High-Paying Jobs in Canada Without Degree: Did you know that Canada has a lot of job possibilities in many different fields? This is mostly because people are getting older and working less. In answer, the Canadian government has made it easier to move there by making immigration and work permit programs available.
Did you know that you can work in Canada even if you don’t have a degree? There are many good-paying jobs in Canada that don’t require a college degree. There are also some immigration and work permit options in Canada that don’t require a degree.
It goes without saying that new immigrants continue to immigrate to Canada to fill the gaps left by those who are retiring. In fact, Canada thinks that by the end of this decade, 5 million Canadians will have retired.
Canada’s Immigration Plan for 2022–2025 says that the country wants to bring in a record number of 451,000 newcomers by 2024 to help the economy. This would also mean that Canada needs foreigners very much to get more people to work there.
Now that you know that, you might be on your way to finding out more about common jobs in Canada. You wouldn’t want to jump into just any job, but rather one that is in demand in Canada but doesn’t require a lot of schooling.
We’ve listed the top 9 best jobs in Canada that don’t require a degree to help you start living and working there this year. Even though these jobs don’t require a degree, they might ask for credentials or certifications that show you’re prepared for the trade.
Here are some jobs in Canada that foreigners can do that will give you a head start on getting to know the country.
Jobs in Canada that Don’t Require a Degree.
Skill Level C: Transit Driver (NOC Code: 7512)
Transit drivers include both short-distance and long-distance bus drivers, as well as people who run other kinds of public transportation. They must have finished high school. In Ontario, a person applying for a driving job must have a valid Class B, C, E, or F driver’s license. In other areas, on the other hand, a Class 2 license is needed.
You would also have work experience, like on-the-job training, and at least a year of driving experience in the necessary transit operational sector. For example, if you want to be a long-distance bus driver, you should have practice driving over long distances, not just short ones. Aside from these, the driver must also be trained in first aid and have a license for air brakes.
Usually, this job pays between $35,000 and $75,000 per year.
Level B of Welder Skills (NOC Code: 7327)
Welders and other people who run machines would need to finish high school and have an internship that lasts at least three years. You could also have a degree from a well-known welding school and three years of training in the trade. You should be able to show off your Red Seal endorsement when your training is over.
It is important to remember that different Canadian states may have different rules. For example, Alberta requires all welders to have a certificate, but other provinces and regions don’t.
The Canada Jobbank says that the average wage is between $18 and $41.10 per hour.
Bartender (NOC Code: 6512): C-level skill
Bartending is a job in Canada that mixes work and play and doesn’t need a lot of upkeep in terms of credentials. As you make and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, you get to meet new people and learn about Canadian culture.
In Canada, you can expect to make between $22,000 and $44,000 per year.
Skill Level B Court Reporter (NOC Code: 1251)
If you want to work as a court reporter in Canada, you need to have had some kind of official training in the field. Even if you don’t need a degree, you must complete a court reporting school that takes at least two years. But you should finish this class in either Toronto or Alberta.
Also, you should know how to type quickly because you will need to be able to type at least 225 words per minute correctly on a stenograph machine, which is what court reporters usually use. So, yes, this keyboard is not like most others.
Most people make between $46,000 and $84,000 a year.
(NOC Code: 6321) Executive Chef: B-level skill
Different kitchens, hotels, and provinces in Canada have different requirements for becoming an executive cook. At the very least, you need a high school diploma, be physically fit enough to work long, hard hours on your feet, and be certified in both management and the trade. You can also get your Red Seal endorsement as a cook if you pass the tests.
Those who want to move up in their jobs as chefs in Canada should take the Certified Working Chef (CWC) and Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC) programs from the Canadian Culinary Institute (CCI).
You can expect an average salary between $41,000 and $91,000.
A-level skill (NOC Code: 5135) as an Actor.
Actors and comedians who want to move to Canada and work in the entertainment business should be able to show proof that they have had acting roles or auditioned before. Also, it’s important to finish a school or acting program at a certain college.
If you want to be an acting teacher, you should already have the teaching experience that is needed. Depending on the Canadian province, acting school, or business, you may need to join a guild or union.
You can expect to make between $24,000 and $215,000 on average.
Accounts Manager: Competency at A-level (NOC Code: 0111)
Accountants and financial managers usually have a good understanding of money and can work well under stress. Even though having a degree would be helpful, you might not need one. Depending on the company or state, you may be able to apply for an entry-level job if you have the right skills.
Air Traffic Controller, Skill Level B (NOC Code: 2272)
Air traffic controllers lead planes and other moving service vehicles through the airspace. They act as guides for the planes and other vehicles. If you want to work as a flight service expert or in air traffic control, you can get a job with NAV Canada or the Canadian Forces.
According to the standards, you must have finished high school and have a valid license to work as a radiotelephone operator. You would also have to finish a training course with NAV Canada that includes training on the job.
Average salaries range from $52,000 to $134,000 per year.
Electrical Engineer, Skill B (NOC Code: 7241)
Do you want to move to Canada and work as an electrician? To make a good living in the electrical business, you would need to finish high school. You don’t need a degree, but you will need a lot of knowledge in the field.
To become an electrician in Canada, you have to do an apprenticeship for four to five years and get a skill certificate. But the qualification is needed in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
In Nunavut, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and British Columbia, you don’t have to do it. Also, you can get your Red Seal endorsement if you pass the Red Seal test.
Most people make between $39,000 and $91,000 a year.
You don’t Need a Degree to Move to Canada
You can choose an immigration or work permit program now that you know which jobs pay well without a degree.
There are more than 100 programs and visas for immigrants. We’ve put together a list of the best choices to make the process easy.
The Express Entry
The Express Entry method was made to help Canada deal with its lack of workers and fill jobs that are in high demand. You can use Express Entry if you have the skills, work experience, or training to help the Canadian economy. Through the Express Entry scheme, people who qualify can get permanent residency in Canada. It is known for having a fast visa process that takes only six months.
Under Express Entry, there are three services, which are:
- FSWP is the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
- FSTP is the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
- (CEC) Canadian Experience Class
- The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is for people who have education, skills, or work experience that can help the Canadian economy.
FSWP is the Federal Skilled Worker Program.
If your application is accepted, the FSWP lets you stay in Canada permanently, But.
You must meet the following standards to be able to apply for the FSWP.
You must have skilled work experience in one of the National Occupation Classification (NOC) jobs mentioned below:
Managerial
Professional
Trade/technical occupation
Some jobs in the Federal Skilled Worker Program may require a college degree, but not all of them do.
For example, if you want to work in a trade or professional field, you have to take a training course. Even for some professional or management jobs, all you need is a certificate or training in the field.
FSTP is the Federal Skilled Trades Program.
The Federal Skilled Trades Program is for foreign trade workers who have experience in trade jobs that Canada needs to help the economy. If your application is accepted, the FSWP lets you stay in Canada permanently.
This program is great for you if you are skilled in the trades and want to work in a job that doesn’t require a degree.
Do you meet the requirements? In order for you to qualify, you MUST HAVE;
- A full-time job offer from a Canadian company for a total of at least one year OR a certificate of qualification from a provincial, territorial, or federal governing body.
- The Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique Canadiens (NCLC) measure how well you speak French or English. (Level 4 for writing and reading, and level 5 for listening and talking).
- Have worked full-time for at least two years in the last five years.
- Be able to show that you have the skills needed for your skilled trade.
Unless you have a real job offer or can legally work in Canada, you must show that you and your family have enough money to settle in Canada.
The major National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups for skilled trade jobs that are qualified for the Federal Skilled Trades Program are listed below. The groups are further broken down into different jobs, all of which are skill type B. You have to show that you have done the things listed in the NOC’s job description before.
Categories for the National Occupation Classification.
Most Important Group 72
Electrical
Construction
Industrial
Group Number 73
Equipment Operation
Maintenance
Group Number 82
Technicians and supervisors in the natural resources field
The farming industry
Group Number 92
Central Control Operators
Utility Supervisors
Processing and Manufacturing
Group No. 632:
Cooks and chefs
Group of Minors 633
The bakers and butchers
(CEC) Canadian Experience Class
If you have worked and lived in Canada before, this could be the right way for you to move forward.
The Canadian Experience Class is for people who want to live in Canada permanently and have worked there on a short work permit.
To apply through the Canadian Experience Class, you must meet these requirements:
Experience at Work
You must have worked in a skilled job in Canada for a year. The work must have been:
a job with full-time hours, or the same amount of time in a part-time job, all these jobs must have been done in Canada, and must be from jobs that the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC) says are level 0, A, or B
Educational Requirement.
For this program, you don’t need to have any education. But, you can improve your Express Entry score, though, by:
- Getting a certificate, diploma, or degree from a high school or college in Canada;
- getting a foreign certificate;
- Getting an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) to show that your past education meets Canadian standards.
Language Skill Test.
Take a test of your writing, reading, listening, and speaking in a language that has been accepted;
Meet the minimum language standard for NOC 0 or A jobs, which is Canadian Language Benchmark 7, or for NOC B jobs, which is Canadian Language Benchmark 5.
Admissibility
You must be allowed to enter Canada by law. If you have a criminal past, you might not be able to go to Canada.
(PNP) Provincial Nominee Program.
Through Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program, people who meet the requirements can get permanent residency in one of 11 Canadian regions. This could be great for you if you already know which province you want to live and work in, or if you have a job offer there.
Provincial Nominee Programs from which you can choose:
- AINP is the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program.
- The BC PNP is the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program.
- MPNP stands for the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program.
- NW PNP stands for the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program.
- NL PNP stands for the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program.
- NTNP stands for the Northwest Territories Nominee Program.
- NS PNP is the Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program.
- OINP is the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program.
- PEI PNP stands for the Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program.
- SINP is the Saskatchewan Provincial Nominee Program.
- YNP is the Yukon Nominee Program.
Each PNP has its own set of requirements that you must meet before you can apply.
Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP)
The Atlantic Immigration Program is for skilled workers who want to live permanently in one of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, or Nova Scotia. If you went to school abroad and finished in one of the four Atlantic provinces, you can also take part in the pilot.
If you want well-paying jobs in Canada that don’t require a degree, the Atlantic Immigration Program is a great choice. In Canada’s Atlantic provinces, there are a number of good jobs that don’t require a degree, such as:
- The people who build things
- Cleaning services
- Drivers of moving trucks
- Waiters at a restaurant
- Help Desk in the office
- Salespeople who work in stores
If you are interested, The Atlantic Immigration Program has three schemes, which are:
- Atlantic International Graduate Program
- Atlantic High-Skilled Program
- Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program
The rules for each of these groups are different. But if you want jobs that don’t require a college degree, you can look into the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program. To register for the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must have worked for at least a year in a job that needs at least a high school diploma or job-specific training;
- You need an Educational certificate Assessment (ECA report) to prove that your high school diploma is equivalent to a Canadian certificate;
- To live and work in Canada, you will need to take a test that proves you can speak English or French well enough.
- You must show proof that you have enough money to support yourself and any children, regardless of whether they are coming to Canada with you or not.
How to Apply for Canadian Visa for Jobs in Canada Without Degree.
You can apply for a work permit if you don’t want to move to Canada permanently but would like to work here for a while. There are different Canada work permits and work visa programs you can use to get jobs in Canada that don’t require a degree. We’ve listed the best jobs you can get without a degree.
There are two kinds of work permits in Canada, which are:
- Open work permit
You can work for any company in Canada if you have an open work permit. - Employer-specific work permit.
Work permit for a particular employer is a work permit that is tied to a certain company, and lets you work based on the details in your work permit, such as the name of your employer, the length of your work permit, and the location of your job.
TFWP stands for Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, Canadian businesses can hire foreign workers in a wide range of jobs. The application for a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is the most important part of the TFWP hire process. An LMIA shows that neither a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident could do the job in question.
To get a job, you must send a copy of your LMIA or the LMIA number along with your application for a work permit.
There are different parts to the TFWP. Through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, you can apply for a work permit in Canada. To do so, you’ll need to send in your application for a work permit along with the necessary documents, which may include the following:
- Valid job offer letter
- Show that you meet the job offer’s standards;
- Copy of an LMIA or LMIA number that is good;
- Proof that you can speak English or French through test scores;
- Valid passport;
- Proof that you have enough money to take care of yourself and any family members who are traveling with you, as well as enough money to get back home.
Jobs in Canada Without Degree FAQs
Can I move to Canada as an unskilled worker?
Yes. There are many ways for unskilled people to get to Canada, such as:
Provincial Nominee Program
The Agri-Food Immigration Pilot
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
What is the age limit for Canada PR?
After the age of 55, your chances of being accepted for permanent residency through the Express Entry system go down. There is no legal age limit, though, so you can still apply.
Is it difficult to get into Canada?
It can be hard to get a visa, and sometimes your application will be turned down. But if you hire a professional to help you through the application process, your chances of being accepted will be higher.
Once you’ve decided on one of the well-paying jobs in Canada that don’t require a degree, you can choose which school to apply through.
But the process of getting a Canadian visa can be complicated and hard to understand. That’s why the RCICs (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) we work with are ready to help you through the process and increase your chances of being successful the first time.
As you can see, there many High-Paying Jobs in Canada Without Degree that you can get if you have the right skills and work experience. But before looking for a job in Canada, we always tell people from outside of Canada to learn about the provinces. You should make sure that the province you want to move to needs the skills you have to give.
