Canadian Work Visas: Applying from the UK

To qualify for FSWP, you must have skilled work experience in one of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) job groups. Canadian immigration has specifics of how many years you should have worked in that job, work hours and pay.

Another requirement is language ability. You must prove that you can write, read, understand, and speak English or French by taking one of the approved tests and scoring a minimum of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 7 in all four areas.

Also, you must have education in a secondary institution or post-secondary institution from a school in Canada, the UK, or any other country. If the institution is not in Canada, you will be required to get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to grade your foreign education. Our Federal Skilled Worker program page has more information on the requirements and application process for UK citizens and residents.

If you have worked in Canada before or currently work in Canada, you may be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class immigration route. Like the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Immigration Class (CEC) is one of the immigration programs that the Canadian government manages through the Express Entry system.

Through the CEC, skilled workers with Canadian work experience can obtain permanent residence and work in Canada without restrictions.

Much like the FSWP, you must meet the minimum requirements for language ability (CLB 7 or CLB 5), skilled work experience and education. Your work experience must have been in Canada within the last three years under a temporary resident permit with work authorisation. It can be a full time or part-time job, but it must meet the hour requirement. Your work experience does not qualify if it’s not one of the NOC 0, A, or B jobs (managerial, professional, technical, and skilled trades).

If you worked under a tourist visa without authorisation to work, your experience does not qualify. Self-employment and student work experience do not count. Also, work experience as a refugee protected by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in Canada does not count.

To learn more about the requirements and application process, see our Canadian Experience Class page.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program is another immigration route managed under the Express Entry platform. Through this route, foreign skilled workers in the UK who are qualified in eligible skilled trades may become Canadian permanent residents.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada requires applicants to meet the minimum requirements for language ability, work experience, job, education, and funds to be granted permanent residence through this program.

Unlike some other Canadian immigration programs, applicants must have a valid job offer from a Canadian employer or a certificate of qualification in their skilled trade from a Canadian provincial, territorial or federal authority to be eligible for the FSTP.

As with the other Express Entry programs, they must meet the job requirements in the NOC and have full time or part-time work experience doing paid work in their trade.

You may also need to visit the province you plan to settle in to be assessed for your trade. You can read more on the requirements and application process for those in the UK on our Federal Skilled Trades Program page.

The Federal Skilled Trades Program allows applicants under these NOC groups to work in Canada:

• Major Group 72, industrial, electrical and construction trades
• Major Group 73, maintenance and equipment operation trades
• Major Group 82, supervisors and technical jobs in natural resources, agriculture and related production
• Major Group 92, processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisors and central control operators
• Minor Group 632, chefs and cooks
• Minor Group 633, butchers and bakers

Although there is no education requirement, candidates can improve their rank in the Express Entry pool if they have a diploma, certificate, or degree from a Canadian institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution based on an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA).

Those applying from the UK must prove that they have enough money to support themselves and their accompanying family members.

If you are looking to acquire a Canadian work permit, this is a great route because it doesn’t only grant work authorisation but also permanent residency, which in a few years can enable you to obtain Canadian citizenship. For assistance with applying for this program, call 0333 305 9375.

If you have a province in mind, you may want to explore the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). With PNP, provinces and territories of Canada can nominate applicants for permanent residence. If you are nominated, you may be invited to apply for permanent residence.

Each province and territory has its own immigration programs. They are called streams, and they target certain groups. For example, a province may target business people in a program stream and students in another.

Most provinces have streams for skilled workers, semi-skilled workers, and business people. We have explained the streams and requirements for the different provinces and territories on our Provincial Nominee Program page.

Note that the Provincial Nominee Program is different from Quebec’s immigration programs. Unlike the other provinces, Quebec manages its immigration systems, and it has its own programs.

For assistance with a Provincial Nominee Program, call us on 0333 305 9375 or contact us online.

As the name implies, the Self-Employed Persons Program is for those who intend to come to Canada to establish a business that will, at minimum, create employment for themselves. This route isn’t for anyone.

The Canadian government specifically designed the Self-Employed Persons Program for those in the cultural and athletics sectors. Applicants must have self-employment experience of about two one-year periods doing cultural activities or athletics locally or performing them at a world-class level.

Applicants must also intend to contribute significantly to Canada’s cultural or athletic life. In addition, you must earn enough points in the Self-Employed Persons Program selection criteria, which awards points for education, proficiency in English or French, work experience, age and adaptability factors.

Also, you must have enough money to support yourself and your family upon arrival in Canada. See our Self Employed Persons Program page for more information on the requirements for applicants in the UK.

If you want to work in Canada using this program, give us a call 0333 305 9375. We can help you.

When applying for any of the Federal Canadian visas, you must plan to live outside the province of Quebec. If you plan to live in Quebec, you can’t obtain a work permit or permanent residence through a federal program; rather, you must apply for a Quebec immigration program.

Quebec has a skilled worker program that allows foreign workers to immigrate to Canada to settle in Quebec. To apply, you must hold a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de sélection du Québec – CSQ). The Government of Quebec provides that to show that its holder has been accepted as an immigrant by Quebec.

You are to apply to the Government of Quebec to obtain a Selection Certificate. If the province of Quebec gives you a CSQ, you can then apply to the IRCC for permanent residence.

The application process for permanent residence through the Quebec-selected Skilled Workers program is about the same as the Express Entry Programs. You get the application package, fill the forms, pay the application fees, obtain police certificates and a medical exam, and submit the forms, receipts and documents via mail or the online portal.

Quebec also has a Self-Employed Program. Applicants must have at least two years of experience in their occupation (not limited to athletic or cultural activities), have a minimum net worth of $100,000, and meet the other requirements.

For assistance with the Quebec-selected skilled worker or self-employed program, call 0333 305 9375 today.

This is a program under International Experience Canada (IEC). It allows a temporary foreign worker who wants to travel in Canada to get temporary employment that can last up to 24 months.

Young professionals applying for IEC can only apply once. Please note that if you are not a British citizen or from the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, it’s recommended that you confirm what applies to your country because it’s not every country that can apply for IEC.

The Working Holiday Visas are temporary work permits that apply to British citizens between 18 and 30 who have a minimum of $2500 and health insurance covering them throughout their stay in Canada.

Also, applicants must have a valid passport that covers the length of their intended time in Canada, a round trip or departure ticket or funds to cover the departure ticket, and not be accompanied by dependents.

Each eligible country has an annual quota, and the IRCC releases the dates for the first and final rounds of invitation to apply. We have provided more information on the eligibility criteria and application process for those in the UK on this page. For assistance with a Working Holiday Visa, get in touch with us by calling 0333 305 9375.

To work in Canada after you graduate, you should get a Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP). International Students from the UK who graduated from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) after studying in an eligible program can apply for this Canada Work Visa.

A PGWP work permit holder can work with any employer in Canada full time or part-time. You can only apply for a PGWP within 180 days after getting your degree, diploma, transcript, or school official letter.

You can apply for a PGWP from the UK as long as you meet the eligibility requirements and have been approved for a study permit. However, you can only apply from outside Canada if you were enrolled in a program that was in progress in March 2020 or started a program between spring 2020 and fall 2021. If you do not fall in this category, you must apply from within Canada.

Applicants should have been full-time students at a DLI for at least 8 months. Also, their course of study must qualify; those who studied English or French as a second language or took general interest or self-improvement courses do not qualify.

For more information on the requirements and application process for those in the UK, visit this page. Also, we can help you acquire this work permit. Call us on 0333 305 9375 today.