Outside being a global study destination, welcoming students from all over the world to its high-ranking universities, the availability of invaluable work opportunities in Canada after graduation is a key reason international students choose to study in the Great White North.
While the educational experience itself draws many foreigners, the chance to gain work experience in Canada’s robust job market is a major benefit. However, succeeding in the job search process in a new country can be tremendously challenging.
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It’s on this background that we set to, in this article, unravel the most promising career options, factors that influence high salaries, strategies to get your foot in the door with major employers, and networks to help you tackle job hunt hurdles as an international graduate.
Let’s get started.
The Canadian Job Market for International Students
As of 2020, Canada had over 640,000 international students. This demography makes up a sizable talent pool that Canadian employers are eager to tap into.
Foreign graduates are an asset to companies seeking diversity, new perspectives, knowledge of global markets, and talents to enhance innovation. Plus, international students contributed $21.6 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2018 alone, highlighting their economic impact.
Beyond large cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary, mid-sized urban centers also present interesting work opportunities in Canada, especially in technology, healthcare, construction, and machinery.
From the foregoing, it’s clear Canada offers international students incredible work opportunities to launch meaningful careers.
Having established this, let’s explore the most in-demand industries and specific job roles new graduates should target.
Work Opportunities in Canada for International Students
Canada’s job market is thriving, with over 80% of roles in service sector industries that crave university talent. Here are the top fields and positions new graduates should explore while networking and job hunting.
Tech Industry
Canada’s technology sector is exploding. Major hubs like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, and Waterloo produce thousands of high-paying tech jobs. Below are a few that provide high work opportunities for international students.
- Software Developer/Engineer
The average salary of a software engineer in Canada is $80,000. Software developers design, build, and enhance software applications and systems.
Most companies actively hire international students for developer roles if you boast of knowledge of coding languages like Java, Python, C++, and skills in SQL databases, web frameworks, and Agile methodologies.
Pursuing relevant computer science co-ops and highlighting experience with desired programming languages on your resume will grab employer attention. Many new graduates also complete coding boot camps and participate in hackathons to develop the hands-on abilities employers need in new developers.
2. Data Scientist
On average, the salary of a data scientist is within the neighborhood of $84,000.
Data scientists mine company data to uncover insights that drive strategic moves and operations. This field combines analytics, statistics, data mining, and machine learning.
While challenging, data science is one of the hottest roles right now with high pay and thousands of unfilled job openings. International students who majored in computer science, statistics, applied math, or engineering and developed data modeling skills through internships have a strong edge when job seeking.
Healthcare Sector
Canada’s expansive healthcare sector faces pressing talent shortages as its population ages. Hospitals, clinics, labs, and long-term care centers are prime employers. You can work as:
3. Registered Nurse
As a registered nurse in Canada, you can earn up to $80,000 or more annually. Nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients, and advise families. Nursing salaries start at $60,000 for new BScNs and reach over $100,000 for NPs.
Each province has different licensing processes but usually requires 1 to 2 years of local experience. Newcomers gain this through volunteering, mentorships, bridging programs, and working as a graduate or registered practical nurses.
4. Medical Laboratory Technologist
The average yearly salary of a medical laboratory technologist is Median S: $50,000.
Lab techs operate sophisticated medical equipment to analyze clinical specimens and body fluids to uncover diseases and monitor patient health. Your science degree and lab skills make you a strong candidate for work opportunities in Canada.
Finance and Busines
Major financial centers in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal need qualified newcomers to fill talent gaps. Your degree in any of the following presents you as a candidate for jobs in the finance and business sector in Canada.
5. Financial Analyst
You can earn as much as $70,000 yearly as a financial analyst in Canada. Financial analysts assess economic conditions and guide investments, mergers, and trends.
International graduates succeeding in this field double down on internships, excel at financial modeling, and obtain CFA certification.
6. Business Analyst
If you’re in this job in Canada, your take-home pay every year will be around $68,000 as a yearly salary. Business analysts bridge IT and business operations. Math, statistics, business, or IT degrees coupled with process improvement experience through co-ops position graduates for success.
Engineering
Engineering offers immigrants abundant opportunities to secure jobs before arrival and thrive in Canada. If you’re lucky to find your way to Canada as an international with a degree in any of the branches of engineering below, you have a high chance of working in Canada.
7. Civil Engineer
As a civil engineer in Canada, your median salary is around $80,000. Civil engineers plan and manage complex infrastructure projects like transit systems, bridges, and cityscapes.
Landing these jobs requires internship experience, good communication skills, and a degree from an accredited Canadian engineering school to qualify for provincial licensing.
8. Electrical Engineer
The average annual salary of an electrical engineer in Canada is $87,000. Electrical engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment like electric motors, navigational systems, and power generation. Canadian experience through work placements provides a huge advantage.
Natural Sciences
Work opportunities exist in Canada for international students in the following fields of natural sciences.
9. Biotechnologist
A biotechnologist in Canada can earn as much as $70,000 in a year. Biotechnologists utilize living cells to produce useful products like antibiotics, vaccines, and sustainable fuels. Graduates with biotechnology, bioengineering, or microbiology degrees can access these roles.
Factors Influencing High-Paying Work Opportunities in Canada
While your major matters, several other elements impact your ability to land a high-paying job in Canada, including:
- Education and Technical Skills
Degrees like engineering, computer science, data science, nursing, and finance lead to higher salaries. Develop expertise in niche technical skills like R, MATLAB, specific programming languages, and EHR systems.
- Relevant Canadian Work Experience
Canadian employers value co-ops, internships, and campus jobs. These demonstrate you can apply theory in real work settings and adapt to workplace norms. Highlight paid projects and accomplishments.
- Industry Growth and Talent Shortages
Research thriving fields like technology, healthcare, skilled trades, and business services with major labor shortages. Newcomers are in demand here.
- Language Abilities
Boost English or French skills through conversation partners, apps, tutoring, and public speaking clubs like Toastmasters so you can communicate confidently in interviews and workplace settings.
- Location Flexibility
Consider smaller cities like Regina, Edmonton, Halifax, and Winnipeg where competition is lower but jobs abound. Getting Canadian experience helps access roles in bigger hubs later.
- Cultural Fit and Mindset
Understand workplace norms around teamwork, effective communication, confrontation, and punctuality. Show your flexibility, collaboration skills, and eagerness to learn.
READ ALSO: 11 Practical Tips for Managing the Cost of Living in Canada as an International Student.
Maximizing your employment prospects requires blending the right education, experiences, job search strategies, and professional brand.
Steps to Secure High-Paying Jobs as an International Student
How exactly can you get hired by top Canadian employers as a newcomer? Follow these proven tips:
(a) Enhance Your Skills and Qualifications
- Complete certificate courses online or through colleges to build specialized expertise like PMP, SQL, CPA, and SAS.
- Develop high English proficiency through conversation clubs, tutoring, side gigs translating, or writing blog posts.
- (b) Gain Relevant Canadian Work Experience
- Complete at least 3 co-ops through your university’s internship program.
- Take on part-time or volunteer campus roles like peer mentor, library aide, or hospital volunteer.
- (c) Network and Build Connections
- Attend industry meetups, conferences, and association events in your field to connect with professionals.
- Join LinkedIn groups for new immigrants, CPA Canada, technology associations, and more.
(d) Optimize Your Resume and Interview Skills
- Tailor your resume to Canadian formats highlighting transferable skills, quantifiable achievements, and technical tools mastered.
- Practice common interview questions around leadership, collaboration, overcoming challenges, and conflict resolution.
- With determination and the right job search approaches, international students can access meaningful careers that unlock their potential and help them thrive as new Canadians.
Conclusion
Canada offers international graduates an unrivaled environment to launch exciting careers with ample work opportunities across industries. While the job search brings unique obstacles for newcomers, setbacks can be overcome through savvy planning, continuous skill development, tapping immigrant networks, and understanding workplace norms.
By choosing in-demand fields primed for growth, gaining local experience, honing your resume and interview abilities, and developing language and cultural know-how, international students will discover rewarding work opportunities in Canada.
The future is bright for newcomers who leverage Canada’s thriving job market to fulfill their career aspirations and join the ranks of accomplished immigrants driving this nation’s prosperity.