June 7, 2021

Migrating To Canada As An Engineer: Things You Should Know

If you are an engineer looking to migrate to a country where your skills are recognized, you must know that you will find no better option than Canada. A beautiful country with an immense lot of opportunities, engineering tends to be a promising career in Canada. Being the second-largest country in the world, Canada’s economy is constantly expanding, and the country is falling short in supplying enough manpower.

The most exciting part of economic growth is that it is not just concentrated in a single sector. So, if you are looking for ways to migrate to Canada, there are several ways you can apply for a visa as a skilled worker, including both traditional and fast-track pathways. What’s more, Canada’s federal government has unfurled plans to bring in over one million workers into its workforce within the next three years to boost its local economy in various sectors.

In this article, we walk you through every detail you should know when planning to migrate to Canada as an engineer.

Sneak Peek: Migrating to Canada as an Engineer

Engineers are in high demand in Canada for various sectors that are currently not being filled by the local workforce due to the lack of skills. For this reason, it is considered an occupation that Canadian employers are willing to pay high salaries for. There are also various avenues open in the field of engineering, such as computer, civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, and not to mention professions that specialize in a mixture of skills.

In order to migrate to Canada, you first need to find your National Occupation Code (NOC). For instance, civil engineers come under category 2131, and mechanical engineers are classified under 2132.

Simple Steps for Immigrating to Canada as an Engineer

Taking your first step towards immigrating can always be overwhelming. Nonetheless, with the right Canadian migration agents, you can make your dreams come true effortlessly. Here are the easiest steps you can take to migrate to Canada as an engineer.

  1. Determine your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.
  2. Evaluate your Academic Credentials.
  3. Choose the right Immigration Programme.
  4. Hold and maintain an Engineering license from one of Canada’s engineering regulators.

What are Your Options to Immigrate to Canada as an Engineer?

  • Express Entry

Engineers are classified under skill type A by the National Occupation Category, meaning you are eligible to apply as a skilled professional in the Federal Skilled Worker Program. Generally, your eligibility is determined by the following:

  • Skilled Work Experience – You should possess at least one year or 1,560 hours of work experience within the last ten years in the job type you apply for.
  • Language Skills – A few aspects of your job will depend on your ability to communication skills. For this reason, you have to pass a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) test with a minimum score of seven in all four sections—reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
  • Qualification – You must have an Education Credential Assessment (ECA) conducted for your qualifications. Furthermore, if you don’t hold a master’s degree, we recommend enrolling at a Canadian institute part-time as this will open up greater opportunities.
  • Proof of Funds – You should show that you have enough finances to support your move to Canada without any assistance from the Canadian government.
  • Eligibility – You should be eligible to immigrate to Canada, meaning you should not have a criminal record in your name and must be in good health. Additionally, you must have legal status in the country you are currently residing in.

All these factors, along with others, will be used to calculate your Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) on your Express Entry Program. Further, you will be moved into a pool of applicants, from which a specific number of skilled foreign workers will be invited to apply for permanent residency in Canada every two months. Professionals usually stand the chance of receiving ITAs relatively quickly.

  • Provincial Nominee Program

Much like the Express Entry Program, the Provincial Nominee Program allows candidates to apply for a Canadian visa. There are two ways in which you can apply for provincial nomination. First, you create an expression of interest in a specific province you wish to live and work in on your Express Entry profile. If the province finds your skills line up with their demands, they offer you a provincial nomination which gives you 600 points out of the total 1,200 points you need on your CRS, thereby pushing you up the pool of candidates.

Under the second method, you head to the Canadian government’s website and create a profile on the province you wish to live and work in, submitting an expression of interest directly. If they require your skills, you will be invited directly to the province. Furthermore, this pushes your application a step closer to permanent residency.

The requirements for Provincial Nomination Programs are pretty similar to the Express Entry’s eligibility requirements. Sometimes, they are not as stringent too. Each province in Canada has a skilled worker stream, and engineers are an in-demand occupation in all of those immigration streams.

  • Atlantic Immigration Program

If you are thinking of starting from scratch in Canada, your CRS score is a bit low for the Express Entry System, or you think you will have to wait forever for an ITA, then the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIPP) is for you. AIP offers permanent residency to applicants who hold a valid full-time job offer under NOC 0, A, B, C.

Basically, the AIPP was designed to address labor shortages in the Atlantic provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. So, almost any valid full-time job offer will make you eligible for permanent residency in this unique immigration program. What’s more, all types of engineers are in high demand in Atlantic Canada. So, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements, there is no reason your will be denied a visa or a PR status.

Migrate to Canada as an Engineer with Pelican Migration Consultants

At Pelican Migration Consultants, we help discard all your worries associated with immigrating to Canada as an engineer by guiding you throughout the visa application process.  Our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) have been through rigorous training, making them eligible to assist you wherever possible.

We ensure you submit all the documentation on time, apply for the right visa programs, and enhance your profile as much as possible so that you stand the best chances of achieving your ITA for permanent residence.