How To Immigrate To Canada As A Social Worker

Who are social workers? Social workers help individuals, couples, families, groups, communities, and organizations develop their skills.

They respond to other social needs and issues such as unemployment, racism, and poverty. They are employed by hospitals, school boards, social service agencies, child welfare organizations,

Immigrating to Canada as a social worker can be a good advantage and a beautiful experience at the same time. Social workers do not only enjoy good salaries in Canada, but they also make a real difference in their communities.

Social workers are one of Canada’s top 20 most-paid jobs. they are in high demand in six Canadian states and territories and can make so much money in a year as highly skilled professionals. 

This article will outline the requirements and steps you need to migrate to Canada as a social worker.

Requirements On How To Immigrate To Canada As A Social Worker

There are various requirements to immigrate to Canada as a social worker. They are general and specific requirements. Therefore, you need to check these requirements and ensure you meet them.

1. General Requirements

We will first discuss the general requirements for successful immigration to Canada as a social worker. The first thing is your age, it will determine if you can move to Canada because all immigrants must reach working age which is between 18-45 before migrating as workers. 

You must also have at least two years of work experience in social work. Alternatively, you may be eligible if you have completed a degree or diploma program in social work from a Canadian institution. 

Generally, the minimum education requirement for immigrating to Canada as a social worker is secondary education. However, there are additional benefits to getting a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Medical compatibility is also critical to your immigration process. You need to be able to prove that you are healthy enough to adapt to the Canadian weather and climate.

2. Certifications For Social Workers In Canada

To Immigrate to Canada as a Social Worker, your certifications must be verified and assessed. You can do this by contacting the regulatory body of your profession in Canada. Standard Regulatory bodies include:

1. Association of Social Workers (ASW).
2. British Columbia College of Social Workers (BCCSW).
3. Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).
4. Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers (SASW).
5. Manitoba College of Social Workers (MCSW).
6. New Brunswick Association of Social Workers, Inc. (NBASWI).
7. Nova Scotia College of Social Work (NSCSW).
8. Prince Edward Island Association of Social Workers (PEIASW).
9. Quebec Order of Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists (OTSTCFQ).
10. Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Social Workers (NLASW).

Steps To Immigrate To Canada As A Social Worker

To be able to immigrate to Canada as a Social Worker, there are also specific steps you must follow. Before any of these steps, you are expected to have completed the requirements.

Step 1: Choose Where You Want to Live and Work in Canada

Canada is an absolute heaven for immigrants looking to live, work, study, or settle aboard for a better life and opportunities. By now you may have some idea of where you are planning to live and work in Canada. 

This is one of the most important steps to consider as it will help narrow down over 80 different visa or immigration program choices. 

It may seem like a simple choice but if you want to Immigrate to Canada but you have to put many things into consideration before making this choice because Once you know where you want to settle down, you can also start looking for jobs in Canada. 

Having a job before you immigrate will also eliminate the stress of trying to find a job once you land, and will allow you to focus on more important things.

Step 2: Create An Express Entry Account

Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway to permanent residence for immigrants seeking a new life in Canada. To create an Express Entry profile, you must first create an IRCC secure account. 

Online Express Entry profiles enable the Canadian government to assess whether a skilled immigration applicant is eligible to immigrate to Canada.

Creating an express entry profile on the official IRCC website would be best. Also, make sure that the information you entered is correct and valid. Invalid information can result in the loss of your application.

Step 3: Have Your Qualifications Accredited for Canada

To live and work in Canada as a Social worker, you will need to have the qualifications that you earned outside of Canada accredited and ensure that it is recognized in Canada.

An Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) confirms that your degree, diploma, or certificate is both valid and equal to Canadian standards. 

This is very important because it will allow you to claim the Permanent Residency points for your education and training and might also be required for employment, and professional registration within Canada and Canadian immigration services.

Step 4: Start The Migration Process, Apply For Your Canada Visa

There are many routes you can take when moving to Canada as a Social worker but we’ve listed the top 4 ways that will give you the greatest chances of success in the application process:

1. Express Entry system
2. Provincial Nominee Program
3. The Rural and Northern Immigration Program
4. The Atlantic Immigration Pilot

1. Express Entry

Express Entry is the fastest and most popular pathway to permanent residence for immigrants seeking a new life in Canada.

Express Entry is an application management system used by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to manage and process applications received through three of Canada’s federal economic immigration programs for skilled workers.

With the right age, language skills in French and/or English, qualifications, and other criteria you could be moving to Canada in as little as 6 months!

2. Provincial Nominee Program

The Provincial Nominee Program allows skilled and semi-skilled immigrants to live and work in Canada. You will need a valid job offer in Canada of at least 1 year for most immigration streams. 

Up to 11 provinces and territories have their own PNPs, each with its own specific labour needs. If you have what your chosen province or territory is looking for, you may receive a provincial nomination, which is worth 600 extra PR points which means that you’re practically a shoo-in for Canadian permanent residence.

3. The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot

The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is a community-driven program. It’s designed to spread the benefits of economic immigration to smaller communities by creating a path to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers who want to work and live in one of the participating communities.

Seeing as social workers are in-demand in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan you may be eligible to immigrate to Canada through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP). There are 11 participating communities currently participating in the pilot program, of which three are in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, namely Brandon, Altona/Rhineland, and Moose Jaw.

4. The Atlantic Immigration Pilot

The Atlantic Immigration pilot focuses on helping Canadian employers in the Atlantic region find employees to fill job vacancies when no suitable candidates can be found locally. 

To qualify for the program, both the employer and the potential employee must meet certain requirements. After successfully applying and securing the job, the candidate will receive permanent residence status in Canada.

Social workers are in high need in 3 out of the 4 Atlantic provinces, you may be eligible to apply if you have a valid job offer for at least 1 year. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Applying for a visa can be stressful and confusing, and you can easily make a mistake that can ruin your migration plans but with this article, you now know how to migrate to Canada as a social worker.

Have a great adventure and good luck