Did you know that you can immigrate to Canada without a degree? In fact, there are not only various jobs that don’t need a degree but there are many of these jobs in Canada that are not only in demand but are exempt from the current pandemic travel restrictions?

Canada’s job market has been under tremendous pressure, not because there is a lack of jobs but because there simply are not enough skilled workers to keep up with Canada’s thriving economy. And believe it or not, this started long before the pandemic.

How is the Pandemic Affecting the Canadian Job Market?

Although Canada’s job market took a large knock, along with the rest of the world’s economy, it has since bounced back. According to Statistic Canada, the unemployment rate has dropped to just 7.5 percent, which is the lowest it has been since February 2020.

Ready to find out if your skills are what Canada is looking for? In this article, we will take a look at the top 10 opportunities to work in Canada, without having a degree.

Work in Canada Without a Degree

Many foreign workers are under the impression that in order to work in Canada you need a higher qualification from a university or college, however, this is simply not the case. In fact, Canada offers immigration and visa options to applicants of all skill levels. Although having a qualification is important, what is arguably more important at the moment is either having Canadian work experience or a valid job offer in Canada. The more in-demand your job is and the higher your level of work experience and expertise in your chosen field, the more likely it will be to get a visa for Canada.

So let us take a look at just some of the jobs in Canada that are both in demand and don’t need a degree.

Top 10 Occupations in Canada That Do Not Require a Degree

10. Fish Plant Workers (NOC 9463)

Salary Range: $12.55 - $17.28 per hour

Provinces In Need: British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island

Qualification Requirement: Some form of secondary education & on-the-job training

With the longest coastline in the world, it is no surprise that Canada has a thriving fishing industry. About 50 percent of the aquaculture market is located in Atlantic Canada. This sector employs over 48,000 people and as the demand grows, so will job opportunities in Canada.

9. Electricians (NOC 7241/2/3)

Salary Range: $18 - $43 per hour

Provinces In Need: Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Yukon

Qualification Requirement: Secondary education and a four- to five-year apprenticeship program (Trade certification may be required)

As Canada's construction and development sectors continue to grow, so does the need for qualified and skilled electricians. Canada employs over 93,000 electricians. By 2028 is estimated that there will be 23,400 new job openings.

8. Industrial Butchers(NOC 9462)

Salary Range: $14.88 - $23 per hour

Provinces In Need: British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan

Qualification Requirement: Secondary education may be required, completion of a program in Industrial meat cutting or experience.

The meat processing industry is another booming market in Canada. More than 22,000 employees are currently working in Canada in the meat cutting industry.

7. Homecare Support Providers (NOC 4412)

Salary Range: $12.91 - $24 per hour

Provinces In Need: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan

Qualification Requirement: Some secondary education, completion of a course in-home support, first aid certification, completion of a training program in care for the elderly, those with disabilities, and convalescent care may be required as well as home management experience.

Home care providers are in high demand in seven of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories. Home support workers and child care providers are in such demand that Minister Marco Mendicino, recently announced that he would be initiating a plan to speed up the Canadian work visa and permanent residency application processing.

It was confirmed that 6,000 caregiver applications would be given priority and processed by the end of 2021, 1,500 of which would be processed by June 30, 2021. Caregivers are extremely important in Canada, as families return back to work, support is needed for those who are in need of assistance to take care of their loved ones.

6. Retail Salesperson (NOC 6421)

Salary Range: $12 - $23.08 per hour

Provinces In Need: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Yukon

Qualification Requirement: Secondary education and university or college diploma may be required, as well as demonstrated sales ability and product knowledge are usually required.

As nearly a third of the Canadian population has already received their first dose of vaccinations, the retail sector is slowly resuming work as usual. Stores are opening across the country and experienced salespeople, particularly those with specific product knowledge, are needed in more than half the province and territories across the country.

5. Cleaners, Janitors, Caretakers & Building Superintendents (NOC 6731/2/3)

Salary Range: $12.02 - $21.75 per hour

Provinces In Need: Alberta, British Columbia, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Qualification Requirement: No education requirement except certification for housekeeping room attendants and experience is usually required. Janitors require some form of secondary education and may require maintenance experience. Journeyman/woman certificate may be required for a building superintendent

As Canada moves forward with its plan to overcome the pandemic by providing vaccinations to its population over the next few months, it can only be assumed that soon the tourist industry, as well as other sectors, will return to normal. General cleaning staff, housekeepers, janitors, caretakers, and building superintendents are in high demand in eight provinces and territories, which means that the likelihood of finding a job in Canada is high.

4. Welders (NOC7237)

Salary Range: $18 - $40 per hour

Provinces In Need: New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Yukon

Qualification Requirement: Secondary education and completion of a three-year apprenticeship program or combination of over three years of work experience and some college or industry courses. Trade certification may be required in some provinces.

Welding is a trade that has and will continue to be in demand in Canada. Construction and development are on the rise as is the manufacturing sector, which means that skilled and experienced welders will be in need indefinitely. For the best chances of being hired, however, it’s a good idea to apply for jobs where welding jobs are listed as in demand as it will increase your chances of getting permanent residency in that province or territory.

3. Farm workers (NOC8431)

Salary Range: $12 - $27 per hour

Provinces In Need: Alberta, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Qualification Requirement: No education or training requirement however a college certificate or specialized courses are an advantage, basic farm knowledge, and first aid certification may be required

Canada’s agricultural sector is one of the largest in the world. It contributes significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), mainly producing grains and oilseeds, livestock, dairy, horticulture as well as poultry and eggs. Over two-thirds of Canada’s farms are located in Ontario and it is not surprising that it is one of the provinces that need farmworkers. Eight Canadian provinces and territories desperately need skilled farm labourers and have specialized work and immigration programs to help fast-track the application process.

2. Transport Truck Drivers (NOC7511)

Salary Range: $15.25 - $33.65 per hour

Provinces In Need: British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Qualification Requirement: Secondary education and university or college diploma may be required, as well as demonstrated sales ability and product knowledge are usually required.

Canada's transportations sector is always on the lookout for new drivers to help meet the demand of some of its major industries. Trucking generates approximately 35% of Canada's GDP. According to Statista, there are over 302,000 truck drivers currently employed in Canada and yet there is still a big labour gap that needs to be filled in almost every province and territory.

1. Licensed Practical Nurses (NOC3233)

Salary Range: $21 - $33.50 per hour

Provinces In Need: Alberta, Newfoundland & Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Qualification Requirement: Completion of a vocational, college, or other approved program for practical nurses required, registration with a regulatory body and completion of registration examination required in all provinces and territories, as well as additional academic training for operating room technicians

Nurses remain the number one in-demand job in Canada. As hospitals continue to be overwhelmed with additional COVID-19 cases, the demand will continue to grow, but it’s important to know that this demand was around long before the pandemic. It has been estimated that over 33,500 new jobs will be created by 2028 and the medical sector currently employs over 79,000 licensed nurses.

Are You Eligible? Find Out Today!

How to Immigrate to Canada Without a Degree

There are various ways for skilled foreign workers to move to Canada permanently as well as many other jobs that don’t need a degree. Below are some of the top ways that you can live and work in Canada without having a degree.

The Express Entry System

The Express Entry system manages three federal economic programs,

• The Federal Skilled Worker Program - skilled workers whose occupations are classified as skill level A, B or 0
• The Federal Skilled Trade Worker - skilled workers whose occupations are classified under major Groups 72,73,82,,92 and MInor Groups 632 and 633; and
• The Canadian Experience Class - for skilled workers with job offers and at least one year of Canadian work experience.

None of these Canadian immigration programs require a degree. Below are the education requirements for the above-mentioned Express Entry programs.

Although there are no specific education requirements for two of the three programs mentioned it is important to note that applicants under Express Entry are ranked according to various factors such as age, language, job offers (if applicable) as well as their ability to adapt to life in Canada.

The Provincial Nominee Program

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is another permanent residency pathway to Canada that doesn’t need a degree. This program is aimed at helping skilled and experienced workers with a job offer and the desired skills required to help fill specific labour shortages. 11 of Canada’s provinces and territories have their own PNPs with specific requirements.

Each PNP has Express Entry-linked streams, which allows employers to select suitable profiles from draw pools every two weeks and give them a provincial nomination, which is worth 600 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, which is the system used to rank Express Entry candidates.

Each PNP also has in-demand streams as well as specialized streams for specific occupations. Below are some of the immigration streams in each province.

The Atlantic Immigration Pilot

The Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is aimed at helping skilled foreign workers immigrate to one of Canada’s four Atlantic Provinces:

• New Brunswick;
• Newfoundland & Labrador;
• Nova Scotia; and
• Prince Edward Island.

There are three programs; International Graduate Program, High Skilled Program, and the Intermediate-skilled Program. Below are the education requirements for each AIP program.

The Agri-food Pilot

The Agri-food Pilot is an immigration program designed to help skilled agricultural workers with job offers in Canada move to Canada permanently. The only educational requirement is that you must at least have a Canadian high school diploma or a foreign credential that is equivalent to a Canadian secondary school level.

You can apply through the Agri-food pilot if you are in one of the following qualifying occupations:

• NOC B 6331 – Retail butchers
• NOC C 9462 – Industrial butchers
• NOC B 8252 – Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC D 9617 – Food processing labourers
• NOC B 8252 – Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC C 8431 – General farm workers
• NOC D 8611 – Harvesting labourers
• NOC B 8252 – Farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
• NOC C 8431 – General farm workers

It is important to note that this program has annual limits for visas issued each year, which are processed and issued on a first-come-first-serve basis. This means that the sooner you apply the higher your chance of being successful in your visa application.

How to Apply for a Canadian Work Visa Without a Degree

If you intend on living and working in Canada on a temporary basis, you will need to apply for a work visa or permit. There are two main types; an open work permit and an employer-specific work permit. There are various temporary work visas that you can apply for without a degree, but the first step is to find out which program you qualify for.

International Experience Canada

The International Experience Canada (IEC) program is also known as the Working Holiday Visa. There are three programs that require different types of work visas:

• Working Holiday Visa - open-work permit
• Young Professionals - employer-specific work permit; and
• International Co-op - employer-specific work permit.

Below are the education requirements for each program:

Post-Graduation Work Permit

The Post-Graduation Work permit is aimed at helping international students in Canada stay and work in Canada for up to three years after graduating. The length of your work permit is dependent on the length of your study program, for example, if you completed a two-year study program your work permit will be valid for two years. Once you’ve accumulated enough work experience you may be eligible to apply for Canadian permanent residency.

Temporary Foreign Work Permit

Most temporary foreign workers require a Canadian work visa or permit to be able to live and work in Canada. The great thing about working in Canada is that you will be able to accumulate the necessary work experience required to immigrate to Canada through programs such as the CEC as well as various other provincial programs.

Ready to get started on your visa application?

The first step is to find out which of over 100 immigration and visa programs you qualify for, and now that you know that you do not necessarily need a degree to get a job in Canada or immigrate to Canada, the sky is the limit!

Are You Eligible? Find Out Today!