According to a report published in 2021 by Boston Consulting Group and The Network, Canada has become the most attractive destination for foreign workers. With an all-time low unemployment rate of roughly 5% recorded in the first quarter of 2022, the country managed to quickly recover from the pandemic. Some high-demand sectors are even left with no choice but to rely on foreign workers to support their activities.
The main challenge for businesses remains to attract qualified workforce from overseas. Rewarding career, possibility to work remotely, attractive salaries: discover our list of the top 10 jobs that have the potential to bring international workers to Canada.
Software Developer
Internet browser, audio player, photo editor: these are only some examples of the fundamental place that software have in our daily lives. Through programming and design, Software Developers build, test, and launch software based on the specifications they received from the client.
A large range of industries are highly dependent on Software Developers for their businesses to run smoothly. With the never-ending development of digital technologies, the demand for Software Developers in Canada is predicted to substantially grow in the coming years. This is an attractive career because of its challenging nature and the possibility to keep learning from the development of new technologies. It also allows one to work remotely and enjoy a better quality of life in some of the most beautiful places in Canada.
UX/UI Designer
UX stands for “User eXperience”, while UI refers to “User Interface”. A UX/UI Designer is responsible for optimizing the functionality and visual design of websites and applications with the objective to offer the best user experience possible. Now that every business has a webpage or a dedicated app, the competition is everywhere, and UX/UI Designers are in demand across all industries. The main reason justifying this need is the Google Page Experience: if Google thinks your users will not have a good experience on your page, your ranking will be negatively impacted by the search engine.
Based on the number of job offers available on Indeed and Glassdoor, Toronto is among the 5 cities in the world with the highest demand for UX/UI Designers! Most of the positions are now hybrid or fully remote, which allows one to live in cheaper cities. Many European talents decide to pursue their Canadian dream because of the salaries, which are considerably higher.
Data Scientist
According to the Harvard Business Review, Data Scientist is “the sexiest job of the 21st century”. A Data Scientist is someone with the technical skills to interpret and extract meaning from data in order to help organizations make better decisions. The development of artificial intelligence and machine learning opened the door for a growing need for talents able to deal with these technologies.
Data science is a multidisciplinary field that enables one to continuously develop their skills and face new challenges. Data Scientists become even more valuable to a company when they have their own domain of expertise, such as retail, finance, or healthcare. Demand for these experts exceeds by far the supply available, and companies are now competing to fill their open positions, which is why it appears essential to channel talents directly from abroad.
Project Manager
This interdisciplinary position requires a considerable amount of soft skills and leadership. A Project Manager is in charge of everything related to a project, such as the project team, the ressources, the planning, or the budget. This is a rewarding career since it enables one to make decisions and is associated with high responsibilities.
Project Managers are needed across all industries, and the supply of qualified candidates is not sufficient to fill the growing needs of the Canadian market. The good news is that there is no specific education to look for in a Project Manager. The main point is finding someone with solid experience in a particular industry and the capacity to manage a team. Having international Project Managers in your company can be a great asset since it enables the team to confront different points of view and methodologies.
Construction Manager
Construction is a vital industry for Canada and one of the fields recruiting the most foreign workers. The main advantage is that the heavy manual work implies very attractive starting salaries. The actual pressure on the Canadian housing market results in continuous demand for construction workers. Moreover, construction work is easier and faster in Canada compared to European or Latin American countries since it mainly relies on the use of drywalls instead of bricks.
The spectacular architectural diversity, good working conditions, and incredibly high salaries attract more and more construction professionals to Canada. Many of them take advantage of the simplified administrative procedures to start their own business.
HR Manager
Managing staff is a complicated task requiring specific skills, which is why human resources are a crucial function of every organization. HR Managers are responsible for recruiting and retaining talents that will contribute to the success of Canadian companies. The need for foreign workers has already been long established, and the demand for these professionals will continue growing.
The advantage of a career in human resources is that it is easily transferable internationally: a HR Manager in one country likely has the skills to work in the same role in Canada. Moreover, international managers understand better than anyone the challenges of a multicultural workplace and are well prepared to deal with the needs of employees.
Restaurant Manager
Like many other industries, food establishments undeniably need workers with management skills. Considering its multicultural population, Canada is a hub to open restaurants offering international specialties, but working in this sector requires a lot of commitment. However, with the Canadian tradition of tipping, the salaries can become more than attractive at the end of the day.
This sector attracts a lot of international workers wanting to offer specialties of their countries. The best way to recruit Restaurant Managers is to have someone work their way up until having enough experience and knowledge of the operations to be able to run a team.
Customer Service Representative
The importance of customer support is making customers want to come back, thus contributing to the success of any business. The need for customer service professionals is endless in Canada, and hiring foreign workers adds value since they can offer services in other languages. It is particularly true for entities legally required to serve customers in both English and French, the two official languages. This gives a considerable advantage to any Francophone professional looking to settle in provinces other than Quebec.
Since customer service is a building block of many industries, there are always positions available. Customer service can also become a remote position, with most companies now having call centers dedicated to it. The only requirement for a good Customer Service Representative is the ability to appropriately deal with customers in various situations and always offer the best experience possible. You can also check our article on the top qualities to look for when hiring for customer service positions.
Marketing Managers
From 2020 to 2030, overall employment in advertising, promotions, and marketing is expected to increase by 10%. Digital marketing is the sector with the biggest projected growth, as most marketing strategies now involve social media or online advertising.
Being a Marketing Manager is an enjoyable and challenging career with endless possibilities for growth. A good marketing strategy is essential to every company, so there is generally an important demand for qualified candidates and not enough local workforce to answer it. International candidates with some experience can easily work their way up in any Canadian company until being given more responsibilities.
Teacher
The Canadian educational system is ranked among the best in the world to help children grow and prosper. It offers a lot of opportunities for Francophone workers in its numerous bilingual schools. While in Quebec the market is more saturated as many people are able to speak both English and French, this is not true for other provinces where speaking French still is a considerable asset. Bilingual people wanting to pursue a career in education are often attracted to Canada, mainly because of the salaries that are considerably higher than in France, for example.
Francophone education aside, Canada is also a hub for international students coming to learn English. Many language schools have opened in Canada’s biggest cities. They are continuously recruiting people with English-teaching certifications, no matter if they are native or not.
Do you have a bilingual position to fill in your company but struggle to attract global candidates? Canada Talents can help you. As specialists in the recruitment and transition of bilingual talents into the Canadian workforce, we can find the best talents and support you through the recruitment process. Contact us now at welcome@canada-talents.ca to discuss your project.