With its stable economy, world-class educational system, good healthcare facilities, opportunities for economic mobility, and the 2018 release of the Canadian government throwing the gates open for immigrants with technical skills, not even the cold of Canada can stop the country from looking extremely attractive to emigrants.
With the recent downturns in the South African economy and the many problems that come with that, we understand why many South Africans might be looking to move to a more conducive place like Canada. However, moving is not as easy as it sounds, and to move you must have a solid financial plan. For that, you need a job.
The bad news is that it is very difficult and almost impossible for you to get a job in Canada from South Africa, and here is why. In order to hire someone from outside Canada, the employer must obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) that proves there is no one in Canada able to do that job.
This regulation gives workers already in Canada priority for available jobs, so in essence, it is the Canadian government trying to act in the best interests of Canadians and those already in the country.
The requirements for an LMIA will cost the employer at least three months of time, and a lot of money as advertising costs which will vary, because the employer has to advertise the position widely in Canada for a month.
If the employer receives applications from Canadians – of whom there are 36 million, more than half of whom have degrees – the employer has no reason to hire outside the county.
If the employer receives no applicants, before hiring outside Canada, the employer must apply for an LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada, and processing this takes two months.
The fee is 1100 Canadian dollars. Following this, the employer has to wait for the job applicant’s work permit (temporary) or PR (permanent) to be approved, which will take a minimum of six months and could easily take a year or more.
All of the above explains why it is so difficult for someone from outside Canada to gain a job offer from a Canadian employer. It is so time-consuming and so expensive to hire outside Canada that the majority of Canadian employers won’t even look at an out-of-county application.
In addition to all the regulatory requirements, Canadian employers don’t have the time or resources to try to verify out-of-country references/qualifications, especially those in an unfamiliar language. Nor are they willing to hire someone they have never met since collaborative teamwork is an important part of Canadian workplaces.
The above highlight why getting a job in Canada from South Africa will likely be extremely difficult. However, what we told you at the beginning of this article is that it was nearly impossible, and not exactly impossible.
If you have a special skill, or you are a renowned specialist at a particular thing, then you could get a job from South Africa, in Canada. There are numerous cases of South Africans getting jobs in Canada from SA because they were specialists.
So there you have it! If you have some special skill, then you can get to apply. If not, then we advise you emigrate first, and then apply.