The Canadian federal government has started a new approach to permanent residence (PR) selection by giving priority to foreign nationals who have work experience in high-demand jobs.
Many in-demand jobs are in healthcare, and some can be qualified for in less than two years. However, many PR hopefuls are not interested in working in healthcare.
Below are six high-paying jobs outside healthcare that can help speed up PR, i.e., permanent residence. Many of these roles require little or no postsecondary education:
| Occupation | Typical Required Postsecondary Education | *Median Annual Pay (CAD) | *Top Annual Pay (CAD) |
| Construction estimators – 22303 | 2 – 3 years college | 79k | 128k |
| **Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics – 72400 | None – 1 year college | 77k | 108k |
| Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians – 22310 | 1 – 2 years college | 74k | 115k |
| ***Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics – 72402 | None – 2 years college | 78k | 116k |
| **Heavy-duty equipment mechanics – 72401 | None – 1 year college | 77k | 114k |
| ***Insurance agents and brokers – 63100 | 3 – 6 months | 62k | 107k |
*Note: Annual earnings assuming 40 hours per week at the job bank’s median hourly wage and top hourly wage for this occupation, rounded to the nearest thousand.
**Note 2: Licensing is required in some provincial jurisdictions but not others.
***Note 3: Licensing is required in all provincial jurisdictions.
Eligible Work Experience
Foreign nationals with work experience in these occupations are being given priority for permanent residence through Canada’s Express Entry system.
Whether work experience counts depends not on job titles, but on job duties. These duties must match a specific code under the National Occupation Classification (NOC), which is the Canadian government’s system for grouping jobs.
For a job to qualify, a person must have performed all the duties listed in the lead statement and most of the main duties under that NOC code.
Getting Permanent Residence
To receive permanent residence through Express Entry, a person must qualify for one of the three federal immigration programs and then receive an invitation to apply (ITA) through the Express Entry system.
Having work experience in a priority occupation offers a strong advantage. It allows a person to receive an ITA through category-based draws, often with a lower Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score than what is required for general draws or Canadian Experience Class (CEC) draws.
To qualify for category-based selection, a person must have at least six months of full-time or equal part-time continuous work experience in one eligible occupation within the last three years.
To receive an ITA, a person must also have an active Express Entry profile at the time of the draw and meet or exceed the CRS cut-off score.
After receiving an ITA, the applicant has up to 60 days to submit a complete application for permanent residence.
If the applicant is in Canada with a valid work permit, they may apply for a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) after receiving an Acknowledgement of Receipt (AOR) for their PR application.
Eligibility For Express Entry
To enter the Express Entry system, a person must meet the requirements of one of the following programs:
- Canadian Experience Class
- Federal Skilled Worker Program
- Federal Skilled Trades Program
Applicants must provide language test results from an approved testing provider taken within the last two years. They must also provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) for any education completed outside Canada that they want to count toward eligibility and CRS score.
These six occupations offer strong opportunities for skilled workers who want a faster and more direct path to permanent residence in Canada without working in healthcare.
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