specific, so if you change jobs, you won’t need to obtain another one as long as your current one is still in force.
In-demand jobs in Canada for immigrants
The following list shows the most in-demand jobs for immigrants in Canada along with their NOCs and average median hourly income requirements.
1. Web developer
Web developers are needed at all levels of government and commercial corporations (large, medium, and small). Developers create or program applications for the web. Web developers earn $69,305 a year in Canada.
2. Electrical engineer
A significant role is played by electrical engineers in the economy. Electrical systems and components are designed, built, defined, tested, and evaluated by them. As well as ensuring its security, they are also in charge of it. In Canada, an electrical engineer makes on average $91,832 a year.
3. Financial officers
Furthermore, the demand for accountants and auditors has increased as they prepare taxes, conduct audits, and handle other financial tasks. A certificate as a Chartered Professional Accountant is required to work as a financial officer. A financial officer typically earns $70,000 annually.
4. Project Manager
Organizing and overseeing projects is the responsibility of project managers. A variety of industries require project heads, including healthcare, engineering, finance, retail, and e-commerce. Salary typically ranges from $100,000 to $150,000 a year.
5. Marketing head
Marketing directors play a crucial role in every organization by developing, organizing, and evaluating strategies to market and sell products. A marketing director’s annual fee is usually around $150,000.
6. Digital marketing specialist
Canada is considered one of the world’s greatest advertising markets because of its high levels of internet usage and rapid growth in digital marketing jobs. Approximately 54.1% of all media advertising expenditures in Canada in 2020 were spent on digital campaigns. Increasing costs are expected for digital advertising in the future.
7. Aerospace Engineer
The rapid growth of Boeing and Airbus, two of the largest aerospace companies in the world, has exponentially increased the number of aircraft engineering job opportunities. Engineers in this field include aerodynamicists, avionics mechanics, aeronautical engineers, structural engineers, and systems engineers. It is estimated that aerospace engineers earn about $90,000 per year as a starting salary.
8. Nursing jobs in Canada
The chances of you succeeding as a nurse in Canada are excellent as long as you are passionate about attending to patients’ needs and meeting their wants as well as having the knowledge and experience to prove it. The Canada Employment Bank estimates that 191,100 nursing and psychiatric nurse jobs will become available during the next five years.
9. Pharmacist
Medication is dispensed by pharmacists and medication advice is provided by pharmacists. Several career options exist for pharmacists, including working in hospitals, and pharmacies, and opening their own businesses.
The rules governing pharmacists will differ from province to province since they are regulated by each provincial government. Pharmacists in Canada must be certified and registered by their provinces or territories after completing a pharmacy degree and passing the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) test. Medical-related occupations, including pharmacists, are in high demand at the moment.
How to find jobs in Canada?
1. Visit job search websites
Searching for jobs on job search websites is the first step most job seekers take when looking for a job. Canada’s widely-used regional websites offer much more than just job listings. A website with such a wide range of resources is the Job Bank of the Canadian government. It aggregates job listings from many job sites, so you can browse opportunities easily. You can also visit the websites of the provinces and territories for more information on employment for newcomers.
You can also search for jobs by visiting some best websites such as Indeed jobs in Canada, Glassdoor, LinkedIn jobs, CareerBuilder, Monster, SimplyHired, and Monster.
2. Engage in networking and volunteering
Canadian jobseekers should be aware that there is a hidden employment market in the country. Oftentimes, companies do not announce job openings in the “hidden job market”. Approximately 65 to 85% of occupations are not listed online, according to some estimates. The importance of networking in finding suitable opportunities stems from this reason.
3. Join an immigrant-serving organization
Canada has several government-funded organizations that help immigrants find employment, including ACCES Employment and COSTI. It is possible to find one near you by searching the official website since some are city- and province-specific. Newcomers can obtain a variety of career services from these groups, including resume preparation, interview preparation, language testing, and job placement.
4. Participate in career fairs
Immigration support groups often organize job fairs. The fairs may take place online or in person and can last a few days or even a few weeks. Online job fairs are occasionally held by groups like JVS Toronto and Prepare for Canada. Joining a government-funded settlement group gives you access to employment fair notifications. You can also look for job fairs on social media by following groups on Eventbrite and Meetup.
5. Contact employment agencies and recruiters
The numerous employment agencies and specialized recruiters in Canada can assist you in finding the right job in your field. Employers and recruiters use these organizations to connect job seekers with positions at their companies. Utilizing LinkedIn to locate hiring managers in your industry is a smart move.
Recruiting firms in Canada can be licensed both nationally and internationally. Companies with international licenses are allowed to hire foreign workers seeking employment in Canada, whereas companies with national licenses are only allowed to assist Canadians with job searches.
6. Check out the career sections of company websites
Starting your job search by identifying the companies you would like to work for and visiting their career pages is an excellent approach. Online applications are available on most websites. Consider reaching out to current or past employees on LinkedIn for a coffee talk to get a better understanding of the organization’s structure and to learn more about your desired career. The interview preparation will also be helpful for you. These discussions are also a fantastic method to learn about upcoming job openings within the company.
