Canada has a critical shortage of qualified Civil Engineers If you are a Civil Engineer, with at least 1 years experience then you are eligible to migrate to Canada provided you can score 67 CRS points and have a positive Education Credential Assessment
Qualified Civil Engineers are eligible for full Permanent Residency under the Federal Skilled Worker Program and Provincial Nomination Programs.
The shortage of civil engineers in Canada is expected to persist for at least another nine years despite anticipated significant growth in the number of qualified immigrants and university graduates looking for such jobs
Canada’s Express Entry system is actively targeting 82 jobs including Civil Engineers This means Internationally qualified Civil Engineers hoping to immigrate to Canada are in prime position in 2024
The Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) is expecting there will still be sustained and significant shortage of civil engineers in Canada stating, “The labour shortage conditions seen in recent years will not clear and is expected to persist over the projection period ”
The demand for Civil engineering services is expected to be driven by the construction of energy-efficient, industrial and commercial buildings, electric vehicle manufacturing plants and warehouse space
Ottawa’s $185-billion, decade-long infrastructure program is expected to support the construction of public engineering structures and institutional projects.
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This means more opportunities for Internationally qualified Civil Engineers to immigrate to Canada under the flagship Express Entry selection system which has previously only conducted draws based on immigration programs, not by targeting specific occupations
How to Migrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer
Hold bachelor’s degree in civil engineering
Preferably hold a master’s degree
Have at least 1 years work experience
Score 67 points for the fswp visa
Pass a language test
Lodge an express entry application
Receive an invitation to apply
Pay the visa fees
Pass health and character checks
How to Immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer
To immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer you’ll already need to be a Civil Engineer in your home country.
Additionally, you need to demonstrate that you’re qualified to the same level as someone qualified and working as a Civil Engineer in Canada.
Obtain Professional Certification in Canada
To Immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer you need to be licensed by the engineering regulatory body of the province or territory where you plan to work
Step 1: Have Your Qualifications Assessed
The first step is to have your qualifications assessed by the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers
Step 2: Apply for Membership
Once your qualifications have been assessed, you can apply for membership with the engineering association in the province or territory where you plan to work
Step 3: Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) Exam
You must pass the CEAB exam, which tests your knowledge of Canadian engineering principles
Step 4: Professional Practice Exam (PPE)
The final step is to pass the PPE, which tests your understanding of professional practice and ethics
The process to move to Canada as a Civil Engineer Engineer is:
Pass the Educational Credential Assessment
Pass an English or French Language Test
Get licensed as an Engineer in Canada
Submit an Express Entry Application
Apply for Jobs
Apply for Provincial Nomination
Receive an Invitation to Apply
Complete the Formal Application
Emigrate to Canada
The process of getting your Civil Engineering skills, experience and qualifications verified in Canada is called ‘Skills and Qualification Assessment’ and it serves two purposes.
-With a positive skills assessment you’ll be able to claim the requisite CRS points
-Your positive skills assessment will also double as your Canada Equivalent Qualification and is used for your relevant professional registrations and licensing
Having your Civil Engineering skills assessed means that you’ll be qualified to work as a Civil Engineer in Canada from day one
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Civil Engineer Job Titles that can apply to Migrate to Canada
Civil Engineers looking to move to Canada to work under this NOC category 22300, might be currently employed under work titles including:
civil engineer
geomatics engineer
transportation engineer
hydraulics engineer
surveying engineer
geodetic engineer
construction project engineer
environmental engineer
highway engineer
public works engineer
traffic engineer
water management engineer
municipal engineer
construction engineer
bridge engineer
sanitation engineer
structural engineer
Civil engineers perform some or all of the following duties:
Civil Engineers moving to Canada will be able to demonstrate knowledge or experience of the following:
-Confer with clients and other members of the engineering team and conduct research to determine project requirements
-Plan and design major civil projects such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, water and waste management systems and structural steel fabrications
-Develop construction specifications and procedures.
-Evaluate and recommend appropriate building and construction materials
-Interpret, review and approve survey and civil design work.
-Conduct field services for civil works
-Ensure construction plans meet guidelines and specifications of building codes and other regulations
-Establish and monitor construction work schedules
-Conduct feasibility studies, economic analyses, municipal and regional traffic studies, environmental impact studies or other investigations
-Monitor air, water and soil quality and develop procedures to clean up contaminated sites
-Conduct technical analyses of survey and field data for development of topographic, soil, hydrological or other information and prepare reports.
-Act as project or site supervisor for land survey or construction work
-Prepare contract documents and review and evaluate tenders for construction projects
-Supervise technicians, technologists and other engineers and review and approve designs, calculations and cost estimates.
As a qualified new and highly skilled Permanent resident of Canada, you may work full time from day one, either as a direct employee, contractor or in a self-employed capacity.
Civil Engineering jobs in Canada are often better paid than in the UK, Europe and Asia and Canadian employment law respects the work-life balance
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Frequently Asked Questions
COMMON MIGRATION QUESTIONS
Are Civil Engineers in demand in Canada?
Civil Engineers are among the most sought-after professionals in Canada's workforce Both federal and provincial immigration departments have declared their need for more Civil Engineers across Canada
Civil Engineers looking to immigrate to Canada and gain permanent residence directly (without first needing a work permit) via the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Provincial Nominee Programs and the Canada Experience Class
This year, Express Entry has incorporated category-based draws to better address Canada’s labour shortages
These categories are made up of targeted occupations and Civil Engineers are included within the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) category
What Canada Visas are available for Civil Engineers?
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Candidates receiving an invitation must submit a complete application within 60 days
All candidates applying under the FSW must have suitable education, work experience, age and language ability in English or French
To qualify for admission to the Express Entry Pool under the FSWP, applicants must:
possess one-year of continuous full-time paid work experience or the equivalent in part-time continuous employment within the previous 10 years and;
that work experience must be classified under the TEER categories 0 (management occupations), 1 (occupations that usually require a university degree) and;
score 67 points under the skilled worker point grid
The applicant must also undergo language testing in English or French corresponding to the Canadian Language Benchmark of 7
Provincial Nominee Program
Civil engineers can also improve their chances of gaining their permanent residency by getting Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) nomination from British Columbia
Canada’s westernmost province, its BC PNP Tech Pilot prioritizes 29 occupations for immigration to British Columbia, including that of civil engineer
Internationally qualified Civil Engineers who want to immigrate to Canada can do so through one the three system programs and apply for permanent residency
Frequently Asked Questions Continued
COMMON MIGRATION QUESTIONS
Can my family join me when I immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer?
Yes, the rights and privileges afforded to the main visa holder are passed onto partners and children automatically In fact, your partners skills, education and qualifications may even make your overall application even stronger
Can I immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer without a job offer?
Providing you have a reasonable total CRS score on your Express Entry application and can meet the 67 immigration point threshold for your Canada Federal Skilled Worker Visa
Technically there is no minimum CRS score required to submit a Civil Engineer Canada Express Entry profile
Securing a job offer will give you an instant CRS points boost so it makes sense to start this process as soon as possible
How will I be selected to Immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer?
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The CIC draws the top candidates from the Express Entry pool and issues them an Invitation to Apply based on how many Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points they have obtained
A perfect Comprehensive Ranking Score is 1200 An offer of arranged employment in Canada or a provincial nomination certificate is worth significant points
Should you score over the current required minimum CRS score on your Express Entry then there is a good chance you’ll be able to Immigrate to Canada as an Civil Engineer without a Job Offer or Provincial Nomination
Should you score less than the current minimum consider Provincial Nomination or securing a job offer
What is the age limit to Immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer?
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There is no age limit to Immigrate to Canada as an Civil Engineer, although the older applicants are, the less CRS points they will get under the age factor
Take a Free Visa Assessment to check your eligibility
Frequently Asked Questions Continued
COMMON MIGRATION QUESTIONS
What is the process to Immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer?
It is possible to Immigrate to Canada as a Civil Engineer in three ways:
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1 Directly through Express Entry
2 With a Job Offer
3 With Provincial Nomination
The first stage in your Canadian immigration process is to calculate your Canada Immigration points for Express Entry using the Canadian Comprehensive Ranking System
CRS Points are awarded for: Age Qualifications English ability French ability Your partner’s skills Work experience
As well as providing you with important CRS points these factors also count towards your overall Immigration Points score which must equal or exceed a total of 67
Once you receive an ITA (Invitation to apply) from Canadian Immigration as a result of your Express Entry application you’ll only have 60 days in which to lodge a formal application so under no circumstances should you lodge an Express Entry application ‘claiming’ to have certain points without first having all of your points verified through different testing, education equivalence certificates and Professional Qualification assessments
Once you are invited to apply for your Canada Visa you cannot go back and have these things verified retrospectively, they must be done before you claim any points
Top Provinces for Civil Engineering Jobs in Canada
There is high demand for Civil Engineers in Canada
Civil engineers in Canada work in various sectors, including construction, transportation, and government
Whether you're interested in designing bridges or highways, working in water resources, or environmental engineering, there are plenty of opportunities for Civil Engineers in Canada
Frequently Asked Questions Continued
COMMON MIGRATION QUESTIONS
Alberta
Alberta is home to Canada's oil sands and has continuous demand for civil engineers Civil engineers in Alberta work on projects such as oil and gas infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, and municipal services
Ontario
Ontario is Canada's most populous province and has numerous opportunities for Internationally Qualified Civil Engineers
British Columbia
British Columbia is known for its stunning natural landscapes, needs civil engineers to help manage and protect its resources
Benefits of Working as a Civil Engineer in Canada
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The demand for civil engineers in Canada is high According to a report from Engineers Canada, there will be a significant shortage of civil engineers in the country over the next decade
This means there are plenty of job opportunities for domestic and international civil engineers
Canada consistently ranks as one of the best countries in the world for quality of life This includes factors such as safety, education, and healthcare
As a civil engineer in Canada, you can work on projects such as designing and constructing bridges, highways, airports, and water treatment plants In addition, Canada's focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly infrastructure provides unique challenges and opportunities for innovative civil engineering
Which Civil Engineering Specialization is In Demand in Canada?
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Structural Civil Engineering
Structural Civil Engineering is one of Canada's most in-demand specializations in civil engineering
Geotechnical Civil Engineering
Geotechnical Civil Engineering is in demand in Canada Geotechnical engineers are responsible for designing foundations, retaining walls, and other structures built into or on top of the ground
Environmental Civil Engineering
Environmental Civil Engineers in Canada are responsible for designing and implementing systems to protect the environment, such as water treatment plants and waste management systems
Frequently Asked Questions
COMMON MIGRATION
QUESTIONS
Water Civil Engineering
Water resources Civil Engineering is also in demand in Canada
Construction Civil Engineering
Construction Civil Engineers manage projects, completing them on time and within budget
Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) for Civil Engineers
Canada has many pilot programs that present excellent opportunities for civil engineers moving to Canada
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) is a pathway to permanent residence for Civil Engineers who want to work and live in one of the following Atlantic Provinces:
Newfoundland
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
AIP allows Civil Engineers to be nominated and fast-tracked through the immigration process
The Atlantic provinces urgently require civil engineers A skilled worker must get an employment offer from someone designated through the program to be eligible for AIP
