If you want to succeed in the skilled trades as an immigrant in Canada, there are two main paths you can take once you arrive, depending on your prior experience in the trades.
While many newcomers who arrive in Canada have previously worked in the trades and can transfer many of their skills, others will need to learn the necessary skills to succeed in their chosen field. Eventually, however, both career paths do merge.
There are three main ranks for professionals to achieve in the trades: apprentice, journeyperson, and master.
Take a Trade Equivalency Assessment
If you are an experienced newcomer who wants to continue working in your chosen trade, you already have many of the talents needed to succeed in the skilled trades as an immigrant in Canada and can legitimize them by taking a Trade Equivalency Assessment. The assessment is used for people who have trades experience under the following categories:
- You have trades experience from outside of Canada.
- You have experience from a province/territory that does not have a certification from your chosen trade.
- You are a veteran of the Canadian Forces
If you do need to complete a Trade Equivalency Assessment, you will be held to the same on-the-job standards that apply to qualified tradespeople in Canada. You will need to show that:
- You are competent in the skills of your chosen trade, as defined by the requisite training standards.
- You have experience in the trade that is equal to the prescribed total time spent training as an apprentice, which includes both times spent on the job and academic learning.
Find out what trades are in demand and register for a Trade Equivalency Assessment.
Steps in the right direction for a skilled trades career as a newcomer
If you are unsure about where to begin but do know that you want to specialize in a certain trade in Canada, your local settlement agency can connect you with the right training pathways or bridging programs. Or, reach out to us at New Canadians, and we can refer you to a partner organization that meets your needs.
You can then begin your apprenticeship: many apprentice opportunities can be found on the Canada Job Bank. More options can also be found on Skills Canada. You can also find out more about each training and/or apprenticeship program across Canada’s provinces and territories by checking out the Ellis Chart.
Note that while you are doing your apprenticeship, you can also receive many grants and loans to help you succeed in the skilled trades. Go to Step Five of this link to find out more.
It can take between two and five years for you to become a journeyperson, which is where the two paths to the trades for immigrants to Canada come together. Once you’ve established your career in trades, you can then prepare for your master tradesperson certification.
Also read: Explore careers in skilled trades and technologies in Ontario
The Red Seal Certification — more opportunities to work
The Red Seal Program sets common standards for tradespeople in Canada across the country’s 13 provinces and territories. It recognizes 54 trades: auto mechanic, carpenter, cook, electrician, heavy equipment operator, ironworker, machinist, millwright, pipefitter, plumber, roofer, tool and die maker, and welder.
Getting certified in a Red Seal Trade is a great way to succeed in the skilled trades as an immigrant in Canada, as it means you can move from one province to another to take up a more lucrative job, without having to retrain in most provinces.
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