If you’re looking to work abroad in 2022, Canada would be the perfect place to start. With so many labour gaps in the market, Canada is always ready to welcome foreign nationals to come and share their skills and expertise in occupations that are unable to be filled by permanent residents and Canadian citizens. One way to start this journey is to apply for a Canadian work visa, but first, you will need to know which one would be best suited for you.
Different Work Visas and How to Obtain Them in 2022
Post-Graduate Worker Permit (PGWP)
Depending on the length of the study program this visa can be valid for up to three years. It’s one way of gaining Canadian work experience which could eventually lead to permanent residency. If you have graduated from a Designated Learning Institute (DLI), then the PGWP is a great way to obtain an open work visa. When you receive an open work visa you will be free to work for any employer within Canada.
Are you eligible?
Once graduates receive their final marks they will need to send their applications to the PGWP within 180 days.
You will need to meet the following criteria in order to qualify:
- Complete a study program and have either a degree, diploma, or certificate from a DLI for a minimum of eight months;
- Be a full-time student for every semester;
- Graduated from a post-secondary school such as a university, college, or trade/technical school or;
- Graduated from a Canadian private school that provide degrees under provincial law.
Canada Working Holiday Visa
The working holiday visa is perfect for someone who would like to earn while exploring Canada. It is valid from 12 to 24 months, but the length of your stay will be determined by your home country. Only 35 countries who have a youth mobility agreement with Canada are allowed to apply for this permit. What could be better than working in Canada while earning a living?
How to apply:
Step 1:
Fill in a questionnaire called ‘Come to Canada’ that will consist of questions about:
- Student status
- Country of permanent residence
- Country of residence
- Country of citizenship
Step 2:
If you are successful, you will need to create an IEC profile. You will need to complete this profile within 60 days otherwise it will be deleted thereafter. The profile will need contact details such as:
- Date of birth
- Full name
- Place of birth
Step 3:
Wait for the random selection draw to take place. When a candidate gets an invitation, they will need to complete it within 10 days of receiving it.
Step 4:
If the invite gets accepted, the applicant will then need to fill in an application for a work permit and pay the fee within 20 days.
Open Work Visa
The open work visa does not require you to have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and is not job-specific, which will allow you to work for any Canadian employer. It’s not the easiest visa to acquire but a popular program called the International Mobility Program (IMP) is used by many employers because it is a simple and quick process.
Employer-Specific Work Visa
The Employer-Specific work visa allows a foreign national to work for one specific employer, doing a specified job in one set location. This work visa has limitations that are stated on the work permit such as:
- How long you are going to work for;
- The location of your job;
- And the name and details of your employer.
You will be able to acquire an employer-specific work visa through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
This program assists many Canadian employers needing to fill positions that are unable to be filled by citizens or even permanent residents. When a Canadian employer hires a foreign national, they bring new skills and knowledge with them that might not have been able to be found within Canada itself.
In the Temporary Foreign Worker Program there are two streams: the Global Talent Stream and the Caregivers stream.
Global Talent Stream
The Global Talent Stream (GTS) was developed to assist employers to gain access to global talent with the highest skill sets. This is purely for the fact that Canada wishes to expand their economy and the one way they can do this is to get foreign nationals who have different skills and knowledge.
Category A
This category is for candidates who have been referred to the Global Talent Stream by one of the stream’s designated partners.
Category A criteria:
- You should have a job in Canada
- Have a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
- You should be able to prove that you will leave Canada once your visa expires
- Prove you have enough funds to support yourself and your family, as well as enough to be able to go back to your country of origin.
- You should be able to prove that you do not pose a threat to Canada’s national security.
- Your criminal record should be clear.
- You should be in good health or provide proof of a medical check up
Category B
This category is for employers that seek to find highly-skilled workers to fill labour gaps in in-demand occupations in Canada found on the Global Talent Occupations List. This stream is widely preferred by employers as it is fast and the processing time can take up to two weeks.
The occupations that are found in category B include:
- Information systems analysts and consultants
- Computer network technicians
- Digital media designers
In-home Caregivers
The in-home caregivers stream allows Canadian households to employ foreign nationals who are able to provide care in private residences to seniors, children or those who have disabilities when Canadians and permanent residents are not available. Employers may ask their caregiver to live with them.
There are two categories for in-home caregivers which are: Caregivers for people with high medical needs, and Caregivers for children.
1. Caregivers for people with high medical needs
- People with disabilities, chronic or terminal illnesses
- Elderly persons over the age of 65
Positions in this category include:
- Attendant for persons with disabilities, home support worker, live-in caregiver, personal care attendant (NOC 4412)
- Licensed practical nurse (NOC 3233);
- Registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 3012).
2. Caregivers for children
- Children who are under 18 years of age
This category includes positions such as: live-in caregiver, nanny, child care provider – NOC 4411
Top in-demand jobs for 2022
In the beginning of 2021, there were already about 52,000 individuals who were eligible for the PGWP. Below is the list of the top 10 in-demand jobs projected for 2022 in Canada. Who knows, perhaps you’ll be one of the many to obtain a work permit for 2022.
- Truck driver
- Web developer
- Welder
- Pharmacist
- Receptionist
- Registered nurse
- Accountant
- Merchandiser
- Administrative assistant
- General labourer
FAQS
How long does it take to get a Canadian work visa?
The processing time will depend on how accurately you filled out your application as well as the office you have submitted it to. Initially, it can take up to 27 weeks to process the application of your permit.
What are the general documents required for a working visa in Canada?
- A valid passport
- Two passport sized photographs that are recent
- Educational qualification certificates
- Proof of adequate funds
- Medical examination
- Application fee
How do work permits differ from Express Entry?
A work permit is a temporary residence, while Express Entry is the application system for workers with certain skills looking to acquire permanent residence in Canada.
Now that you know what types of Canadian work visas there are, there is no better excuse than the start of a new year to kick start your dream of working abroad. Apply now and start living your dream sooner than you think.
