Are you a cook and you are thinking of moving to Canada? well, you can actually immigrate to Canada as there are different programs that could help you immigrate to Canada even as a cook.
Canada offers you are wide range of benefits like higher minimum wage, better standard of living, better work condition among others. So even as a cook, you are sure to enjoy the perks the Great White North offers.
The government of Canada has set out an agenda to welcome over one million immigrants from different part of the world within the next three years and this has open doors for a lot of people immigrating to Canada since this year.
You don’t have to bother about how you would immigrate to Canada as a cook as we are here to give you full information on what immigration programs are suitable for you and how you can easily apply for a Canadian visa.
Are cooks needed in Canada?
Of course they do. There are lots of restaurants in Canada and this is as a result of the multicultural nature of the country. Canada is known as one of the most accommodating countries of the world as they welcome people for different parts of the country. This has led to people bringing their culture into the country like food and dressing.
In 2019, there were over 4,500 jobs for cooks in Canada and this led to putting cooks on the in-demand occupations in Canada especially in provinces like Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan.
How much do cooks earn in Canada?
If you are thinking of immigrating to Canada as a cook, you will certainly be eager to know the salary or wages of cooks in the country but one thing you should know is that you will surely enjoy the wages.
What you earn actually depends on your work experience and also the province you are residing in.
Let’s look at the wages according to your work experience
- Entr-level cook earns about $28 000 a year.
- Cook with four years experience and above earns about $31 000 a year.
Wages according to the some places in Canada…
- Toronto pays cooks about $32 000
- Calgary and Edmonton pays cooks about $29 600 to $34 000
- The city of Regina pays cooks about $32 600
Does Your Job Fits under NOC 6322?
You will have to make sure your job fits under the National Occupation Classifictaion as this is a system used to organize and coordinate jobs. To be sure your job fall under this category, we will be listing some types of cooks under this category to help you see if your job falls under the NOC 6322.
- Dietary cook
- Grill cook
- Hospital cook
- Institutional cook
- Licensed cook
- Short order cook
- Apprentice cook
Let’s show you how you can apply for a Canadian visa that fits you as a cook.
The Federal Skill Trades Program
If you are a cook and aiming to become a permanent residence of Canada, then you will want to go through this program. It is fast and easy and it is the only economic immigration program in Canada. just like other programs, the Federal Skilled Trades Program has its own requirements which all applicants are expected to meet. Some of these requirements are:
- You must have a valid job offer from an employer in Canada and it must be for at least one year
- You must have at least two years work experience
- You must pass the Canadian language proficiency in writing, speaking and listening
- You must have graduated from high school and provide an Educational Credential Assessment
- You must have enough funds to help you settle in Canada
- You must have a no criminal record
- You must have a sound health and have a medical clearance result
The Express Entry Bristish Columbia Skilled Worker Program
This program is limited to this particular province of British Columbia and if you are applying for through this program, you must have at least 2-3years work experience not as an unpaid intern or volunteer but must be paid for this 2-3years you have worked. In this program, you are expected to meet all the requirements and criteria just like other Canadian visa programs but one of the basic requirements of this program is that you must have enough funds to help you settle in Canada and you will be asked to show proof by bringing a bank statement showing that you have enough funds in your account.
Even if you are immigrating with a partner, you will also have to proof that there is sufficient funds to take you of you an d partner while staying in Canada.
Once you have submitted your application, you will be put in an Express Entry pool with other applicants and a draw will be done to select applicants that qualify to get invitation to Canada. but going through this program, your job must be under the skilled job in the program for you to qualify.
Do you need to pass the language test?
Well, language proficiency is one of the criteria to apply for a Canadian visa through any program and successfully passing it increases your chances of qualifying to immigrate to Canada as a cook. There are some language exams that you will be expected to take depending on where you are an English or French speaker. For the English speaker, you must apply IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and for the French speaker, you must apply for the TEF (Test d’ evaluation).
This language test is to be valid for at least two years and this test measures your fluency in the language under writing, speaking, reading and listening skills. For each of these skills, a score will be given and you must pass the Canadian benchmark for either of the languages you take.
How do you find an employer in Canada?
When finding an employer in Canada, you will have to look for provinces where you occupation is among the in-demand occupations as this will give you a upper hand. So let’s look at some of the provinces that have the highest job openings for cooks as at 2019.
| PROVINCE | JOB OPENINGS 2019 |
| British Columbia | 4,195 |
| Quebec | 1,384 |
| Alberta | 815 |
| Ontario | 552 |
| Saskatchewan | 118 |
What else do you need in your application as a cook?
You will need the Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) this is an assessment that tries to prove if your educational credentials match the Canadian standard.
Also as a cook, you will have to apply for the Red Seal Endorsement, this will allow you as a qualified cook to move and work in the different provinces in Canada and you will have to successfully pass the interprovincial Red Seal Examination. This is more like a certification.
In addition to everything we have stated above, you will also need to pass the security check and get a security check certificate when applying for a Canadian visa. This document shows you have no criminal records and wont be a threat to the peace and safety of Canada.
