Work in Canada UK

Work in Canada UK

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the UK, is a country on the northwestern coast of the European mainland. It is surrounded by the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea, and the English Channel. The total area of the UK is 242,495 km2, and the total population is 67,791,400 residents. The capital and biggest city is London. Other major cities are Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Leeds.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy with King Charles III as the monarch and head of state of the UK and 14 independent countries. These 15 countries are referred to as Commonwealth realms. The UK is also a parliamentary democracy with the prime minister as the head of government and the monarch’s principal adviser.

The UK has considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific, technological, and political influence worldwide. It has the sixth-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP) in the world. The state is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It is also a member of the Council of Europe, the G7, NATO, the Organisazion for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Interpol, and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

British influence is observed in the language, culture, and legal systems of many of its former colonies, such as Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, India, Pakistan, and South Africa. The substantial cultural influence of the UK is often described as a cultural superpower.

Speaking about the UK and Canada, both countries have a shared history, the Commonwealth of Nations, the English language, a system of government, and the same head of state, King Charles III. That is why 11,211,850 citizens of Canada trace their ancestry to the British Isles. More and more UK residents decide to work in Canada. Thus, it is worth discussing job pathways to Canada in more detail.

IEC Programs

The International Experience Canada (IEC) programs help residents of the UK gain valuable work experience while enjoying an unforgettable travel experience. The program has three streams: Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op. However, citizens of the UK can apply only for the Working Holiday stream. It allows them to live and work in Canada for up to two years. To qualify for the Working Holiday stream, residents of the UK must meet the following requirements.

1. They ought to be British citizens from the UK or the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey.
2. Applicants need to have a valid UK or Channel Islands passport. Permit to work in Canada cannot be valid longer than the passport.
3. Residents of the UK must be 18 to 30 years old.
4. They should have at least 2,500 CAD to cover their expenses in Canada.
5. Applicants ought to have health insurance for the duration of their stay in Canada.
6. Citizens of the UK must be admissible to the country and have a right to work in Canada.
7. They need to have a round-trip ticket. As an option, they can prove they return home at the end of their authorized stay in Canada.
8. Dependants cannot accompany the applicants.
9. They ought to pay the participation fee of 161 CAD and an open work permit holder fee of 100 CAD.

Residents of the UK can work in Canada under the IEC only once. Those who participated in the program before 2015 for up to a year are eligible for a second participation of up to two years. Foreigners who participated in the International Experience Canada more than once before 2015 are no longer eligible to apply to the program.

Job Offer with LMIA

The next opportunity to work in Canada is to obtain a job offer under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The offer ought to have the details of the future position, such as job description, conditions of employment, and salary. Still, it is not enough to get a job offer to work in Canada.

Employers need to obtain the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The document shows that there is a need for a temporary foreign worker and local professionals are not available to fill the position. When the employer gets a confirmation letter from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), they ought to send a copy of the LMIA to the potential foreign worker.

Once citizens of the UK get a copy of the confirmation letter, they must apply for a work permit. Foreigners do not have a right to work in Canada without authorization. Hence, prospective workers need to submit an application package along with an employment contract and a copy of the LMIA. Foreigners also should pay the work permit application fee of 155 CAD. The work permit processing time for residents of the UK is eight weeks.

Expats

Canada is the second most popular destination for expats from the UK. According to the latest data, there are about 650,000 citizens of the UK who live and work in Canada. They settle in almost every major city across the country, with Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver being predominant destinations for UK expats.

Canada has vast job opportunities for expats. The business sector faces a lack of qualified and skilled professionals in the agricultural, industrial, construction, information technology, and health sectors. Thus, the list of high-demand occupations ranges from animal health technologists and opticians to managers and legislators. Residents of the UK who plan to live and work in Canada can find a job through the Job Bank.

Post-Graduation Work Permit

Every year, above 10,000 students from the UK choose Canada as their study destination. About half of them decide to stay in the country after graduation since they have an opportunity to work in Canada under a post-graduation work permit (PGWP). It is an open work permit, which allows them to work in the country without a job offer. Under the PGWP, citizens of the UK can work in Canada and gain professional work experience for up to three years.

To qualify for the program, international students need to fulfill four main requirements.

1. They ought to complete at least a two-year post-secondary study program that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
2. Applicants must graduate from an eligible Designated Learning Institution (DLI), such as a public post-secondary institution or a private post-secondary school that has the authority to award degrees under provincial law.
3. Residents of the UK should have full-time student status during their studies in Canada.
4. They need to submit a transcript and an official letter from the post-secondary educational institution confirming they have met the requirements of their study program.

Spouse Open Work Permit

Certain categories of foreign residents can also work in Canada under open work permits. Among them are spouses of temporary foreign workers, international students, and Canadian citizens or permanent residents. The open work permit allows citizens of the UK to work in Canada for any employer without the LMIA.

Residents of the UK may get an open work permit if their spouses are temporary workers who work in Canada under NOC (National Occupational Classification) TEER 0, 1 or 2 for at least six months.

Spouses of full-time international students who have valid study permits and study at public post-secondary educational institutions can also work in Canada under an open work permit. Moreover, citizens of the UK can qualify for open work permits if their spouses obtain a post-graduation work permit. As a rule, the duration of the open work permit corresponds with the validity period of the PGWP.

Spouses of Canadians can work in Canada if they meet the eligibility requirements of the Inland Sponsorship program. Then, they should submit a spouse open work permit application along with the sponsorship application package.

 

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