The best places to boost your career in Canada

British Columbia

Vancouver is without any doubt the most popular city in British Columbia, a west coast province. World-famous for its unparalleled quality of life, British Columbia presents plentiful career prospects for foreign professionals, taking into account a low unemployment rate. December 2018 recorded a 1.8% growth in employment – which looks promising. As a whole, the province has a dynamic economy which focuses mainly on forestry, mining, tourism, the film industry, construction, health care and manufacturing. British Columbia also offers the highest wages nationwide, keeping in mind that salaries vary according to skills, qualifications and experience. In any case, you will enjoy a high standard of living. As of June 1, 2019, the minimum wage in British Columbia will increase from $ 12.65 per hour to $ 13.85 per hour for non-skilled workers and $ 12.70 per hour for bar waiters (alcohol). Besides, many employers provide their employees with benefits like comprehensive health insurance including medical and dental care, etc.

Alberta

Rich in oil, natural gas and coal resources, Alberta is also located in western Canada. It is one of the most populous provinces in Canada with Calgary and Edmonton as its major cities. While Alberta's economy relies heavily on agriculture, livestock, and hydrocarbons, other sectors such as petrochemicals, high technologies, and finance have expanded significantly in recent years. Today, Alberta has a highly skilled population, as evidenced by the low unemployment rate, but it remains an attractive destination for foreign professionals thanks to the high wages and low taxation – which means that you will have higher disposable income than in many other regions. The minimum wage in Alberta is currently $ 15.00 per hour. Moving to Alberta also means having work-life balance. Also, many employees are making significant efforts in recruiting and retaining talent with, for example, generous paid leaves, vacation time, daycare services and parental leave allowances.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan has now become the promised land with abundant career prospects in various fields like engineering, trade, construction, healthcare, sales, information and communication technologies, management, and teaching. It is also one of the country's most productive provinces thanks to its natural resources such as oil, gas and minerals. Saskatchewan has a low unemployment rate (5.6% in December 2018). Regarding wages, there was a significant increase in recent years in the fields of construction, manufacturing and trade. Besides, the minimum wage in Saskatchewan is $ 11.06 per hour in 2019.

Manitoba

With labour shortage in many fields, Manitoba aims at filling the vacancies for 20,000 skilled tradespeople, professionals and traders by 2020. With a booming economy, this western province looks promising for trained professionals in the oil industry, energy, tourism, healthcare, education, accounting, transportation, mining and forestry. Today, most activities revolve around Winnipeg, Manitoba's capital city which also provides a high standard of living and excellent quality of life. Besides the low cost of living and quality public services, Manitoba also stands out for attractive wages ($ 11.35 per hour) and fair working conditions, including generous paid leaves. Every year, the province welcomes more than 15,000 newcomers. If you have the skills needed locally and you're looking to become a permanent resident, in the long run, the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) awaits you.

Ontario

Ontario is not only the most populous Canadian province but also has one of the country's most diversified and dynamic economies. Located in the east centre with Toronto as its major city, Ontario looks promising for foreign talents. In fact, Toronto is well known for its economic prosperity, quality of life and high standard of living but it would be wrong to assume that opportunities revolve around this city only. Overall, Ontario can boast a low unemployment rate (5.4%), and opportunities in many sectors like business services, finance, information technology and communication, culture and tourism. The Northen part of the province mainly focuses on the exploitation of natural resources. It's worth noting that some 114,400 new positions were created Ontario in 2018, especially in business services, finance, administration, trade, transportation and management. In contrast, jobs in healthcare, sales, services, arts and leisure are losing ground. Regarding the minimum wage, it is $ 14.00 per hour for non-specialized workers and $ 12.20 for bar waiters. Less than 18 years old students are entitled to $ 13.15 per hour, provided that they work less than 28 hours per week.