How To Immigrate To Canada As A Firefighter

Why are you immigrating to Canada? If it is for a job opportunity, you should be sure that skill is on the list of occupations in high demand in Canada. If that is the case, you definitely have an edge in getting the visa and relocating to this wonderful country with welcoming and loving people. Have you read about Canada to see the reason the country is among the location most people are picking from immigration currently?

Well, let’s cut the suspense and tell you something you need to know about Canada that will intrigue you to want to immigrate to Canada even as a firefighter. Canada has plans to invite over a 1.2million immigrants into the country to fill up job spaces in some occupations that are in demand in the country.

And the sweet part of it is that firefighting is one of the occupations in high demand in Canada. It falls under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 4312. So for the firefighters, you can give it a go and immigrate to Canada as job opportunities are awaiting you.

There are over 80 programs in Canada offering Invitations to immigrants to come into the country and so you can apply through any of these programs but we have two special programs that you can apply through for immigration to Canada and you will be on your way to Canada sooner than expected.

Is someone in suspense already? Well, they are the Express Entry System and Provincial Nominee Program.

Express Entry System

This system is an online program that is used to invite immigrants into Canada for permanent residence.  The system allows candidates to create an online profile with some criteria like

• Age
• Work experience or training
• Education
• Language fluency test results in English or French
• Provincial nomination

Once you start your profile, you will have to complete it within 60days. Then they will be placed in a pool with other candidates and ranked against a cut-off score using a ranking system called the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).

With the criteria you have included in your online profile, a score will be given to you based on points with the maximum points to be 1200points and where the CRS cut-off score can be around 700-800points. If you meet or exceed the CRS score, you are likely to receive an Invitation to Apply for permanent residence in Canada.

If you were able to complete your profile very early even before the 60days, you will have an edge when there is a tie in the CRS scores. This means that if two candidates score the lowest, a tie-breaking rule will be used to determine the candidate that will be chosen and the tie-breaking rule states that if two candidates score the lowest, the candidate that completed the profile very early will be chosen ahead of the other so you see that you have to complete your profile as early as possible.

One advantage of this system is that even if you don’t succeed the first time you tried, you will have an opportunity to improve your CRS score for the next draw and the draws are done bi-weekly (every two weeks). Your profile can stay in the system for up to one year.

Well, this system is managed under three federal programs and they are:

• Canadian Experience Class
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Federal Skilled Worker Program

How will the Express Entry System Help you as a Firefighter Immigrate to Canada?

Like we mentioned earlier that firefighting is one of the occupations in demand in Canada and it has the NOC 4312 showing that as a firefighter, you can go through the Federal Skilled Workers Program which is under the Express Entry System.

You might be wondering what this Federal Skilled Worker Program is all about, well let’s explain it to you.

What Is the Federal Skilled Worker Program?

This program is for foreigners who have skills, experience, or training and is willing to contribute to the workforce of Canada. Like we said earlier that the country is looking for capable immigrants who are ready to contribute to the growth and development of the country. So if you have experience as a firefighter and can perform your duties very well, you can go through this program under the Express Entry System.

If you are applying through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, you will not need a job offer for your eligibility status.

Let’s list out the requirements for this program:

• You should be at least 18 years of age
• You should have language proficiency in English or French
• You should have work experience of at least one year whether part-time or full-time
• You should have sufficient funds to help you settle in Canada and also take care of any other family member coming with you unless you have a valid job offer
• You must successfully pass the security background check meaning you have no criminal record
• You must pass the medical examination check meaning you are in sound health
• You must have an education certificate from a secondary institution

Provincial Nominee Program

This program is for the provinces of Canada and it is an agreement between the provinces and the government of Canada to allow them to employ skilled foreign workers to fill up job positions in the province. These provinces have the need for a labor force and they need immigrants to help fill up those labor shortages.

Each province is in charge of its own nomination program and sets out its requirement. You can easily get an invitation through this program if you have a skill or work experience that is needed in any of the provinces and you are able to get a job offer from an employer from the province you want to live in.

In Canada, there are eleven provincial nomination programs and we are going to be listing them. They are:

• Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP)
• British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)
• Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)
• New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NW PNP)
• Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NL PNP)
• Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)
• Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NS PNP)
• Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP)
• Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)
• Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)
• Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)

Quebec is not on the list because it has its own immigration selection process and system that is quite different from other provinces.

How Does the Provincial Nominee Program Work?

You can apply for a permanent residence in Canada through the Provincial nomination program but there are two options under this program through which you can apply and they are

• Direct application process
• Express Entry linked to PNP

Now let’s give you a brief explanation of the process.

1. Direct Application Process

This process is done by applying by paper through a mail or courier service. You will have to wait for about 15 to 19months for your application result. That’s a lot of time you know but you can still go with it.

• Express Entry Application Process

If you don’t want to go with the direct application, you can go with the Express Entry Linked with PNP. This can be quicker than the former but you will have two options to choose from and they are the expression of interest and the Provincial Nominee Express Entry Stream. You will just have to wait for about 6 to 8 months for application results.

For the Expression of interest, you are showing interest in a particular province when creating your profile online and this will allow the province to select your profile from the Entry draw pool directly. You will definitely have an edge here.

For the Provincial Nominee Express Entry Stream, you will be applying for an occupation that’s in high demand in the province and sure firefighting is among the occupations in demand like we have mentioned earlier.

How to Move to Canada as a Firefighter

For you to be able to immigrate to Canada as a firefighter there are some qualifications you are required to have and they are:

• You must have completed a secondary school
• You must have a college study program in fire protection technology, fire science, or any related field
• You must have completed a firefighting and emergency medical training professional course
• You must meet the strength, fitness, and sight test requirement
• If you are applying as a senior firefighter, you must have several years of experience as a firefighter.

What do Firefighters do in Canada?

You might be wondering what firefighters do in Canada, well let’s show you:

• They rescue victims from fire scenes like a burning building or accident sites that caught fire
• They respond to fire alarms and call for assistance in cases like bomb threats, automobile or industrial fire accidents, etc.
• They assist the police and other emergency agencies when there is a major disaster
• They administer first aid when they come to the rescue
• They write proper and comprehensive reports on fire incidents

How much does a Firefighter Earn in Canada?

You will also want to know your wages as a firefighter in Canada, well the table below will help to illustrate the earnings of firefighters according to provinces.