Jamaicans working in Canada can advance towards permanent residency there and become more satisfied with their jobs. Based on your job experience in Canada, you earn points for your complete ranking system or permanent residency. You also have the opportunity to apply for immigration under more immigration categories if you have Canadian work experience while working in Canada on a work visa. Obtaining a Canadian work visa from Jamaica is an exciting yet complex process. You can make things simpler for yourself with a little amount of work, education, and planning.
This guide will provide you with a complete overview of the process of obtaining a Canadian work visa from Jamaica, including important information about the visa types, eligibility requirements, processing times, and more. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of how to obtain a Canadian work visa from Jamaica.
Obtaining a Canadian work visa from Jamaica – Step-by-step process of applying for it
Job search in Canada
Obtaining a valid job offer from a Canadian business is the first step to working in Canada. Depending on your line of employment, the business can require a favorable LMIA – (Labor Market Impact Assessment). The LMIA certifies that a company hired overseas after advertising a job locally for at least three months but couldn’t fill it locally. LMIA requirements are not applicable to the following types of jobs in Canada:
- Laborers in fish and seafood processing
- Butchers, meat cutters, and fishmongers-retail and wholesale
- Transport Truck Drivers
- Specialized livestock workers, Agricultural service contractors, and farm supervisors
- Associated products processing and laborers in the food
- Nursery and Greenhouse Workers
- General Farm Workers
- Harvesting laborers
- Industrial butchers & meat cutters, poultry preparers, and related workers
Both Canada and Jamaica share major industries such as manufacturing, tourism, mining, and agriculture. Due to a scarcity of people, several of these industries are in high demand across Canada, especially in remote areas like the Maritime Provinces and Northern Canada. The minimum wage in Canada is more than double what it is in Jamaica if that isn’t enough to encourage you. It is common for tradespeople, such as welders, to earn an average salary of $42,900 in Canada and to take advantage of great perks such as free public health insurance and public schools. However, the average salary for this trade in Jamaica is $38,166, and there are a few advantages.
Gather supporting documents
Your spouse and dependent children may enter Canada with you if you apply for an open work permit, temporary residence visa, or open study permit. Children will be able to enroll in elementary and secondary schools after arriving in Canada, and your husband or wife will be able to find employment. Several supporting documents must be submitted in order for you to be granted a Canadian work visa. Documents supporting these claims include, among others:
- Job offer letter
- Updated CV
- Police clearance certificate
- Proof of financial status
- Copy of driver’s license for transportation jobs
- Marriage certificate
- Passport
- Birth certificate for minor children
Verify your eligibility for 2-week processing
In general, Jamaicans usually have to wait 4 weeks for their work permit for Canada when applying from the island. The Global Skills Strategy may be able to provide 2-week processing for work visa applicants who are applying for managerial or professional positions without an LMIA. Furthermore, highly skilled workers like computer managers or engineers can be processed in as little as two weeks and start working right away in Canada.
Instead, submit an application for a Work-Pilot in Canada.
For certain occupations, Jamaican workers in Canada can apply for specially developed work pilots. Understanding the distinctions between applying for either is essential because a work visa is appropriate for temporary employment in Canada while a work visa pilot often leads to full-time employment.
You can apply for permanent residency after completing your Canadian work-pilot program for at least six months, or you can be hired full-time until you meet the requirements for permanent residency.
Pilots specific to occupations include these four:
Caregiver Pilots
Carers and home support workers in Jamaica can apply for these pilot programs to become permanent residents. Inexperienced candidates who want to work as home childcare providers or home support workers can simultaneously submit applications for both a work visa and permanent residency. Your application for PR will be handled once you’ve accrued the necessary amount of working hours in Canada.
Truck Drivers Pilot
Through the Saskatchewan Long-Haul Truck Driver Pilot, Jamaican long-haul truck drivers may be qualified to submit an application and be granted a six-month employer-specific work visa. After six months, if your employer decides to extend your contract and employ you permanently. then you will be eligible to apply for permanent residency.
Tech Worker Pilot
In British Columbia and a few other Canadian provinces, Provincial Nomination Programs (PNPs) direct tech worker pilot programs. A pilot program designed to provide preferential treatment to computer professionals, such as engineers, and web designers. As well as user support technicians create a strong incentive for them to apply for work visas.
Agri-Food Pilot
An immigration pilot program for agri-food is expected to begin operating on May 15, 2020. The Pilot Program aims to attract skilled, long-term employees to meet the labor needs of the Canadian agri-food industry, especially those involved in growing mushrooms and greenhouse crops, processing meat, and breeding animals.
Get in touch with Canadian visa experts
Due to so many accessible categories, each with different eligibility requirements, deciding which type of work visa is right for you and your family can be frustrating. Insufficient supporting documentation, the wrong visa type, or the wrong paperwork could lead to your work visa application being denied.
Moreover, you can even get assistance with the entire visa application procedure from RCIC. With professional assistance, you can ensure that your visa application is submitted correctly the first time and make a positive impact on your future in Canada.
MakeHomeCanada is here to assist you.
You’ll increase your chances of having your visa accepted by using our qualified RCICs services. And you’ll also discover which program is appropriate for your individual requirements. Further, the ICCRC has authorized our highly qualified RCICs to assist you in determining your eligibility. Analyze all of your supporting documentation and application materials, and submit them to the Canadian government on your behalf. By utilizing the knowledge of our RCICs, you can reduce the possibility that your application will be denied because of incomplete or late submission.
