Canada is one of the best countries in the world with teeming job opportunities. The interesting thing is that there’s something for everyone, the citizen, the tourist, the temporary as well as the permanent resident, the student as well as the immigrant.

This, however, does not take away the fact that in every system, there exists a scale of preference. As with most other countries, the Canadian government prioritises its citizens above all other categories when it comes to employment offers. This certainly is not a case of discrimination of any sort as it is clearly illogical to give opportunities out to foreigners at the expense of qualified nationals.

Note that the keyword is “qualified”, this means that the Canadian government, even when it prioritises its citizens, doesn’t do that based on sentiments. If there are any cases of a qualified foreigner jostling for a job offer with a citizen who is not qualified for that offer, of course, the foreigner would be the preferred candidate.

Also, note, as implied above, that as a foreigner, nepotism will not work for you when it comes to getting a job in Canada. So, do not think that having connections to an employer or some influencer of some sort will get you a backstage pass into the Canadian labour force.

So, with all these in mind, the big question is;

HOW THEN CAN A FOREIGNER GET A JOB IN CANADA?

There are numerous options a foreigner can choose from when thinking of getting a job in Canada. Some of these options include but not limited to:

1. Immigrating to Canada for Educational Purposes
2. Immigrating to Canada through the Express Entry Immigration System
3. Sourcing for Jobs through a Recruitment Agency
4. Taking International Experience Classes

Now, we’ll take a closer peek at each one on the list

1. IMMIGRATING TO CANADA FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

This method is pretty much straightforward for foreigners who seek to get a job in Canada. Though expensive, it’s like a “means-to-an-end” method. The end goal is getting a job in Canada using Education as a means. Graduates in Canada will get the opportunity to work with firms as interns for a period of time so as to afford them practical experience of all they might have learnt during the course of study.

As a foreigner, you can harp on this to foray into the Canadian labour market. Here’s how it works; graduate gets to intern in a Canadian firm arranged by the institution of study, graduate garners experience over the set duration of internship and if the intern is able to prove his mettle, the firm most definitely would love to engage his services even after completing the internship. Bang! Working with a Canadian firm, applying for permanent residency will be undeniable and as a foreigner, that’s how you use Education as a means to get the end goal, the job.

There’s more about this here.

2. IMMIGRATING TO CANADA THROUGH THE EXPRESS ENTRY SYSTEM

Without even having a job, a foreigner can apply for immigration into Canada through the Express Entry System which only requires that the applicant is skilled. The Express Entry system is a sure way for a foreigner to gain permanent residency in Canada.

This , however, does not automatically grants the applicant employment but rather positions him for employment. He can then get connected to employers who might be seeking the services that match the applicant’s skills set. This way, before long, something would definitely come through.

We have full details about Express Entry here.

3. SOURCING FOR JOBS THROUGH A RECRUITMENT AGENCY

There are agencies that are accredited by the Canadian government that serve as scouts for qualified job candidates. Most of the process is done online, so, as a foreigner, even from your remote location, you can get in touch with any of those agencies that will keep you up to date with job opportunities that fit the skills set you must have presented to them.

Once you’re cool with any of the offers, you’ll only have to go through the formalities of getting a job appointment with the Firm in question. As long as the firm is located in Canada, you’ll be able to migrate to Canada as an employee of that Canadian firm. The only demerit of this method is that there are many scammers who go about parading themselves as recruitment agencies on the internet.

Most times, they only want to rip unsuspecting job seekers of hard earned money, so, be wary of the agencies you deal with as the accredited ones get paid by the firm for which they are scouting for workers and will therefore not require any financial obligation on the part of the applicant.

4. TAKING INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE CLASSES

One other option, this though for young foreigners who have no working experience to boast of, is to apply for International Experience Classes which are open to all within the ages of 18 and 35 years. This enables foreigners to travel to Canada, gain the experience needed to work in Canada while residing there. Upon completion of the programme, successful participants can then vie for jobs in Canada based on the experience gathered from the classes.