Are you looking to move to Canada but having a hard time finding work while still living abroad? Here, our immigration physicians in Ottawa and Orleans talk about how to immigrate to Canada without a job including information about immigration programs and how to find work.
Immigration to Canada When You Don't Have a Job Offer
While certain immigration programs require applicants to have a job offer prior to applying, some do not. There are a number of programs and immigration options available to immigrants without a job offer. Some of these programs include Express Entry and Provincial Nominee programs. Below we share more information about each of these.
Express Entry Program
More than 100,000 immigrants move to Canada through the Express Entry Program each year. Most applicants do not include a job offer with their application and in many cases, it's not required.
While some of the requirements include work experience, education, and language skills, the program does not remove points for those lacking a job offer.
Thanks to a change made by the Canadian government in 2016, having a job offer no longer makes as large of an impact on your application. However, if you do have a job offer you will receive an additional 50 to 200 points, depending on the position.
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
Many Provincial Nominee Programs also do not require a job offer to apply. This depends on the specific requirements set by each province.
Saskatchewan, for example, uses an Expression of Interest (EOI) point system. This is similar to the Express Entry program and helps to determine which applicants should be invited to the program.
In other provinces, like Ontario and Nova Scotia, applicants in the Express Entry pool are used in order to fill labour market gaps or target demographics. This allows for new applicants to be invited based on their current profile.
Programs with Job Offer Requirements
While there are some options for applicants who are looking to move to Canada without a job, most options will only consider those who have employment lined up.
Programs like the Rural and Nothern Immigration Pilot, request that the candidate is strongly tied to the community they are applying to. This will greatly increase your chances of being considered and accepted.
So if you want to immigrate to Canada and do not yet have a valid job offer, don’t panic! There are many options available to become a permanent resident do not include a job offer requirement.
Finding a Job After you Immigrate to Canada
If you are considering applying for permanent residency in Canada, then your first step will likely be to find employment. Our Ottawa immigration panel physicians are happy to provide tips on how to find a job in Canada as an immigrant and other useful information about the job search process in our blog post - Find a Job in Canada for Newcomers.
