Canada is a great country to work as a foreigner. There are a range of jobs to choose from, and the change of seasons mean that multiple working opportunities become available throughout the year.
7 High paying jobs that require no experience in Canada
Canada is the world’s second largest country and has one of the strongest development index’s of any developed country.
In 2021 the Canadian government announced that it planned to increase foreign labour and worker permits to stimulate the economy post-COVID.
Besides great working conditions and above average wages, Canada offers an incredibly attractive lifestyle. Canadians can enjoy the great outdoors or live in highly developed cities with great civil infrastructure and services.
Minimum wages for Canada are as following in Canadian Dollar (CAD):
British Columbia: $15.65
Alberta: $15
Yukon: $15.70
Saskatchewan: $13
North West Territories: $15.20
Manitoba: $13.50
Nunavut territories: $16
Ontario: $15.50
Quebec: $14.25
Newfoundland and Labrador: $13.70
Nova Scotia: $13.60
New Brunswick: $13.75
Note: Different provinces in Canada have different TAX RATES
7 high paying jobs that require no experience in Canada
1. Bartender / Server / Waiter-Waitress
Canada has a very developed and well-functioning service industry that has a strong focus on customer experience. Combine this with the fact Canada has a ‘tipping’ culture of 12% minimum and you begin to understand that bartending and serving roles are viable roles for people to earn a decent income. In busy bars in popular holiday destinations like Whistler, Tofino and Vancouver servers and bartenders have the opportunity to make $200 in tips in a single night for a 5-6 hour shift on-top of hourly wages.
2. Tree Planting
Tree Planting is a seasonal job that takes place across Canada but primarily in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
Tree Planting is ‘piece rate’ meaning that workers are paid per-tree they plan, they are not paid hourly.
However Tree Planters are attracted to the job for the ability to earn $300-$400 CAD per day and to have low-costs of living. This is due to the fact that Tree Planting usually takes place in rural areas where planters live in ‘camps’ and do not pay for rent or food for the duration of their contract. Primary planting months are from May – September.
Tree planting is highly physical and has a high quit-rate for new workers as they find the work too tiresome, so this should be factored in to any newcomers.
3. Wild Land Fire Fighting
Wild Land Fire Fighting is a seasonal and contract-based job that takes place in the Canadian summer. Every year Canada has large summer fires that consume pine forests, and to combat this the government hires seasonal fire-fighters who’s sole purpose for the summer is to fight fires in the forest, not in suburban areas of house fires etc.
This role is primarily done in British Columbia, Alberta and the Yukon. As a new employee you will receive the necessary training by your company and be based in a town. Your ‘base’ where your town is located, is the region that your fire-fighting team is responsible for defending in the case of a big seasonal wild fire.
What attracts workers to this role is it’s pay and lifestyle. When a fire breaks out and needs to be fought, Wild Land fire fighters are taken to remote locations and live in ‘camps’.
While away on camp workers’ pay no food or rent costs and accumulate a lot of over-time in wages. For this reason wild – land firefighting is a popular seasonal job and an experience many will never forget. The dangers of Wild Land Fire Fighting should be considered and researched before committing to this role.
4. Cherry picking
Cherry picking takes place mostly in the Okanagan valley of Canada located in British Columbia. Primarily around the towns of Kelowna, Osoyoos, Summerland, Peachland etc. This job requires workers to wake up at 3am and pick cherries until about 10am, when the heat of the day hardens the cherries and they must not be picked.
This job can be lucrative with fast ‘pickers’ able to earn $300 CAD+ per day. However, this job is technical and requires work to become fast and the working conditions can often be rough. Workers live in ‘camps’ where they pay no rent but food must be bought for oneself.
The work itself involves climbing up and down a ladder to get access to the high-spots on the Cherry trees, all while carrying a bucket and filling it up with cherries.
There is also a problem with pesticide, where workers often get ‘grey hands’ where their hands and fingers are covered in a grey dust which resembles fire ash. This is from the pesticide and it is argued as to how bad this is for human inhalation, as workers breath in this pesticide every day.
5. Construction
Construction jobs in Canada pay above minimum wage and usually start at around $22 for walk-ons with no experience as a labourer. This pay rate will increase with experience for people such as Carpenters. Construction is in high demand across Canada and it is very easy to find a job as employers are always on the lookout for new hands to help the project. This work goes year-round and occurs across Canada so it is a safe-bet for anyone looking to move to Canada but unsure where to start.
6. Soil sampling
Soil sampling is a job whereby workers go out to remote regions of Canada to sample soil for various projects, usually for the inception of mine sites. This ‘soil sampling’ is done to determine the mineral composition and ore deposits under the ground, to gain insight into a location is viable for a certain enterprise; such as mining.
Soil sampling is very-physical and requires workers to carry a heavy bag and lots of soil and a small shovel with them as they walk over un-even terrain through forests, mountain sides, river beds etc. Soil sampling pays well however, as workers are put up in ‘camps’ where food and accommodation is free and provided by the employer.
Hourly wages usually start at around $22 and there is the opportunity to work a lot of Over-Time as workers often work 28 days straight (while out in the camp) and then come back home with a lot of money saved up.
7. Gold Mining / Mining jobs
Canada has a strong gold mining industry and there are a variety of entry-level jobs in mines across Canada; primarily in British Columbia, Yukon and Alberta. Similar to soil sampling and tree planting, Mining jobs usually include free accommodation and food for workers. Mining occurs across remote regions of Canada and usually require workers to work anywhere from 14-28 days straight (no days off).
When a contract of work is finished workers often go home for 7-10 days before commencing another work ‘hitch’ of 14-28 days. The work itself usually involves ‘rough-necking’ which is helping on drill rigs or in underground drilling operations.
Rough-Necking involves constant heavy lifting and 10 hour days back-to-back and it is not for the feint of heart.
I hope this blog helped you in some way.
Canada currently has 3 cities voted into the world’s “TOP 10 MOST LIVEABLE CITIES” which is an incredible achievement for one country to take-out.
Interested in what you’ve just read? You might like:
Link to Tree planting companies:
http://celticreforestation.com/
Link to fire fighting companies:
https://wildfire.alberta.ca/recruitment/wildfire-crews.aspx
Need accomodation for a trip to Canada? Try booking:
If you need flights to Canada, try Sky-scanner:
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