If you are looking to migrate to Canada as a baker, you need to decide which province you would like to live and work. Canada is a very big country with 13 provinces and territories. So, the best way to narrow down your choices is by following the trail of opportunity. Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Alberta are the four Canadian provinces with the most retail bakeries, according to Statista Canada. However, some of these bakeries are struggling to find the local skilled workers they need to keep the ovens hot and display cases filled with Canadians’ favorite treats. Most bakers earn an average salary of $30, 523 – $51, 889 depending on their work experience and which province they choose to move to in Canada. In this article, we will share steps on how to migrate to Canada as a baker.
Immigration Pathways for Bakers
Express Entry system is the most popular way to immigrate to Canada. Bakers who are applying from overseas and have never worked in Canada before may qualify for two of the three immigration programs managed under Express Entry. These are
- Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and
- the Federal Trades Worker Program (FTWP).
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) is designed for foreign nationals who are highly skilled with excellent French or English communication skills and post-secondary education.
| Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) | |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Description |
| Work Experience | One year within the last 10 years |
| Language Skills | Excellent English or French language proficiency |
| Job Offer | No |
| Education | Minimum of High School Diploma |
READ ALSO: HOW TO MIGRATE TO CANADA AS AN ICT WORKER
Federal Skilled Trades Worker Program (FSTW)
The Federal Skilled Trades Worker Program (FSTW) is designed for foreign nationals who are skilled in a trade occupation such as bakers with good French or English communication skills and job offers or a certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian authority.
| Federal Skilled Trades Worker Program (FSTW) | |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Description |
| Work Experience | Two years within the last 5 years |
| Language Skills | Good English or French language proficiency |
| Job Offer | A job offer is only required if you do not have a certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian authority |
| Education | A certificate of qualification issued by a Canadian authority is only required if you do not have a job offer |
NOC Code for a Baker
Every occupation on the Canadian NOC List is assigned a code and the code for those looking to migrate to Canada as a Baker is 6332. This is also known as the NOC Code for Bakers migrating to Canada.
According to the NOC Classification Schedule, Bakers prepare bread rolls, muffins, pies, pastries, cakes, and cookies in retail and wholesale bakeries and dining establishments. They are employed in bakeries, supermarkets, catering companies, hotels, restaurants, hospitals and other institutions or they may be self-employed. Bakers are employed under many job titles and positions.
So, to qualify under the code of Baker, you must work as any of these job titles or position descriptions
- Apprentice baker – retail
- Bagel baker / maker
- Baker – retail / apprentice
- Bakery bench hand / supervisor – retail
- Biscuit baker
- Bread baker
- Bread baker – retail
- Cake and pastry decorator – retail
- Cake baker – retail / decorator (retail) / icer
- Chocolate maker
- Donut baker / maker
- French pastry baker – retail
- Grocery store baker
- Hand icer – bakery
- Head baker
- Head baker – retail
- Hospital baker
- Hotel baker
- Junior baker
- Muffin baker / maker
- Pastry decorator (retail) / maker
- Specialty foods baker
- Specialty foods baker – retail
- Wedding cake decorator
READ ALSO: HOW AN AFRICAN MIGRATED TO CANADA – THE FINAL PART
Minimum Qualifications required to work as a Baker in Canada
In order to migrate to Canada as a qualified Baker under NOC code 6332, you will need to have your credentials certified by Canada. The exact documents and requirements needed for this process change. However, they will be related to the considered educational requirements listed under the Canadian Government NOC list.
For a Baker, these are:
- Completion of secondary school education.
- Completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship program for bakers or completion of a college or other program for bakers or several years of commercial baking experience.
- On-the-job training may be provided.
- Trade certification is available but voluntary in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified bakers upon successful completion of the inter-provincial Red Seal examination.
The minimum work experience required to migrate to Canada as a Baker is at least 1 year (1,560 hours total / 30 hours + per week), continuous full-time employment or part time equivalent within the last 10 years. This may increase depending on your age.
READ ALSO: GET HELP BEFORE YOU ARRIVE IN CANADA AS A NEW IMMIGRANT
Point score requirement to migrate to Canada as a Baker
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How to Migrate to Canada as a Baker
Below are the steps you need to take to migrate to Canada as a baker.
Stage 1 – Migrate to Canada as a Baker: Gather necessary documents
In order to successfully migrate to Canada as a Baker, the first step is to gather your documents. There are a few important documents you will need to collect in order to apply for your permanent residency visa in Canada. The list of documents may vary depending on the immigration program you qualify for.
One of the most common documents to get before you can immigrate to Canada is your English or French language test results. So, ensure you register for your IELTS exam. The higher your score, the more points you earn on your profile.
The next document you need to get is an educational assessment to show that your qualification is equal to the Canadian standard. Bakers, as with other trades, are regulated at the provincial and territorial level in Canada. In some cases, certification, licensing, or registration is available but not required by law. For more information on the requirements, visit the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials website.
Lastly, if you have a job lined-up in Canada, you need an official job offer letter from your employer and your employer may need to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) document to show that they are following legal procedures to hire a foreign national.
For details of the documents you need, you should read our article on how to migrate to Canada through Express Entry route.
Stage 2: Create your Express Entry profile
The second step is to create an Express Entry profile. Creating an Express Entry profile is where the work really begins. It is the start of your immigration journey and not the end. You need to ensure that your profile hit the minimum required benchmarks laid down by Canadian Immigration.
The next step is to wait for an Invitation-to-Apply (ITA) from Immigration and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Once you receives an ITA, you can apply for Permanent Residence (PR). The CIC draws the top candidates from the Express Entry pool and issues them an ITA based on how many Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points they have obtained.
A perfect Comprehensive Ranking Score is 1200. An offer of arranged employment in Canada or a provincial nomination certificate is worth an amazing 600 points. To date, all draws to migrate to Canada as a Baker have been above 449 CRS Points.
Stage 3 – Migrate to Canada as a Baker: Invitation to Apply
The next stage of your immigration to Canada journey is receiving your Invitation to Apply via the Express Entry program. If your score meets the cut off for the Express Entry draw, you receive an ITA.
You will be receiving this Invitation if you have been selected
- directly on a federal basis,
- via Provincial Nomination or
- based on you securing a formal Job Offer in Canada.
Regardless of how you have arrived at this milestone, it is a huge achievement.
Stage 4: Submit all required documents
The next stage is for you to submit all the required documents within 60 days. Once you receive the ITA, you have about 60 calendar days to submit a complete application for permanent residence (APR) on your online account.
As a final step, you will need to clear background checks and medicals prior to your Permanent Residency Visas being formally granted. Then, it is time to celebrate.
Stage 5 – Migrate to Canada as a Baker: Congratulations
Once you receive your CoPR, it is time to move to Canada. You have up to one year (from date of medical) to formally activate your visas by arriving into Canada.
