As the Canadian economy grows, the demand for engineers increases. Engineers in Canada are well-respected for their expertise, knowledge & the role they play in shaping the future of infrastructure, information technology, communication technology, manufacturing, environmental stability, etc.
Whether you have qualified as an engineer or have several years of engineering experience, moving to Canada can offer you a lot of opportunities. In this blog, we will explore how you can move to Canada as an engineer. So, without further ado, let us begin!
Top Reasons To Move To Canada As An Engineer
Newcomers from around the world choose to move to Canada for a better quality of life & lucrative career pathways. As an internationally trained trainer, settling in Canada can be an attractive opportunity for numerous reasons, like:
- Shortage Of Skilled Engineers
According to a report, the Canadian economy will need to fill around 44,000 engineering jobs between 2020 & 2025 across 14 engineering fields. As senior engineers retire & industries continue to grow, the nation faces a shortage of mid-level & intermediate-level experienced engineers. New Canadian graduates cannot adequately fill these skill gaps, creating an immense opportunity for internationally trained engineers.
- An In-Demand Profession
Engineers & engineering managers are highly in demand in provinces like Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, & British Columbia. Demand for civil, electrical, mechanical, and software engineers exists across the provinces. Jobs in other fields, like metallurgical engineering, mining engineering, aerospace engineering, etc., are more prevalent in provinces where those industries are present.
- High Salaries
Although engineering salaries might vary depending upon the specialization field & the province you practice in, engineering jobs in Canada pay quite well. Well, the average salary for civil engineers in Canada is over $75,000 annually. However, some engineers are earning as much as 150,000 annually.
List Of Immigration Programs For Internationally Qualified Engineers
Canada welcomes newcomers with the skills & education required to bridge critical skills gaps by enabling them to apply for PR. There are numerous immigration programs you can choose from to immigrate to Canada & obtain PR as an engineer.
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
The FSWP is an Express Entry stream which allows skilled, internationally qualified workers to move to Canada as an engineer. Under this program, candidates are selected for PR depending on their CRS instead of their profession.
Well, when you submit your Express Entry profile, it ranks depending upon factors like age, education, work experience, language proficiency, etc. In addition, you can also get additional points for a Canadian job offer, provincial nomination, or work experience. Candidate profiles are further ranked depending on their total score. And the ones who meet the cut-off obtain an ITA for PR after each draw. Moreover, being selected under this program allows you to live in any territory/ province in Canada.
- Provincial Nomination Program
Most Canadian territories/ provinces, except for Quebec & Nunavut, have Provincial Nominee Program. This enables them to nominate candidates who can help fill labor shortage gaps. Moreover, after you choose the province you wish to move to, you might be able to apply directly for the program.
While some provinces/ regions use CRS scores to shortlist candidates, others nominate skilled professionals to fill urgent labor market needs depending upon NOC codes of their previous work experience. In such cases, you will have a better chance of obtaining a provincial nomination.
- Atlantic Immigration Program
This federal government-run program allows skilled foreign workers to reside permanently in one of the Atlantic provinces in Canada. I.e., PEI, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick.
Selection under the AIP is not based on profession. However, you might qualify for the program if you have at least one year of full-time paid work experience in the last five years & meet language requirements. Moreover, you will also require an employment offer from an Atlantic Canada employer.
How To Get Licensed In Canada As An Internationally-Trained Engineer
Engineering is a regulated occupation in Canada & you must be licensed by a provincial/ territorial regulator in order to work independently as an engineer. However, you can begin operating under the supervision of a licensed engineer once you have begun your licensing process, even when you haven’t qualified as a professional engineer. Well, the only exception is software engineers, who do not need a license to practice.
Here’s how you can apply to the regulator for an engineering license:
- Academic Assessment
The provincial/ territorial regulator will review your academic credentials & documents, including your degrees, transcripts, certifications, syllabus, etc., in order to determine if you need additional education, work experience, or examination before you qualify for a license.
However, one thing to note here is that if you have studied outside Canada, you will require an ECA to validate your foreign degrees/ certifications & verify that they are equivalent to Canadian credentials. You must also submit a certified translation if your original document is not in English.
- Work Experience Assessment
Work experience in engineering is one of the critical requirements for gaining a license. Most provinces & territories need engineers to have four to five years of work experience, including one year of Canadian experience. The only exception is Ontario, where work experience is no longer required.
Internationally qualified engineers can begin their licensing process before they arrive. However, they must typically work under the supervision of a licensed engineer to get the required Canadian work experience. Moreover, in order to qualify for supervised work, you can even obtain a provincial license or enroll as an engineer in training, engineering intern, or member in training.
Well, after you fulfill the work experience requirement, you should submit a work experience record approved by your supervisor. However, in some cases, you might have to go for a competency-based assessment to prove your technical engineering knowledge.
- Language Competency Assessment
Depending upon the province you wish to work in, you must demonstrate your English or French proficiency. The assessment method varies by regulator, but you’ll need to obtain a good score in an approved language test which assesses your reading, writing, listening, & speaking skills.
- Character Assessment
You must demonstrate good character & have a positive reputation. This helps engineering regulators ascertain that you have behaved ethically. Generally, you need to provide character references, including one from a licensed engineer in Canada & answer a few test questions to help the regulator assess your trustworthiness & character.
- Professional Practice Examination
To become a licensed engineer, you should pass a professional practice examination. This examination tests your knowledge of engineering-related laws, ethical & professional standards & topics like patents, trademarks, copyrights, etc.
Conclusion
Qualified engineers are in high demand in Canada. Therefore, to fill the labor market gap, immigration is crucial. Many people move to Canada to have a better standard of living & excellent employment opportunities.
Thus, if you also wish to move to Canada as an engineer, do not forget to obtain an engineering license & select a suitable immigration pathway.