How To Move To Canada
How to move to Canada
Canada is seen as one of the most stable and safest countries in the world, with top-class education, healthcare, and an abundance of nature many Canadian cities are ranked among the top 10 in the world for liveability. It’s no wonder then that people are searching for how to move to Canada.
Put simply, the reasons to move to Canada are countless but be under no illusion it’s a tough and complex process.
Moving to Canada, a how to guide
If you have the right skills, experience, qualifications, and desire to move to Canada there is often an immigration pathway we can assist with. As with lots of countries, Canada operates a points-based system to address specific skills shortages and ongoing labor demand.
How to move to Canada with Permanent Residency
Emigrate Canada is one of the most progressive and dynamic Free Canadian Immigration resources in the World. Our dedication and commitment to your successful outcome is the cornerstone of everything we do.
There are many routes to Canadian Permanent Residency if you have family already in-country or are an investor and we’ll discuss these later on. For now though let’s examine how to move to Australia with permanent residency based on your occupation.
Canadian Immigration publishes a list of occupations and skills that are currently in demand and this is called the National Occupation Classification list, often referred to as the Canada NOC list.
Step one is to identify your occupation on this list so please search in the box provided below. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t find your occupation and take our free Canada visa assessment. We review each assessment by hand and may well be able to place your skills or suggest an alternative immigration pathway to Canada.
We have included all professions and skilled trades in the table below and it is current for 2021 / 2022.
Next to each occupation, you will see a code either 0, A, B, C or D
If your occupation is either 0, A or B you could be eligible to move to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program or the Canadian Experience Class of Visa under the Express Entry Visa System.
There is no ‘Express Entry’ Visa. Express Entry is the system used to administer the initial stages of your application under one of the visa classes above.
How to move to Canada with a C or D occupation? If you have a C or D occupation then we may be able to arrange Provincial Nomination or a two-year Canadian Work Permit. This a longer route to eventual Permanent residency and will take a different pathway although many thousands of people from all over the world move to Canada under these visa pathways.
Legislators | 0 |
---|---|
Senior government managers and officials | 0 |
Senior managers - financial, communications and other business services | 0 |
Senior managers - health, education, social and community services and membership organizations | 0 |
Senior managers - trade, broadcasting and other services, n.e.c. | 0 |
Senior managers - construction, transportation, production and utilities | 0 |
Financial managers | 0 |
Human resources managers | 0 |
Purchasing managers | 0 |
Other administrative services managers | 0 |
Insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers | 0 |
Banking, credit and other investment managers | 0 |
Advertising, marketing and public relations managers | 0 |
Other business services managers | 0 |
Telecommunication carriers managers | 0 |
Postal and courier services managers | 0 |
Engineering managers | 0 |
Architecture and science managers | 0 |
Computer and information systems managers | 0 |
Managers in health care | 0 |
Government managers - health and social policy development and program administration | 0 |
Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration | 0 |
Government managers - education policy development and program administration | 0 |
Other managers in public administration | 0 |
Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training | 0 |
School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education | 0 |
Managers in social, community and correctional services | 0 |
Commissioned police officers | 0 |
Fire chiefs and senior firefighting officers | 0 |
Commissioned officers of the Canadian Forces | 0 |
Library, archive, museum and art gallery managers | 0 |
Managers - publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting and performing arts | 0 |
Recreation, sports and fitness program and service directors | 0 |
Corporate sales managers | 0 |
Retail and wholesale trade managers | 0 |
Restaurant and food service managers | 0 |
Accommodation service managers | 0 |
Managers in customer and personal services, n.e.c. | 0 |
Construction managers | 0 |
Home building and renovation managers | 0 |
Facility operation and maintenance managers | 0 |
Managers in transportation | 0 |
Managers in natural resources production and fishing | 0 |
Managers in agriculture | 0 |
Managers in horticulture | 0 |
Managers in aquaculture | 0 |
Manufacturing managers | 0 |
Utilities managers | 0 |
Financial auditors and accountants | A |
Financial and investment analysts | A |
Securities agents, investment dealers and brokers | A |
Other financial officers | A |
Human resources professionals | A |
Professional occupations in business management consulting | A |
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations | A |
Supervisors, general office and administrative support workers | B |
Supervisors, finance and insurance office workers | B |
Supervisors, library, correspondence and related information workers | B |
Supervisors, mail and message distribution occupations | B |
Supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations | B |
Administrative officers | B |
Executive assistants | B |
Human resources and recruitment officers | B |
Property administrators | B |
Purchasing agents and officers | B |
Conference and event planners | B |
Court officers and justices of the peace | B |
Employment insurance, immigration, border services and revenue officers | B |
Administrative assistants | B |
Legal administrative assistants | B |
Medical administrative assistants | B |
Court reporters, medical transcriptionists and related occupations | B |
Health information management occupations | B |
Records management technicians | B |
Statistical officers and related research support occupations | B |
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers | B |
Insurance adjusters and claims examiners | B |
Insurance underwriters | B |
Assessors, valuators and appraisers | B |
Customs, ship and other brokers | B |
General office support workers | C |
Receptionists | C |
Personnel clerks | C |
Court clerks | C |
Data entry clerks | C |
Desktop publishing operators and related occupations | C |
Accounting and related clerks | C |
Payroll clerks | C |
Banking, insurance and other financial clerks | C |
Collectors | C |
Library assistants and clerks | C |
Correspondence, publication and regulatory clerks | C |
Survey interviewers and statistical clerks | C |
Mail, postal and related workers | C |
Letter carriers | C |
Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors | C |
Shippers and receivers | C |
Storekeepers and partspersons | C |
Production logistics co-ordinators | C |
Purchasing and inventory control workers | C |
Dispatchers | C |
Transportation route and crew schedulers | C |
Physicists and astronomers | A |
Chemists | A |
Geoscientists and oceanographers | A |
Meteorologists and climatologists | A |
Other professional occupations in physical sciences | A |
Biologists and related scientists | A |
Forestry professionals | A |
Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists | A |
Civil engineers | A |
Mechanical engineers | A |
Electrical and electronics engineers | A |
Chemical engineers | A |
Industrial and manufacturing engineers | A |
Metallurgical and materials engineers | A |
Mining engineers | A |
Geological engineers | A |
Petroleum engineers | A |
Aerospace engineers | A |
Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) | A |
Other professional engineers, n.e.c. | A |
Architects | A |
Landscape architects | A |
Urban and land use planners | A |
Land surveyors | A |
Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | A |
Information systems analysts and consultants | A |
Database analysts and data administrators | A |
Software engineers and designers | A |
Computer programmers and interactive media developers | A |
Web designers and developers | A |
Chemical technologists and technicians | B |
Geological and mineral technologists and technicians | B |
Biological technologists and technicians | B |
Agricultural and fish products inspectors | B |
Forestry technologists and technicians | B |
Conservation and fishery officers | B |
Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists | B |
Civil engineering technologists and technicians | B |
Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | B |
Industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians | B |
Construction estimators | B |
Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians | B |
Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment) | B |
Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics | B |
Aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors | B |
Architectural technologists and technicians | B |
Industrial designers | B |
Drafting technologists and technicians | B |
Land survey technologists and technicians | B |
Technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology | B |
Non-destructive testers and inspection technicians | B |
Engineering inspectors and regulatory officers | B |
Inspectors in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety | B |
Construction inspectors | B |
Air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors | B |
Air traffic controllers and related occupations | B |
Deck officers, water transport | B |
Engineer officers, water transport | B |
Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators | B |
Computer network technicians | B |
User support technicians | B |
Information systems testing technicians | B |
Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors | A |
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses | A |
Specialist physicians | A |
General practitioners and family physicians | A |
Dentists | A |
Veterinarians | A |
Optometrists | A |
Chiropractors | A |
Allied primary health practitioners | A |
Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating | A |
Pharmacists | A |
Dietitians and nutritionists | A |
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists | A |
Physiotherapists | A |
Occupational therapists | A |
Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment | A |
Medical laboratory technologists | B |
Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants | B |
Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians | B |
Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists | B |
Medical radiation technologists | B |
Medical sonographers | B |
Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c. | B |
Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health) | B |
Denturists | B |
Dental hygienists and dental therapists | B |
Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants | B |
Opticians | B |
Practitioners of natural healing | B |
Licensed practical nurses | B |
Paramedical occupations | B |
Massage therapists | B |
Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment | B |
Dental assistants | C |
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates | C |
Other assisting occupations in support of health services | C |
University professors and lecturers | A |
Post-secondary teaching and research assistants | A |
College and other vocational instructors | A |
Secondary school teachers | A |
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers | A |
Educational counsellors | A |
Judges | A |
Lawyers and Quebec notaries | A |
Psychologists | A |
Social workers | A |
Family, marriage and other related counsellors | A |
Professional occupations in religion | A |
Probation and parole officers and related occupations | A |
Employment counsellors | A |
Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers | A |
Economists and economic policy researchers and analysts | A |
Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants | A |
Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers | A |
Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers | A |
Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers | A |
Recreation, sports and fitness policy researchers, consultants and program officers | A |
Program officers unique to government | A |
Other professional occupations in social science, n.e.c. | A |
Paralegal and related occupations | B |
Social and community service workers | B |
Early childhood educators and assistants | B |
Instructors of persons with disabilities | B |
Other instructors | B |
Other religious occupations | B |
Police officers (except commissioned) | B |
Firefighters | B |
Non-commissioned ranks of the Canadian Forces | B |
Home child care providers | C |
Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations | C |
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants | C |
Sheriffs and bailiffs | C |
Correctional service officers | C |
By-law enforcement and other regulatory officers, n.e.c. | C |
Librarians | A |
Conservators and curators | A |
Archivists | A |
Authors and writers | A |
Editors | A |
Journalists | A |
Translators, terminologists and interpreters | A |
Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations | A |
Conductors, composers and arrangers | A |
Musicians and singers | A |
Dancers | A |
Actors and comedians | A |
Painters, sculptors and other visual artists | A |
Library and public archive technicians | B |
Technical occupations related to museums and art galleries | B |
Photographers | B |
Film and video camera operators | B |
Graphic arts technicians | B |
Broadcast technicians | B |
Audio and video recording technicians | B |
Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts | B |
Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts | B |
Announcers and other broadcasters | B |
Other performers, n.e.c. | B |
Graphic designers and illustrators | B |
Interior designers and interior decorators | B |
Theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers | B |
Artisans and craftspersons | B |
Patternmakers - textile, leather and fur products | B |
Athletes | B |
Coaches | B |
Sports officials and referees | B |
Program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness | B |
Retail sales supervisors | B |
Technical sales specialists - wholesale trade | B |
Retail and wholesale buyers | B |
Insurance agents and brokers | B |
Real estate agents and salespersons | B |
Financial sales representatives | B |
Food service supervisors | B |
Executive housekeepers | B |
Accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors | B |
Customer and information services supervisors | B |
Cleaning supervisors | B |
Other services supervisors | B |
Chefs | B |
Cooks | B |
Butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers - retail and wholesale | B |
Bakers | B |
Hairstylists and barbers | B |
Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners | B |
Shoe repairers and shoemakers | B |
Jewellers, jewellery and watch repairers and related occupations | B |
Upholsterers | B |
Funeral directors and embalmers | B |
Sales and account representatives - wholesale trade (non-technical) | C |
Retail salespersons | C |
Maîtres d'hôtel and hosts/hostesses | C |
Bartenders | C |
Food and beverage servers | C |
Travel counsellors | C |
Pursers and flight attendants | C |
Airline ticket and service agents | C |
Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks | C |
Hotel front desk clerks | C |
Tour and travel guides | C |
Outdoor sport and recreational guides | C |
Casino occupations | C |
Security guards and related security service occupations | C |
Customer services representatives - financial institutions | C |
Other customer and information services representatives | C |
Image, social and other personal consultants | C |
Estheticians, electrologists and related occupations | C |
Pet groomers and animal care workers | C |
Other personal service occupations | C |
Cashiers | D |
Service station attendants | D |
Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | D |
Other sales related occupations | D |
Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | D |
Support occupations in accommodation, travel and facilities set-up services | D |
Operators and attendants in amusement, recreation and sport | D |
Light duty cleaners | D |
Specialized cleaners | D |
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents | D |
Dry cleaning, laundry and related occupations | D |
Other service support occupations, n.e.c. | D |
Contractors and supervisors, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations | B |
Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations | B |
Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades | B |
Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades | B |
Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers | B |
Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors | B |
Tool and die makers | B |
Sheet metal workers | B |
Boilermakers | B |
Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters | B |
Ironworkers | B |
Welders and related machine operators | B |
Electricians (except industrial and power system) | B |
Industrial electricians | B |
Power system electricians | B |
Electrical power line and cable workers | B |
Telecommunications line and cable workers | B |
Telecommunications installation and repair workers | B |
Cable television service and maintenance technicians | B |
Plumbers | B |
Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers | B |
Gas fitters | B |
Carpenters | B |
Cabinetmakers | B |
Bricklayers | B |
Concrete finishers | B |
Tilesetters | B |
Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers | B |
Roofers and shinglers | B |
Glaziers | B |
Insulators | B |
Painters and decorators (except interior decorators) | B |
Floor covering installers | B |
Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades | B |
Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews | B |
Supervisors, printing and related occupations | B |
Supervisors, railway transport operations | B |
Supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators | B |
Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics | B |
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics | B |
Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics | B |
Railway carmen/women | B |
Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors | B |
Machine fitters | B |
Elevator constructors and mechanics | B |
Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers | B |
Motor vehicle body repairers | B |
Oil and solid fuel heating mechanics | B |
Appliance servicers and repairers | B |
Electrical mechanics | B |
Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle and other related mechanics | B |
Other small engine and small equipment repairers | B |
Railway and yard locomotive engineers | B |
Railway conductors and brakemen/women | B |
Crane operators | B |
Drillers and blasters - surface mining, quarrying and construction | B |
Water well drillers | B |
Printing press operators | B |
Other trades and related occupations, n.e.c. | B |
Residential and commercial installers and servicers | C |
Waterworks and gas maintenance workers | C |
Pest controllers and fumigators | C |
Other repairers and servicers | C |
Longshore workers | C |
Material handlers | C |
Transport truck drivers | C |
Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators | C |
Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs | C |
Delivery and courier service drivers | C |
Heavy equipment operators (except crane) | C |
Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers | C |
Railway yard and track maintenance workers | C |
Water transport deck and engine room crew | C |
Boat and cable ferry operators and related occupations | C |
Air transport ramp attendants | C |
Other automotive mechanical installers and servicers | C |
Construction trades helpers and labourers | D |
Other trades helpers and labourers | D |
Public works and maintenance labourers | D |
Railway and motor transport labourers | D |
Supervisors, logging and forestry | B |
Supervisors, mining and quarrying | B |
Contractors and supervisors, oil and gas drilling and services | B |
Underground production and development miners | B |
Oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers | B |
Logging machinery operators | B |
Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers | B |
Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services | B |
Fishing masters and officers | B |
Fishermen/women | B |
Underground mine service and support workers | C |
Oil and gas well drilling and related workers and services operators | C |
Chain saw and skidder operators | C |
Silviculture and forestry workers | C |
General farm workers | C |
Nursery and greenhouse workers | C |
Fishing vessel deckhands | C |
Trappers and hunters | C |
Harvesting labourers | D |
Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers | D |
Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers | D |
Mine labourers | D |
Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers | D |
Logging and forestry labourers | D |
Supervisors, mineral and metal processing | B |
Supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities | B |
Supervisors, food, beverage and associated products processing | B |
Supervisors, plastic and rubber products manufacturing | B |
Supervisors, forest products processing | B |
Supervisors, textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing | B |
Supervisors, motor vehicle assembling | B |
Supervisors, electronics manufacturing | B |
Supervisors, electrical products manufacturing | B |
Supervisors, furniture and fixtures manufacturing | B |
Supervisors, other mechanical and metal products manufacturing | B |
Supervisors, other products manufacturing and assembly | B |
Central control and process operators, mineral and metal processing | B |
Petroleum, gas and chemical process operators | B |
Pulping, papermaking and coating control operators | B |
Power engineers and power systems operators | B |
Water and waste treatment plant operators | B |
Machine operators, mineral and metal processing | C |
Foundry workers | C |
Glass forming and finishing machine operators and glass cutters | C |
Concrete, clay and stone forming operators | C |
Inspectors and testers, mineral and metal processing | C |
Metalworking and forging machine operators | C |
Machining tool operators | C |
Other metal products machine operators | C |
Chemical plant machine operators | C |
Plastics processing machine operators | C |
Rubber processing machine operators and related workers | C |
Sawmill machine operators | C |
Pulp mill machine operators | C |
Papermaking and finishing machine operators | C |
Other wood processing machine operators | C |
Paper converting machine operators | C |
Lumber graders and other wood processing inspectors and graders | C |
Woodworking machine operators | C |
Textile fibre and yarn, hide and pelt processing machine operators and workers | C |
Weavers, knitters and other fabric making occupations | C |
Fabric, fur and leather cutters | C |
Industrial sewing machine operators | C |
Inspectors and graders, textile, fabric, fur and leather products manufacturing | C |
Process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated products processing | C |
Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers | C |
Fish and seafood plant workers | C |
Testers and graders, food, beverage and associated products processing | C |
Plateless printing equipment operators | C |
Camera, platemaking and other prepress occupations | C |
Binding and finishing machine operators | C |
Photographic and film processors | C |
Aircraft assemblers and aircraft assembly inspectors | C |
Motor vehicle assemblers, inspectors and testers | C |
Electronics assemblers, fabricators, inspectors and testers | C |
Assemblers and inspectors, electrical appliance, apparatus and equipment manufacturing | C |
Assemblers, fabricators and inspectors, industrial electrical motors and transformers | C |
Mechanical assemblers and inspectors | C |
Machine operators and inspectors, electrical apparatus manufacturing | C |
Boat assemblers and inspectors | C |
Furniture and fixture assemblers and inspectors | C |
Other wood products assemblers and inspectors | C |
Furniture finishers and refinishers | C |
Plastic products assemblers, finishers and inspectors | C |
Industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators | C |
Other products assemblers, finishers and inspectors | C |
Labourers in mineral and metal processing | D |
Labourers in metal fabrication | D |
Labourers in chemical products processing and utilities | D |
Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing | D |
Labourers in rubber and plastic products manufacturing | D |
Labourers in textile processing | D |
Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing | D |
Labourers in fish and seafood processing | D |
Other labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities | D |
If you’ve matched an occupation on the Canada NOC list above take our free Canadian visa assessment for a full breakdown of your chances of securing a permanent residency visa.
How to move to Canada Stage Two
If you’ve identified an occupation on the NOC list above and it’s a category 0, A or B now is the time to start thinking about your Express Entry application. As mentioned, Express Entry is not a visa but the method by which clients are selected to apply for Canadian Permanent residency.
Some clients ask how to move to Canada without taking a skills assessment or going through the educational equivalency process and the answer is blunt; before we submit your Express Entry we MUST have your Canadian Skills Assessment completed. Your dedicated Account Associate will work with you to ensure this is 100% accurate prior to formal submission.
FREE ONLINE ELIGIBILITY CHECK
A Skills Assessment for Canada is also known as obtaining a statement of educational or training equivalence. In order to be able to claim points on express entry for your skills, experience and qualifications you MUST complete this process prior to claiming the points on any Canada Express Entry application.
Claiming these points retrospectively will usually lead to eventual visa refusal. It is crucially important that statements made in Express Entry have been officially validated.
The same goes for claiming points for English or French language ability. There are certain prescribed tests, approved by the Canadian Immigration authorities that are designed to formalize your language ability. Simply claiming to have a level of English or French without this formal substantiation will usually lead to your eventual Canadian visa being refused on the grounds that you’ve made a false statement. If you’re looking for the salient points as to how to move to Canada then by far the most important consideration is not to claim or state on your express entry application that you have certain skills if they’ve not been officially verified.
Put simply, when looking to move to Canada never make a claim on any form including Express Entry that hasn’t been officially verified and ratified. Doing so renders your application invalid.
How to move to Canada Continued
With a positive skill and language assessment, your Canadian Express entry is submitted. At this point, you need to start the job search in earnest.
You don’t necessarily need a job offer to move to Canada but it does give you extra points and hence expediting the whole process. Of course, it’s still common to move to Canada without an offer of employment and based entirely on your skills, experience, occupation, age, education, and language ability (English, French, or both).
If you’ve received a job offer we will work with your employer to secure the relevant paperwork at this stage.
As we near the final stages of the how to move to Canada process you will at this point receive an invitation to apply for one of the PR Canada Visas. At this stage, you will be assigned an Immigration Case Officer and your ICCRC Consultant will work closely to ensure your paperwork is 100% compliant and submitted for a successful outcome.
If you’re starting to think about how to move to Canada take our free online visa assessment for an honest, upfront, and straightforward explanation of your chances.
Editor in Chief - EmigrateCanada.com
Dr. Montague John (PhD), is one of the World’s leading Canadian Immigration experts. Affectionately known as “Monty” he established EmigrateCanada.com more than 25 years ago and it has grown to be one of the most reliable sources of Canada Immigration information.
In 2022 Dr. Montague John (PhD) published his book, “How to Immigrate to Canada” as EmigrateCanada.com, which featured as Bestseller in its Category for several weeks. Montague co-ordinates all the qualified contributors at EmigrateCanada.com and serves as Editor-in-Chief.