Ontario has more trucking jobs going begging for a want of qualified workers to fill them than anywhere else in Canada, making the country’s most populous province rife with opportunities for foreign nationals who want to work there.
Job Bank, the federal government’s job-hunting and career-planning website, was listing 882 trucking jobs, categorized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 with the code 73300, in late May.
The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) was by far the most trucking job intense region, with 494, or 56 per cent, of all of these positions in the province centred in the provincial capital.
In Ontario, the median hourly wage for trucking jobs is $24 but that can rise to $32.34 per hour, reveals Job Bank. Based on a standard 37.5-hour work week, that would be $63,063 at the upper end of the annual wage scale for truckers in Ontario.
But truck drivers are also often paid bonuses by the kilometre, enabling them to earn significantly more.
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With transportation companies desperately looking for truckers to replenish and grow their aging workforce, both the federal and provincial governments have been helping out with immigration policies to grant work permits and permanent residence to qualified foreign workers looking for these kinds of jobs in Canada.
Ontario took the lead in helping transportation companies recruit internationally-trained truckers four years ago by adding the occupation to its Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream.
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That means experienced truck drivers with a job offer in Ontario have a specific pathway to Canadian permanent residence.
Applicants must first register in the OINP’s Expression of Interest (EOI) system and receive an Invitation To Apply (ITA) before they can apply online to be nominated by the Ontario government for permanent residence.
Once nominated, the next step is to apply to the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The IRCC makes the final decision on who becomes a permanent resident.
Refugees With Truck-Driving Skills Are Welcome To Apply Under The EMPP
Ontario is also one of the nine provinces participating in the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) which allows employers to hire skilled refugees and other displaced individuals, including for trucking jobs.
If you are a candidate looking for a Canada job, or an employer looking to recruit foreign talent from abroad, immigration.ca can help. Access our expertise through our in-house recruitment enterprise skilledworker.com, “the leader in foreign recruitment”.
“Canada is a global leader in helping skilled refugees connect with employers struggling to find workers in critical areas, while giving newcomers the opportunity to restart their careers and their lives here in Canada,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
“Our government will continue to develop and scale innovative immigration measures to help employers address their critical labour shortages and provide refugees with the opportunity to live in safety while rebuilding their lives.”
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Foreign nationals who are not refugees can also immigrate to Ontario as truck drivers through the federal, Express Entry Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) program.
In mid-November last year, truck driver was one of 16 occupations added to the FSW’s list of eligible occupations when the IRCC updated to the NOC 2021 classification system.