Learn about Construction jobs in Canada

If you’re seeking construction-related jobs in Canada, You can be certain that the industry is expanding across various regions and cities. Construction jobs in Canada employ more than 1.3 million individuals and contribute to around 7 percent of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The most frequent types of construction are:

• Residential (single unit, low-rise, high-rise)
• ICI Buildings (institutional, commercial, and industrial)
• Infrastructure (transportation water, utilities, transportation)
• Mining
• Oil and gas
• LNG (technically part of the oil and gas industry; however, it’s distinct as an emerging new sector)

The aging population of Canada and the general constant economic growth has created a strong demand for construction experts and tradespeople, with demand for skilled workers constantly outpacing supply. With just 38 million residents living in the second-largest country globally, Canada continues to depend on foreign workers to help support its construction industry.

What are the most-wanted job opportunities for construction workers in Canada?

• Project Director – ICI (institutional, commercial, industrial, and commercial) Buildings & Infrastructure
• Senior Project Managers – ICI Buildings & Infrastructure
• Senior Superintendents – ICI Buildings & Infrastructure
• Commercial Managers & Contracts Managers – Infrastructure
• Senior Estimators – ICI Buildings & Infrastructure
• Design Managers – ICI Buildings & Infrastructure
• Schedulers – Infrastructure

To learn more about the typical job titles for construction positions across Canada, visit this comprehensive blog by Outpost Recruitment, Our sister company that focuses on recruitment for construction.

Professions of construction

Solid construction management or engineering experience is an excellent base for professionals working in construction who are looking to build an occupation on the construction site of the business. The great thing about construction is that even though a higher level of education can offer you an advantage at first, you can climb the ladder no matter the level of your formal education.

It’s crucial to understand that Canada, in contrast to other countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East, tends to concentrate on immigration through permanent residence rather than hiring temporary foreign workers with temporary permits. It is comparatively easier to be eligible for permanent residency in Canada than in many other countries that offer attractive construction jobs. Be assured that there are plenty of alternatives to consider if you can’t qualify to be a permanent resident now.

The degree and the qualifications

If you are planning to move to Canada to work in the field of construction, it is recommended to hold one of these qualifications or degrees:

• Masters or MBA possession of a Masters or MBA distinction is extremely advantageous in obtaining immigration into Canada through economic top programs.
• The degree is a preferred level of qualification for professionals in the construction industry regarding employment and immigration in Canada.
• Higher Diploma <> B. Tech, Higher National Diploma (HND)
• Trade qualifications – This could assist you in getting to Canada through one of the programs: Federal Skilled Trades Program, which is one of Canada’s permanent residency programs linked to Express Entry. Express Entry system.

Designations

Engineer in Training (EIT) Engineer in Training (EIT) when your engineering school documents have received approval from your provincial engineering authority, you could be awarded this title.

Professional Engineer (P. Eng. ) Engineering – For engineers. Getting a designation of P. Eng. certification is not as important in the contracting aspect of the industry; however, it is still highly valued.

Gold Seal Certification (GSC) is a Canadian certification that is considered practical for professionals who have a job working in project management.

The Project Management Professional (PMP) The process of becoming the designation of Project Manager Professional (PMP) is considered to be a better term for all professionals in the field of project management.

Chartered Member (MRICS) – Specifically for Quantity Surveyors and Building Surveyors. The MRICS designation is recognized throughout Canada.

Professional Quantity Surveyor (PQS) – A Canadian designation similar to MRICS granted in the name of Quantity Surveyors through the Canadian Association of Consulting Quantity Surveyors (CACQS).

Welcome to Outpost Recruitment!

Outpost Recruitment, our sister business has been connecting the top engineers from across the world with Canadian employers for infrastructure, civil, and ICI (Institutional Commercial, Commercial and Industrial) construction projects since. Outpost is a specialist in helping individuals from abroad to move to Canada.

Some of our clients are:

• General Contractors
• Subcontractors (civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, geotechnical)
• Consultants – project delivery, cost consultants

Outpost Recruitment collaborates with the top contractors in the fields of infrastructure and building for the filling of roles in construction in Canada:

• Project Director / Operations Manager
• Project Managers – All Levels (Junior PM to Senior)
• Design Managers
• Superintendents
• Estimators

How do I move to Canada as Construction Professional?

The best benefit of moving into Canada as a professional in construction is the number of options open to you. Furthermore, unlike countries such as Australia and those in the Gulf States, there are categories of work permits that don’t require a job offer. You could take a simple and fairly quick process to become a permanent resident (PR) even if you don’t have an employment offer and have never lived in Canada prior. Canada accepts construction workers via various PR programs and with various categories of work permits. Learn more about these programs, including work permits, IEC, the well-known IEC program, and many more, in our in-depth blog post on our sister site, Outpost Recruitment.

Considerations for locations

It might be worthwhile to review our information below about job trends in Canada in the last decade. Based on the sector of interest, you can look over your alternatives regarding where you can work.

• Toronto 

   Greater Toronto Area (GTA) encompasses a variety of major suburbs in addition to the city’s central core, which is famous for the CN Tower and the ever-growing number of towers that are within its shadow. The GTA is a vast area with more than 6 million inhabitants and is the most populated marketplace within Canada to be employed in construction.

• Vancouver

    – Vancouver Lower Mainland region encompasses more than 10 towns (municipalities) and is home to an exploding real estate market with abundant construction projects.

• Montreal –Quebec, the largest city and Canada’s second-largest, provides plenty of possibilities, but you might want to think twice if you don’t understand French.
• Ottawa – Canada’s capital city, has a fantastic standard of living.
• Calgary – Calgary is home to gas and oil in Canada and is struggling because of the low prices for commodities and the absence of pipelines to transport Canada’s oil to global markets.
• Edmonton- Edmonton is a blue-collar town in Edmonton’s industry of oil and natural gas in Alberta.
• Fly-in-Fly-Out (FIFO)- If you want to work remotely, There are various alternatives, including LNG conventional petroleum and natural gas (O&G), mining and infrastructure projects that you can choose from. It is possible to reside in a city and commute to work for your shift.Let’s take a look at some recent trends in employment for construction all across Canada for you to expand your knowledge and then choose the most suitable place within Canada.
  

  2009-2014 The industrial boom is driving the demand for international workers in all construction industries

  Canada is a largely unpopulated area that is home to vast reserves of resources that are natural. Similar to Australia, the economies of both countries closely correlate with the prices of natural resources. This is accompanied by cycles of booms and busts during shorter cycles. Canada is the world’s largest producer of natural gas, copper-zinc, silver, gold iron, potash, molybdenum, uranium, and other commodities. The oil sands region of Northern Alberta alone accounts for one-third of the world’s oil reserves; however, resources are found throughout Canada’s territory and provinces.

  Rising commodity prices from 2009 through 2014 led to substantial investment in gas and oil initiatives across Canada. The extraction of resources is labor-intensive. This has caused growth across regions like the Prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba), with workers coming from across Canada and around the globe. These provinces saw a rise in population during this time which helped boost the local economics of cities like Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Regina, and Saskatoon. As towns and cities grew across the Prairies, every municipality required more infrastructure and people to help support the population growth The shortage of skilled workers was a problem for all industries, not just the natural resources sector. At the time, Calgary and Edmonton were competing against Toronto and Vancouver for foreign workers since these cities provided greater opportunities for immigrants from the economy and lower living costs.

  With international and local workers migrating to Canada to be part of the expanding industry, this created shortages in different areas of construction work in Canada. The boom in resource extraction attracted foreign workers when immigrants from the economy arrived to seek out opportunities. Fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers arrived in Fort McMurray from all over the globe to take part in the boom in oil sands. The employers in Vancouver and Toronto were losing a portion percent of their employees to the industries sector. They required international workers to fill in the gaps, so the labor shortage was exacerbating. This was evident in Canadian businesses that organized international recruitment campaigns when skills shortages were observed across all construction sectors. The labor supply in Canada was not enough to meet the demand, and employers could obtain approval to provide foreign labor to fill their labor needs. Rising oil prices led to an increase in the construction of gas and oil factories. In the local area, Canadian workers were flocked to jobs with higher salaries in the mining industry, which led to a demand for foreign workers to fill their positions across Canada.

  2015 and onwards: Infrastructure boom

  The lower prices of commodities since 2014 have slowed down the labor market within regions like 

  These changes are that foreign workers are now focused more on provinces like British Columbia and Ontario. Toronto, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia, now provide more secure locations for workers from abroad as their economies are driven by film, tourism, IT, and foreign investment, making the cities less vulnerable to the price of resources. Both cities have robust residential, institutional and commercial construction sectors and abundant infrastructure projects amid population growth.

  The present COVID-19 pandemic has both an economic and health crisis, and the construction industry in Canada will be affected by COVID-19 in the coming years. However, the dedication to infrastructure investment as the foundation of economic recovery seems to reduce some of the initial shock waves of the pandemic in the construction industry. Keep up-to-date with all the latest developments in COVID-19 Canada on this page.

  Outpost Recruitment

  Outpost Recruitment, our sister company Outpost Recruitment, has connected the top international construction professionals to Canadian employers in infrastructure, civil, and ICI building projects for over five years.

  If you’d be interested in exploring the possibilities of working in Canada’s construction industry, go to Outpost Recruitment to sign up and learn about available job openings.

  the Prairies provinces, a decline in investments in resource projects, and the stagnation of economic activity in areas like Prairie provinces. Due to the slowdown in industrial production, Canada has invested heavily in infrastructure projects. This has assisted in absorbing many workers who are from the sector of the resource. Since 2014, the demand for foreign workers has declined because Canada’s primary focus is on integrating the local Canadian workers into different sectors. This has meant that employer sponsorship is not as common as it was previously; however, those who have temporary-issued work permits and a permanent residence are still able to work in Canada.