Immigrate to Canada as a Chef

Can I immigrate to Canada as a Chef?

If you’re looking to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef you’re in luck! Chefs are in demand right across Canada and you may be able to secure a Canadian Permanent Residency Visa either with or without a job offer. No doubt you will have read online that having a job offer to move to Canada is a prerequisite to accessing the Express Entry process but as a chef you also have other options to secure your Canada Visa from the start. For starters, Chefs are eligible to apply to immigrate to Canada under the Canadian Government’s Immigration program due to the demand for Chefs in Canada being so great they have included the occupation on the targeted occupations list, known as the NOC list (National Occupation Code List).

The code for Chefs on the NOC is 6321

This is great news for qualified Chefs the world over hoping to live and work in Canada. Express Entry for Canada is not a visa class at all, it is simply the method (or database) that Canadian Immigration uses to select the right candidates for a permanent residency visa and in that case, as a chef looking to immigrate to Canada we’ll be looking at the Federal Skilled Trades visa and Provincial Nominee program. Chefs from all over the world are eligible to make an Express Entry for Chefs Canada Residency providing they have the right skills, experience and qualifications in their home country.

Take our Online Visa Assessment to confirm your eligibility to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef

Chefs looking to move to Canada to work under this NOC category 6321, might be employed under work titles including: assistant chef banquet chef chef chef de cuisine chef de partie chef pâtissier cold foods chef corporate chef entremetier executive chef executive sous-chef first sous-chef garde-manger chef head chef head rotisseur master chef meat chef meat, poultry and fish chef pasta chef pastry chef rotisserie chef saucier second chef sous-chef specialist chef specialty foods chef supervising chef sushi chef working sous-chef All these roles held by chefs are eligible to apply under this specific NOC category of 6321

Tasks for those looking to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef.

In general, chefs moving to Canada will be able to demonstrate knowledge or experience of the following: Plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities of several restaurants in an establishment, restaurant chains, hospitals or other establishments with food services Consult with clients regarding weddings, banquets and specialty functions Plan menus and ensure food meets quality standards Estimate food requirements and may estimate food and labour costs Supervise activities of sous-chefs, specialist chefs, chefs and cooks Arrange for equipment purchases and repairs Recruit and hire staff May prepare and cook food on a regular basis, or for special guests or functions.

Sous-chefs

Supervise activities of specialist chefs, chefs, cooks and other kitchen workers Demonstrate new cooking techniques and new equipment to cooking staff May plan menus and requisition food and kitchen supplies May prepare and cook meals or specialty foods.

Chefs and specialist chefs

Prepare and cook complete meals or specialty foods, such as pastries, sauces, soups, salads, vegetables and meat, poultry and fish dishes, and create decorative food displays for special events such as banquets Instruct cooks in preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food Create new recipes Supervise cooks and other kitchen staff May plan menus May requisition food and kitchen supplies.

Whilst the above is meant as a general guide do take our free online visa assessment for further information and be sure to list out your skills and qualifications in detail.

Emigrate Canada has a dedicated Chefs Canada desk that only represents qualified chefs immigrate to Canada. They understand your profession and can talk your language when it comes to explaining your immigration pathway and the route to securing a Canada Visa for you (and your family).

Qualification Requirements to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef

In the UK for example, we’ll be looking for NVQ Level III From South Africa, you will be expected to hold your Red Seal We’re happy to represent chef clients from all over the World so regardless of your country of qualification feel free to contact us today for a full breakdown of your Canadian Immigration chances.

How to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef

The first stage in your Canadian immigration process is to calculate your Canada Immigration points for Express Entry using the Canadian Comprehensive Ranking System. CRS Points are awarded for (amongst other things) Age Qualifications English ability French ability Your partner’s skills Work experience As well as providing you with important CRS points these factors also count towards your overall Immigration Points score which must equal or exceed a total of 67

Take our free online visa assessment for an up to date report on whether you have enough points to immigrate to Canada as a chef from both an Express Entry and Immigration points perspective.

Once you receive an ITA (Invitation to apply) from Canadian Immigration as a result of your Express Entry application you’ll only have 60 days in which to lodge a formal application so under no circumstances should you lodge an Express Entry application ‘claiming’ to have certain points without first having all of your points verified through different testing, education equivalence certificates and skilled trades assessments. Once you are invited to apply for your Canada Visa you cannot go back and have these things verified retrospectively, they must be done before you claim any points for them and given that your express entry profile is only valid for one year it makes sense to present the best possible case right from the start.

Skills Assessment Process to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef

The process of getting your Chef skills, experience and qualifications verified is called Skills Assessment and it serves two purposes. Canada Chef Skills Assessment purpose one: With a positive skills assessment you’ll be able to claim the requisite points on both the Express Entry CRS and eventual Federal Skilled Trades application. Canada Chef Skills Assessment purpose two: Your positive skills assessment will also double as your Red Seal qualification so having your Chef skills assessed means that you’ll be qualified to work as a chef in Canada from day one.

How to get registered to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef

As part of your immigration process, your dedicated Chef Canada account manager will arrange for your Red Seal equivalency process so there’s no need to worry about how to move to Canada; we’ll have you covered from the moment you get the ball rolling.

Can I Immigrate to Canada as a Chef without a job offer?

The answer is a resounding yes, providing you have a reasonable total CRS score on your Express Entry application and can meet the 67 immigration point threshold for your Canada Federal Skilled Trades Visa. Technically there is no minimum CRS score required to submit a Chef Canada Express Entry profile. Of course, securing a job offer (documented in the right way for immigration purposes i.e. LMT) will give you an instant CRS boost of 600 points so it makes sense to start this process as soon as is practical.

The best place to start is by ensuring your eligibility by taking our Free Online Visa Assessment

Chef Jobs in Canada

Occupations on the Canada NOC list can be classed as being ‘in demand’ and the chef code 6321 has been firmly established on the list for many years with lots of opportunities right across the country. As a qualified new and highly skilled Permanent resident of Canada, you may work full time from day one, either as a direct employee, contractor or in a self-employed capacity. Chef jobs in Canada are often better paid than in the UK, Europe and Asia and Canadian employment law respects the work-life balance. Additionally, Chefs in Canada are highly unionised which whilst sounds like a dirty word in many parts of the world is actually instrumental in championing better pay and conditions right across the County. The full-time average hourly wage rate for service supervisors and specialized service occupations, which includes chefs, is $17.54. The 2018 corresponding median weekly wage rate is $640, giving an approximate full-time annual salary for this employment group of $33,000 with the average Executive Chef salary being $59748 per year. There are many Chef associations throughout Canada, some include:

The Culinary Federation (CF)

The Canadian Federation of Cooks and Chefs

Association of Italian Chefs of Canada

The British Columbia Chef’s Association 

The Canadian Personal Chef’s Association

Emigrate Canada are the Chef Canada Visa specialists with a dedicated Skilled Trades desk ideally placed to take care of not just your immigration paperwork, but also to get you registered to work from day one. Immigrate to Canada as a Chef.  Canada is calling

Free Online Skills Assessment