Immigrate to Canada as a Pipe Fitter
April 9, 2021
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Canadians have seen a gradual shift in the way trades people are perceived in the country. The old perception that people who studied trades were the ones who weren’t ‘smart’ enough to get into university has gone right into the trash can where it belongs. As demand for skilled tradesmen and women continues to grow throughout Canada, salaries continue to rise with this demand and now, it’s the smarter ones who are going into a trade! However there is still very limited awareness about the wide variety of career paths in the trades field, and that is why if you are considering immigrating to Canada as a pipe fitter, there has never been a better opportunity to obtain permanent residency than the present.
Can I Start Working Immediately?
The best thing you could do before immigrating is to secure a valid job offer from an employer that has a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Your employer will be able to direct you registering with the provincial regulatory body in whichever province you will be living and working. If you want to immigrate to Canada without a job offer, you will need to find out who the regulatory body is in the province of your choosing, or consult our list we put together for you below which also shows how much you can expect to earn in each province: Manitoba| Steamfitter & Pipefitter in Canada | ||
|---|---|---|
| Province | Authority | Average Annual Wage |
| Ontario | Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeships | $64,506 |
| British Columbia | Industry Training Authority | $71,640 |
| Saskatchewan | Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certificate Commission | $77,992 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Apprenticeships and Trades Certification Division | $65,277 |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency | $55,731 |
| New Brunswick | Government of New Brunswick | $67,770 |
| Northwest Territories | Department of Education, Culture and Employment | $65,248 |
| Yukon | Yukon Government Training and Certification | $73,984 |
| Alberta | Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training | $95,661 |
| Manitoba Building Trades | $72,417 | |
| Prince Edward Island | Charlottetown Apprenticeship Office | $68,805 |
The most important thing is to have our Red Seal certification in Canada. If you come from a country that doesn’t work on the same system you may be required to take the Red Seal examination for pipefitters. You will also need to show you have at least 10,800 hours of experience or you may have to continue as an apprentice until you have the required amount of time to take the Red Seal examination. Not to worry though, pipe fitter and steampipe fitters earn around 70% of what their mentors are making.
Become a Pipe Fitter in Canada
If you are not already a certified pipefitter, you might strongly want to consider doing your apprenticeship in Canada. . It will take around four years to complete; you will do around 8,280 hours of practical work and 720 hours of technical training before writing your final examination to become certified. So in essence, it’s like doing a degree at a university, the big difference though is as we mentioned, you do get paid during this time, around 70% of what a certified steamfitter or pipefitter makes, increasing month by month until you reach the level of certified pipefitter. Permanent residency will be very easily attainable as most provinces not only urgently need skilled pipefitters, but also want their skilled trades people to stick around. Nearly every immigration pathway, including the PNP and AIP, have international graduate programs for just this reason.Immigration Options
As we mentioned before pipefitters are classified as an in-demand skilled trade, which means there are a number of ways you can apply for permanent residency in Canada. The Express Entry system is the quickest and doesn’t require a job offer, but you may be just a small fish in a big pond. While others may take more time, at the end of the day if you have the qualifications, language ability and pass the eligibility test, you shouldn’t have any problems obtaining permanent residency status in Canada.Express Entry System
Pipe fitters are classified as skill type B under the NOC. This means that they are eligible to apply as a skilled trade worker in the Federal Skilled Trades Program. Your eligibility for this program is determined by:- Skilled work experience - at least two years work experience within the last five years in a skilled trade before you apply
- A valid full time job offer (minimum contract of one year) or an electrician certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority
- Language ability - certain aspect of your job will depend on your ability to communicate effectively with customers, for this reason you will need to pass a Canadian Language Benchmark test and earn a minimum score of 4 in all four sections; reading, writing, listening and speaking.
- Qualifications - there is no educational requirement, however it will boost your score if you have your qualification/certification credentials evaluated.
- Eligible - you must be eligible to immigrate to Canada, this means you cannot have a criminal record, you must be in good health and you must have legal status in the country you are living in now.
All these factors and few others not core to your ability to effectively work in Canada will be used to calculate your Comprehensive Ranking Score (CRS) on your Express Entry program profile. You will then be entered into a pool of applicants, from which a certain number of skilled foreign workers are invited to apply for permanent residency in Canada twice a month. The way to ensure you are sent an ITA in the very next draw after your application is submitted, is to earn a provincial nomination.
Provincial Nomination Program
You can apply for a provincial nomination in one of two ways. The first, create an expression of interest in a particular province that you wish to live and work in on your Express Entry profile. If the province deems your skills to line up with their demands, they will issue you with a provincial nomination, which will contribute 600 points out of the overall 1,200 points available on your CRS, rocketing you to the top of the pool of candidates. The second, create a profile on the province you wish to live and work in on the government website and submit an expression of interest directly. If they are in need of your skills, they will invite you to apply directly to the province and will motivate your application of permanent residency to the Canadian government. The requirements of the Provincial Nomination Programs are very similar to the Express Entry eligibility requirements, sometimes not being as stringent. There are provinces with immigrations streams under their PNP’s that make provision for pipefitters who wish to live and work in the province, such as:
- Ontario - Regional Immigration Pilot,
- British Columbia - Skills Immigration Pathway,
- Nova Scotia - Occupations in Demand Stream,
- New Brunswick - Skilled Worker Stream; and
- Yukon - Critical Impact Worker Category.
Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot
Due to most immigrants graviting to major cities in Canada such as Vancouver and Toronto, the Rural & Northern Immigration Pilot was created to lure some of that talent to the smaller cities around the country. The way the pilot works is you secure a valid job offer in a participating community, and if they are happy with you they motivate your application for permanent residency. It’s a straightforward immigration program for people who know what they want. Communities participating in this pilot are below, but make sure your job offer is from a designated employer or you won’t be eligible to apply for permanent residency under this program.
| Participating Communities in Canada |
|---|
| North Bay, Ontario |
| Sudbury, Ontario |
| Timmins, Ontario |
| Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
| Thunder Bay, Ontario |
| Brandon, Manitoba |
| Altona/Rhineland, Manitoba |
| Moosejaw, Saskatchewan |
| Claresholm, Alberta |
| Vernon, British Columbia |
| West Kootenay, British Columbia |
Atlantic Immigration Pilot
Perhaps you are not fully qualified just yet and are thinking of finishing your apprenticeship, or even starting from scratch in Canada. If your CRS score is a bit low for the Express Entry System and you think you could wait forever for an ITA, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) offers permanent residency to applicants with a valid full-time job offer under NOC 0, A, B and C. Pretty much any valid full time job offer could see you eligible for permanent residency under this immigration pilot. The AIP was designed to address the labour shortages in the four Atlantic provinces; Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. All types of fitters are in high demand in Atlantic Canada. So if you have a full time valid job offer in one of the four provinces listed above, you can apply for permanent residency at the same time as you apply for your Canadian work permit, and as long as you meet the eligibility requirements, there is no reason you should not be eligible for PR status, as a certified pipefitter or a pipefitter in training with a valid job offer or letter of enrollment.
How We Can Help You Immigrate to Canada
We have highlighted four immigration programs that can facilitate your journey to permanent residency in Canada. There are over 80 immigration pathways within the IRCC. There are three ways to start the process right now. The first is to create your Express Entry profile, and await an invitation to apply for permanent residency. The second is to apply directly to your province of preferences Provincial Nomination Program. The third is to obtain a valid job offer, get your work permit and apply to the relevant immigration program simultaneously. These are the three main pathways the Canadian government is allowing potential immigrants to enter Canada at the moment. But before you choose any of those, it is vital that you know which programs you are eligible for. By using our accredited Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) you will not only improve your chances of success in the Canadian visa application process, but you will get expert advice on which program is best for your specific needs. Our RCICs are highly qualified and are granted permission by the Canadian government to assist you with your eligibility evaluation, review all your documents and application forms and submit them for you. We handle the paperwork while you choose your dream job in Canada. All you have to do is complete our online form by clicking the link below and we’ll take care of the rest. It's just that simple.