How to Immigrate to Canada as a Plumber in 2023
If you’re looking to immigrate to Canada as a Plumber you’re in luck! Plumbers are in demand right across Canada and you may be able to secure a Canadian Permanent Residency Visa with a job offer. The Canada Immigration NOC code for Plumbers on the NOC is 7251 and all Plumber applications are handled by the Express Entry System.
In order to successfully immigrate to Canada as a Plumber you will already hold one of the following job titles
- apprentice plumber
- journeyman/woman plumber
- maintenance and repair plumber
- maintenance and repair plumber (non-construction)
- maintenance plumber
- marine plumber
- plumber
- plumber – pipefitting
- plumber apprentice
- plumbing installer
- plumbing mechanic
- radiator plumber
- residential construction plumber
You will also have experience with these day-to-day plumbing tasks
- Read blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine a layout of plumbing system, water supply network and waste and drainage systems
- Install, repair and maintain domestic, commercial or industrial plumbing fixtures and systems
- Locate and mark positions for pipe connections, passage holes and fixtures in walls and floors
- Cut openings in walls and floors to accommodate pipe and pipe fittings
- Measure, cut, bend and thread pipes using hand and power tools or machines
- Join pipes using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement or soldering, brazing and welding equipment
- Test pipes for leaks using air and water pressure gauges
- May prepare cost estimates.
If you are a plumber and wish to immigrate to Canada through the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), you can follow these steps:
- Check your eligibility: You must meet the eligibility requirements for the FSTP. This includes having at least two years of full-time work experience (or an equivalent amount of part-time work) in a skilled trade in the last five years, among other requirements.
- Complete a language proficiency test: You must provide evidence of your language proficiency in either English or French. You can take an approved language test such as IELTS or CELPIP for English, or TEF for French.
- Obtain an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): If you completed your education outside of Canada, you will need to get an ECA to show that your education is equivalent to a Canadian education.
- Create an online profile: You will need to create an Express Entry profile, which is an online system used to manage applications for immigration to Canada.
- Receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA): If you meet the eligibility criteria and have a high enough score in the Express Entry system, you will receive an ITA to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
- Apply for permanent residency: Once you receive an ITA, you will need to apply for permanent residency. You will need to submit your application and provide all the required documents, including your language test results, ECA, and proof of work experience.
- Wait for a decision: After submitting your application, you will need to wait for a decision from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). If your application is approved, you will be granted permanent residency in Canada.
Plumbers need a Job in Canada to Immigrate
Plumbers who wish to immigrate to Canada through the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) need to have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer before they can apply for permanent residency. The job offer must be for at least one year and must be in a skilled trade occupation that is listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.
Even if you have a Red Seal certification as a Plumber, you still need a valid job offer from a Canadian employer to apply for permanent residency under the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). The job offer must be for at least one year and must be in a skilled trade occupation that is listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system.
However, having a Red Seal certification may make it easier for you to find a job in Canada as a skilled tradesperson, as it demonstrates that you have met a national standard of excellence in your trade. Employers in Canada may value this certification and may be more likely to consider you for a job offer.
If you are already in Canada on a valid work permit and have at least one year of full-time work experience in a skilled trade occupation in Canada, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program. In this case, you would not need a job offer to apply for permanent residency.
Qualification Requirements to Immigrate to Canada as a Plumber
- In the UK, for example, you’ll be looking for NVQ Level III
- From South Africa, you will be expected to hold your Red Seal
Steps to Immigrate to Canada as a Plumber
1. Calculate your Canada Immigration points for Express Entry using the Canadian Comprehensive Ranking System
The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is used to rank Plumber candidates in the Express Entry pool based on their human capital factors such as age, education, language proficiency, and work experience. Plumbing candidates are awarded points for each factor, and the total points determine their CRS score.
- Skilled work experience: Candidates can earn up to 80 points for their work experience in a skilled trade occupation. Points are awarded based on the number of years of work experience and whether the experience is in Canada or abroad.
- Language proficiency: Candidates can earn up to 34 points for their language proficiency in English or French. Points are awarded based on the results of a language test, such as IELTS or CELPIP for English, or TEF for French.
- Education: Candidates can earn up to 25 points for their education. Points are awarded based on the level of education completed and whether the education was obtained in Canada or abroad.
- Age: Candidates can earn up to 12 points for their age. Points are awarded based on the candidate’s age at the time of application.
- Job offer: Candidates can earn up to 100 points for a valid job offer in a skilled trade occupation that is listed in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. The job offer must be for at least one year and meet certain other requirements.
- Adaptability: Candidates can earn up to 10 points for factors that indicate they are likely to settle well in Canada, such as having a spouse or common-law partner who will also immigrate to Canada, having previously studied or worked in Canada, or having a relative who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
The exact breakdown of CRS points awarded to applicants looking to Immigrate to Canada as a Plumber will depend on their individual circumstances, such as their work experience, language proficiency, education, age, and job offer. However, as an example, a plumber with three years of work experience, a score of 8 in each language ability (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) in English or French, and a job offer in Canada could potentially earn a total of 419 CRS points, which includes the maximum 80 points for skilled work experience, 34 points for language proficiency, 100 points for the job offer, and additional points for education and age.
Detailed breakdown of the CRS points and how they are awarded to Plumbers Immigrating to Canada
Core human capital factors (maximum of 500 points)
- Age: Maximum of 110 points
- Education: Maximum of 150 points
- Language proficiency (first official language): Maximum of 136 points (34 points for each of reading, writing, speaking, and listening)
- Language proficiency (second official language, if applicable): Maximum of 24 points (4 points for each of reading, writing, speaking, and listening)
- Canadian work experience: Maximum of 80 points
Spouse or common-law partner factors (maximum of 40 points)
- Education: Maximum of 10 points
- Language proficiency (first official language): Maximum of 20 points (5 points for each of reading, writing, speaking, and listening)
- Canadian work experience: Maximum of 10 points
Skill transferability factors (maximum of 100 points)
- Education and Canadian work experience: Maximum of 50 points
- Language proficiency and non-Canadian work experience: Maximum of 50 points
Additional points (maximum of 600 points)
- Provincial nomination: Maximum of 600 points
- Valid job offer (NOC skill level 0, A, or B): Maximum of 200 points (50 points for NOC skill level B)
- Canadian study experience: Maximum of 30 points
- Sibling in Canada (citizen or permanent resident): Maximum of 15 points
- French language proficiency: Maximum of 30 points
Applicants looking to Immigrate to Canada as a Plumber are awarded points based on the information they provide in their Express Entry profile and supporting documents. The CRS score is calculated automatically by the Express Entry system, which ranks candidates based on their CRS score and issues Canada Visas to the highest ranking candidates in regular draws.
Plumber Jobs in Canada
Occupations on the Canada NOC list can be classed as being ‘in demand’ and the plumber’s code 7251 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. Plumber jobs in Canada are often better paid than in the UK, Europe and Asia and Canadian employment law respects the work-life balance. Additionally, Plumbers in Canada are highly unionized 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.