How to Get a Canadian Work Visa from Nigeria – Nigerians are presently looking for countries where they can get greener pastures and as a Nigerian, you should know that Canada is one of the best countries to immigrate to at the moment. If you want to work in Canada whether permanently or temporarily, you will have to get the right information as to how you can do this.
Getting a work visa to work in Canada from Nigeria is quite easy as there are over a million jobs in Canada presently and the country is looking to invite immigrants from different parts of the world to come fill labor shortages in the country. Canada has initiated strategies to help it welcome foreign workers into the country whether on temporary or permanent basis and these foreign workers are to contribute to the workforce and growth of the country.
Getting a job in Canada comes with a lot of benefits as you get to enjoy a favorable minimum wage, better quality of life with lower cost of living though depending on the province. You can also apply for permanent residence in Canada if you have a work experience of at least one year.
Canada is seen as one of the safest and most welcoming country in the world and if you have skills, experience or training in essential fields like nursing, engineering, agriculture, truck driving, teaching etc. you can actually get a Canadian work visa from Nigeria.
But you will have to meet the requirements for the work visa before you can be deemed eligible and seeing this article will give you the information you seek.
Without further ado, let’s look at how you can get a Canadian work visa from Nigeria.
3 Steps on How To Get A Canadian Work Visa From Nigeria
Step One: Find a job in Canada
If you want to apply for a work visa in Canada, you will have to get a valid job offer from an employer in Canada. Since there are a lot of job opportunities in Canada, getting a job there from Nigeria is not going to be difficult. There is an aging population in Canada as Canadians are retiring from their jobs due to old age and this has created a lot of vacancies that employers are trying to fill by inviting foreign workers either on a permanent or temporary basis.
The job offer you get in Canada will determine the type of work visa you will obtain in Canada. For instance, if you have a job offer as an agricultural worker, you would have to obtain an employer-specific work permit by applying through the Agricultural Worker Stream under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The employer-specific work permit restricts you to working for a particular employer in Canada.
Step Two: Get a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
If you get a job offer from an employer in Canada, you will also have to get a LMIA to support your work permit. This LMIA show that your job offer is valid and your services are actually needed by the employer in Canada. You cannot work in Canada without a LMIA from an employer in the country.
This document is issued by the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to an employer that wants to hire foreign workers. This document shows that there are no Canadian citizens or permanent resident in the country available to take up the job and so there is a need for the employer to hire foreign workers to come fill up the job position.
So if you are planning on working in Canada as a Nigerian, you should get the LMIA from your Canadian employer that wants to hire you. You will then submit this document when applying for Canadian work visa.
Also, if you are a temporary foreign worker from Nigeria and you qualify for a work permit program under the International Mobility Program (IMP), then you may not require the LMIA document. Also some essential occupations in Canada may not require this LMIA document like healthcare profession.
Step Three: Work Towards a Permanent Future in Canada With Pilot Programs
If you want to get a job in Canada and also work towards getting permanent residence, you can consider applying for the immigration pilot programs for caregivers and agricultural workers. Getting a job in these areas won’t be difficult as these occupations are in-demand in the country. Also, the work experience you gain from in Canada will help you to become a permanent residence in Canada.
The immigration pilot programs are:
- The Agri-food Pilot
- The Home Care Provider Pilot
Top 15 jobs in Canada in 2024
Now, let’s look at the top 15 jobs in Canada in 2021according to Randstad. We will also be showing you the ranges of the salaries of the occupation in Canadian Dollar.
Top 15 Jobs in Canada in 2024
Occupation Average Annual Salary in CAD (Source: Neuvoo)
1. Project manager $85,000 to $90, 675
2. Software developer $83,218 to $85, 600
3. Registered nurse $78,000 to $80, 126
4. HR manager $75,000 to $78, 975
5. Financial advisor $75,000 to $77, 739
6. Electric engineer $70,200 to $74, 997
7. Accountant $56,000 to $58, 500
8. Driver $42,900 to $44, 234
9. Administrative assistant $42,000 to $43, 875
10. Welder $40,000 to $43, 875
11. Sales associate $35,190 to $37, 050
12. Accounts payable and receivable clerk $32,000 to $34, 750
13. Customer service representative $32,000 to $34, 125
14. General labourer $30,000 to $31, 919
15. Merchandiser $30,000 to $31, 346
Can I Work In Canada Without A Job Offer?
Why not!! You can actually work in Canada without a job offer and this can be done if you study in Canada or apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP). Here, you can get a job even without a job offer from an employer in Canada. Another thing is that this can lead to get a permanent residence in Canada as you have gotten a Canadian work experience from studying and working in Canada.
How To Live And Work In Canada As A Permanent Resident
If you are do not want to apply for a work visa from Canada and you would like to immigrate to Canada, then there is an easy route for you which is even one of the quickest and fastest immigration programs in Canada. This program is one of the most popular immigration programs too and here, it doesn’t require a valid job offer. This program is the Express Entry System. Let’s tell you about it.
The Express Entry System
This is more like the most popular immigration programs in Canada and it is one of the fastest as it has a processing time as short as 6months. You can actually apply through this program and get the chance to live and work in Canada permanently.
In the Express Entry System, applicants are to create an online profile with some information like work experience, educational qualification, language proficiency in English or French, proof of sufficient funds to support you in Canada etc.
In this program, applicants are given a score after they must have completed their online profile within 60days. They will be ranked based on a Comprehensive Ranking System in a draw pool and the applicants that meet or exceed the CRS cut-off score will receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in Canada.
The draw is done twice in a month and if you were not successful the first time, you can actually improve your CRS score to be able to meet or exceed the CRS cut-off score and qualify for an ITA for permanent residence.
