If you are skilled in a particular profession or industry, you could qualify for a Canadian skilled worker visa.
In 2015, Canada introduced the Express Entry program, an immigration program for skilled immigrants who want to permanently settle in Canada and contribute to the economy.
Canada needs skilled trade professionals in almost every sector – Statistics Canada
Construction managers in Canada can make up to CAD $83,000
Express Entry
There are three main programmes managed through Express Entry. They are:
1. Canadian Experience Class
For skilled workers with experience of working in Canada.
The work experience must have been in the three years before your application.
2. Federal Skilled Worker Program
For skilled workers with foreign work experience.
For this, you must meet the criteria for education and other factors.
3. Federal Skilled Trades Program
For skilled workers qualified in a skilled trade.
Must have a valid job offer or certificate of qualification.
Applying for an Express Entry program
To apply for one of these programs, you’ll first have to check your eligibility. You can do this online by answering a few questions to see if you meet the minimum requirements.
If you’re eligible for one or more Express Entry programs, you can submit your profile which will be ranked using a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
This is a points-based system that will assess and score your profile, and then rank it in the Express Entry pool. To be invited, you will need to score the minimum number of required points for your round of invitations.
You may need information for some (or all) of the following documents to fill out a profile for an Express Entry program:
- A valid passport
- Language test results (if not a native French or English speaker)
- Proof of Canadian education or an educational credential assessment report for immigration purposes
- Provincial nomination (if available)
- Written job offer from a Canadian employer (if applicable)
- Proof of work experience
- Certificate of qualification in a trade occupation issued by a Canadian province or territory (if applicable)
- proof of funds
Utilities manager is the highest paying job in Canada in 2024
What skilled trades are in shortage?
According to Statistics Canada, the country needs skilled trade professionals in almost every sector. You can browse skilled trades in demand by region on Canada.ca. The Red Seal trades, expected to be in demand until 2026 include cooking, industrial electricians, industrial mechanics, painters and decorators, and welders.
Nationwide visas outline 10 of the best-paying jobs in Canada. They are:
- Pipefitting Supervisor, CAD $81,000
- Construction Manager, CAD $83,000
- Mining and Quarrying Supervisor, CAD $83,200
- Power Systems Manager, CAD $86,000
- Dentist, CAD $93,600
- Scientific Research Manager, CAD $102,000
- Nurse Practitioners, CAD $104,000
- Engineering Manager, CAD $106,000
- Public Administration Director, CAD $110,000
- Utilities Manager, CAD $114,000
The current average salary of an employee in Canada is CAD $50,000 per year (CAD $952 per week). Therefore, you could hugely increase your salary as a skilled worker by emigrating to Canada.
Find your NOC code
The National Occupation Classification (NOC) is a list of all the occupations in Canada and is used to classify labour in the economy. It describes duties, skills, talents and work settings for each job type.
To apply for the Express Entry program, you will need to identify the NOC code for each job you want to include on your Express Entry profile.
Find your NOC code here to find the information that best matches each of your previous positions.
Sources: Canada.ca, Canadianvisa.org,
