Do you dream of living in Canada and having an international career ? In 2022, the number of job openings in the country only increases: there are more than 915 thousand open positions , according to Statistics Canada.
With the reopening of borders and the easing of health restrictions, the number of opportunities almost doubled compared to 2021, when there were more than 550 thousand vacancies.
In six months, some segments had a more significant increase in the number of vacancies. Between them:
- Civil construction – 110 thousand vacancies
- Logistics and supply – 122 thousand vacancies
- Health and social assistance – 62 thousand vacancies
And, according to Ed Santos, immigration specialist and partner at Canada Intercâmbio, the market still suffers from a lack of qualified professionals.
And the country needs immigrants to fill open positions. In addition to having one of the lowest birth rates in the world, its population is also one of the oldest in the world, with 18% being 65 and over.
“Most entrepreneurs here in Canada report hiring difficulties due to talent shortages. In addition to technical qualifications, many people do not have enough English to compete in the market. People come here and think it’s easy to get a job. Is not. You need English and qualifications”, he says.
The specialist is also the organizer of Expo Canada 2022, a free fair for those who want to know more about opportunities to study and work in the country.
The event will take place in Brasília, Goiânia, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro between the 10th and 15th of May. Check the full schedule and more information on the website .
5 common questions about living and working in Canada
What kind of visas do Brazilians need to work and study in Canada?
If a person just wants to visit Canada, they cannot work, they need a tourist visa or have a US visa and issue the electronic travel authorization. In addition, if the person goes to study, for example, they may have the right to work part-time or full-time during the holidays. If you are a couple, when one studies the other, you can receive a work visa to work full-time. When it is a work visa, who pays the process in this case is the company. A person cannot apply for a work visa, but the company they hire, which is responsible for applying the process and legally who pays for the process is the company itself.
What are the requirements to be able to work and study in Canada?
The requirements will depend on the province and institution that this person will want to study in Canada, but basically they need to have a high school education and prove financial autonomy for the studies. In the work visa, the person does not need to prove financial autonomy, he does not need to prove if he can speak a language, because everything is done by the company that is hiring. The person only needs to meet the company’s need and the company proves that no Canadian or permanent resident has the technical competence to supply the qualified workforce for that vacancy that is open.
How much does it cost to immigrate?
That depends a lot. It may not cost anything, if a person migrates with a work visa and this work visa is made by the company that will have to pay for the entire process legally. In the study visa, the person needs to prove financial autonomy, for permanent residence there is the option to prove financial autonomy and another is to declare and declare is to sign a document saying that it has a value to stay in the country.
Do you need to know English or French?
Of course, the language helps, but the person will be able to learn it either in Brazil or in Canada, that is their choice, if the person is able to do so. In the case of language, proof is not always required.
Do you have opportunities for everyone? Where are the jobs?
The country has always looked for young people to compose its staff to make its economy spin. However, with the lack of qualified professionals, seniors are having more opportunities and with interesting salaries. A novelty is the opening of jobs for women aged 55 and over and men aged up to 54.
The provinces where the gains are greatest are between Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Island and Vancouver. The main opportunities offered are linked to the area of sales, health, information technology, marketing, food, construction, logistics, accommodation and agriculture.
3 myths about living and working in Canada
“You can get by with little knowledge of the language”
It’s a myth that it’s possible to get by in Canada without knowing much English or French. “Even if you could, how are you going to do well professionally if you don’t speak the language?”, says Santos. Having knowledge of the language is even one of the requirements in the immigration process.
It is very important to have a good knowledge of the language and to know the official language of the province you are interested in living in. In Canada, there are 10 provinces and three territories. Only Quebec and New Brunswick have French as an official language.
“You need to know how to differentiate between locations. If you study French and arrive in Toronto, you will have problems: nobody speaks French”.
Thus, learning English or French should be the first item on the to-do list of anyone who wants an international career. And if the person hopes to take the partner and the children, everyone must start learning to adapt to the new lifestyle.
“I want to go to Canada to have a better quality of life”
The consulting partner asks for caution when making the decision solely for the “quality of life”: salaries in the country offer a better consumption capacity, but there are factors such as the climate and cost of living that should also be taken into account.
“It doesn’t work to come here to ‘fix it’. You need a long-term plan to maximize your income, work at what you love, and be happy. The reality here is different from Brazil, 7 months a year is very cold and the pension in the country is 1,400 dollars”, he explains.
All countries have advantages and disadvantages, the same works for Canada. Despite being a relatively easy country for Brazilians to adapt culturally and feel welcomed, the climate and distance from friends and family must be taken into account before making any decision.
“Working in Canada is like Brazil”
Beware: with a move to another country, it’s good to prepare yourself to start all over again – and that includes your career. The culture within companies is different and their career experiences are not known in Canada.
“Canadians are extremely strict in everything they do. They pay close attention to every detail and delays are not tolerated. And since you don’t have references from Canadian companies, they won’t know how to evaluate your experience on your resume, so saying that you worked at Coca-Cola in Brazil or at Petrobras doesn’t say much”, says Santos.