Get the Scoop on How To Immigrate To Canada as a Journalist

SEP 4, 2020

ROBYNN FARRELL

Breaking news! Canada is welcoming over 1-million newcomers by 2022 - and you can be one of them. The majority of new residents will be skilled workers such as journalists who show a positive impact on the Canadian economy through skills transferability, filling in-demand jobs, increasing buying power, and paying taxes. The even better news is that Canada’s entertainment and media industry revenue is expected to grow by 3.7% by 2022, according to PwC Canada. This means that more lucrative job opportunities will surface as the media industry adapts and changes. Ready to take the plunge? Find out how you can immigrate to Canada as a journalist below!

Where to Work in Canada as a Journalist?

Journalist salaries in Canada range from $65,600 to $214,000 per year depending on your work experience and level of education. The 12 main media hubs in Canada are naturally centered in the country’s biggest and most bustling cities: Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Calgary. These cities are home to some of the most prestigious media companies in the entire country.

Canada’s Top Media Companies

Media Company	Location
1. CanWest Global	Winnipeg, Manitoba
2. Bell Globemedia	Toronto, Ontario
3. Quebecor Media	Montreal, Quebec
4. Torstar	Toronto, Ontario
5. Rogers	Toronto, Ontario
6. Corus Entertainment	Toronto, Ontario
7. CHUM Limited	Toronto, Ontario
8. Transcontinental	Montreal, Quebec
9. Astral Media	Montreal, Quebec
10. Standard Radio	Toronto, Ontario
11. Alliance Atlantis	Toronto, Ontario
12. Craig Media	Calgary, Alberta

3 Ways to Immigrate to Canada as a Journalist

Journalist taking notes at a press conference

1) Be Self-Employed

Nowadays, many journalists prefer to do freelance work and a few senior journalists or editors proceed to own and operate their own online news sites. The good news is that Canada recognizes that many communication professionals are self-employed and therefore allows you to immigrate to Canada as a journalist through the Self-Employed Worker Program if you have at least 2-years of work experience as a self-employed person. Good to know: Immigrating to Canada as a self-employed worker can take up to 23-months. It may be a slower path to permanent residency but it's a lot less competitive.

2) Take the Express Route

If it’s speed and flexibility that you’re after then you may be interested in Express Entry. It’s an immigration system designed for skilled professionals like journalists to immigrate to Canada in less than a year! The Express Entry immigration system is essentially an online pool with hundreds of candidate profiles that are ranked against each other based on competitiveness. The highest scoring candidates are sent an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency during bi-weekly draws. Express Entry candidates are given Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores based on eligibility criteria such as:

Age;
Years of work experience;
Level of education;
Arranged employment;
Provincial nomination achieved;
Language proficiency
Spouse’s credentials

Find out if you can take the Express Entry route to Canada with our online eligibility evaluation reviewed by certified immigration consultants.

3) Get Employer Support

For those who are not quite ready to fully commit; why not work in Canada temporarily to test the Northern waters? If you arrange employment in Canada you can apply for a work permit that’ll allow you to live and work in Canada for the duration of your work contract. The best part about working in Canada is that it’ll allow you to gain valuable Canadian work experience and adapt to a new life - both of which counts towards your CRS score in the Express Entry draw. Follow our top tips to secure a job in journalism in Canada.

How We Make Canadian Immigration Easy

Thousands of successful applicants choose to apply with a certified immigration agency to avoid any mistakes and disappointments down the long, life-changing journey ahead. Our Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) are certified by the ICCRC and therefore trusted by the Canadian government to assist foreign nationals with their immigration and visa applications. They have years of experience in helping people reach their dream of living in the Great North - they can help you too. Simply, fill-in the contact sheet below and a friendly consultant will get back to you with an eligibility assessment.

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