Careers in Construction
Introduction
As a skilled construction worker, you could help build homes, offices, schools, bridges, roads, factories, power plants, or shopping malls and be part of a $75-billion industry which accounts for more than 6% of Canada’s economy.
There are four sectors in the construction industry. Each uses different equipment and needs workers with different types of skills. Depending on the career you choose, you could work in two, three or all four of these sectors ... Check out the Careers in Construction website for more information on the different types of opportunities available in the Canadian construction industry!
Professions, occupations and trades
In Canada, there are a number of professions and trades that have compulsory or mandatory certification. In some provinces (like Alberta), these occupations are referred to as designated. To work in these occupations, workers require a recognized trade certificate issued by a provincial government following a certification process.
Non-compulsory or voluntary certification trades are those where the employer decides if the worker has the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job, and certification is available and encouraged, but not a requirement to do the job. Click on the Working in Canada Tool for more information on what these terms mean.
Occupations and trades that require compulsory or mandatory certification include:
- regulated professions; and
- some apprenticable trades.
Regulated professions usually require several years of university or college education, practical experience under the supervision of a licensed worker in the chosen profession, and the successful completion of a licensure examination. Physicians, nurses, and professional engineers are examples of workers in regulated professions. It is important to note that provinces and territories sometimes expect different things from their regulated professionals. In some instances, this means that a person licensed in one province may have to re-apply for a license in order to work in another province or territory.
Apprenticable trades usually require the completion of a period of apprenticeship training on the job by a licensed journeyperson, some specialized college education courses, and the successful completion of a certification, or trades, exam. Mechanics, plumbers, and welders are examples of workers in apprenticable trades. Across Canada, there are about 50 different regulated professions and more than 100 apprenticable trades. Combined, the regulated professions account for about 20% of the Canadian workforce.
Is certification in my occupation compulsory? – Your employer will tell you whether certification in your occupation is compulsory. If it is, your employer may work with you directly to make sure that you can obtain the required certification once you arrive in Canada. Part of this process could involve having your existing credentials recognized; typically you will be required to pass an exam once you arrive in Canada.
Even if your occupation does not have mandatory or compulsory certification, you may still wish to have your foreign credentials recognized. There are several sources of information that will tell you how to get your foreign credentials recognized. Service Canada provides an overview on Having your credentials recognized. Information is also available from the Foreign Credentials Referral Office website. The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) provides information for newcomers on the assessment of foreign credentials, the recognition of qualifications, prior learning assessment and recognition, and credential evaluation services in Canada. See Information regarding employment in Canada for specific professions and trades. Credential Assessment Services can also be found through the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials: Provincially Mandated Evaluation Services.
Having your foreign credentials recognized can be time consuming. It is a good idea to speak with your employer to find out if it is useful for you to get your foreign credentials recognized.
Getting certified for compulsory occupations
As a temporary foreign worker, you have been hired because you have demonstrated that you have the majority of the skills required to work in your trade or occupation. As stated above, depending on the province/territory, workers must be certified to work in a number of trades or regulated professions. This includes TFWs. If you are working in a compulsory occupation, you may need to work under the direction of a journeyperson until you pass the certification exam.
Often, employers will help TFWs to get the skills required to meet certification requirements. To find out more about the requirements in any province or territory, you can use the Working in Canada Tool. You can use this tool to find out what type of training is required in your trade or profession, as well as what specific requirements and training opportunities exist. To use the tool, go to the Working in Canada Tool and type in your trade or profession. You will be asked to choose a location (province or territory and city). You can then choose training information from the options on the page. In addition, each province may have a site that explains which trades require certification, for an example, see the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training website.
What are the language requirements to work in construction in Canada?
Learning English and French – As a new worker in Canada, it is very important for you to be able to communicate easily in English or French. This will help you to contribute to job safety and productivity, become part of a team, and settle in more quickly.
Sometimes, employers arrange for English as a Second Language (ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) classes to be hosted at the work site. Most universities and community colleges offer language classes, as do some private language schools and community organizations such as public libraries. You can contact these groups directly for more information. These classes may have a fee attached to them, so remember to ask. Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) is a free language instruction program for new immigrants to Canada, but it is not free to TFWs. To learn more, visit the Canadian government website on Language training.
Some language courses are designed to help you develop language ability that is specific to your profession or trade. These are known as occupation-specific language training, or Enhanced Language Training (ELT). The goal of these programs is to provide job-specific, labour market-level language training to help internationally trained professionals and trades people work in jobs that match their skills and qualifications. As a TFW, you or an employer may need to pay for this training. Many of the organizations who provide ESL or FSL classes also provide occupation-specific language training for specific trades or professions.
This page last updated December 2009
