Canada is renowned for its stable and robust economy, and it has experienced significant growth in various sectors following the pandemic. This sustained economic expansion is largely due to the country’s ambitious immigration targets.
Rapidly Growing Job Market in Canada for Newcomers: Find Your Perfect Career
According to the Immigration Levels Plan 2023-2025, Canada plans to admit 500,000 immigrants annually by the end of 2025. With a population of over 39,000,000 people, nearly 25% identify as immigrants.
Many newcomers come to Canada fully prepared to address gaps in the national labor market caused by retirements or a shortage of qualified candidates.
Among the employment sectors, there are a few standout industries that are growing rapidly and possess high-demand skills. If you are a newcomer, these are some industries worth considering when seeking employment opportunities.
Healthcare Sector
Canadians today are experiencing longer lifespans, which means they need healthcare for a longer time compared to previous generations. To meet the growing demand, Canada’s provinces are going to great lengths to attract healthcare professionals from other countries. Currently, more than 35% of doctors, 23% of registered nurses, and 39% of dentists in Canada are immigrants.
Based on the most recent job vacancy statistics in Canada, the healthcare industry has the highest number of vacant positions, reaching 143,800 as of February 2023. The nursing sector, in particular, experienced significant challenges during the pandemic, leading to many nurses needing extended breaks or leaving the profession entirely.
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been making efforts to simplify the process of healthcare workers becoming permanent residents. They have done so by eliminating obstacles that were in place for physicians who were previously categorized as self-employed. IRCC has clarified that individuals in self-employed occupations are not eligible for Express Entry.
Different methods of relocating to Canada as a healthcare professional.
The Express Entry program is commonly utilized by numerous healthcare professionals who wish to immigrate to Canada. This program specifically caters to individuals with advanced skills in the fields of the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Moreover, the responsibility for healthcare falls on individual provinces, so many provinces have specific pathways for healthcare workers through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Alberta, for instance, recently established the Dedicated Healthcare Pathway within the Alberta Express Entry Stream. Other provinces frequently conduct PNP draws that focus on candidates in healthcare professions. British Columbia conducts these draws nearly every week, while Ontario recently extended invitations to 2,349 healthcare candidates via its Human Capital Priorities stream.
Two federal pilot programs for caregivers of seniors and children are also available. Recently, the government declared that caregivers can now qualify for permanent residence in Canada through these programs with only 12 months of work experience, instead of the previous requirement of 24 months.
