This article is similar to one I wrote last year regarding a job posting for Engineering Professionals that encouraged you to apply as an Engineer in Canada. This is again a reminder to our readers to validate any information regarding these Job Postings. Note that you cannot practice Engineering in Canada if you do not go into the process of our application as an Engineer in the Province of your destination.
During this pandemic, many people use social media to post job opportunities in Canada with promising salaries and offers of employment. A typical posting that flooded social media recently is similar to the picture below. The usual victims are those who are struggling and are perhaps more vulnerable due to their present situations. Filipino Engineers are among them. Many Filipino Engineers who work as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in the Middle East and lost their jobs because of the pandemic are the target of this “Job Posting”.
Facts before you can be employed as an Engineer in Canada.
1. The practice of Engineering in Canada is a Regulated Profession, similar to the licensing process in the Philippines where your education and experience have to be assessed
2. You cannot call yourself an Engineer and work as one in Canada without undergoing the Licensing Process for each Province of your intended workplace.
3. You cannot have a Professional Engineering License in Canada without undergoing a Professional Experience in Canada under the supervision of a Professional Engineer.
4. You cannot have an Offer Letter from a Canadian Employer if you are not a Professional Engineer in Canada.
5. Obtaining a work visa for any Profession in Canada is a lengthy process. The Employer/Sponsor needs to prove that there is no available Permanent Resident or Citizen that is in Canada for that particular position. This is impossible since the unemployment rate in Canada is still high.
6. Do not come to Canada as a Temporary Resident (Tourist), hoping to land an Engineering Job. That will never be the case. Go with the right process.
7. Even if you have a Ph.D. and more than 15 years of experience with a large company, if you try to apply for a job online, the chances of being accepted are very, very low. You have to be in Canada as a legal resident to be considered for a position.
8. If have a Professional Engineering License from any State of the US (PE) – you can be employed as an Engineer in Canada, but you still have to be registered as an Engineer in the Province of your destination.
9. If you have Chartered Engineering status from the UK, New Zealand, or Australia – you can be employed as Engineer in Canada, but again, you still have to be registered as an Engineer in the Province of your destination.
10. If you are recognized as an Engineer in the Middle East or an ASEAN Engineer, there is still no equivalency that is in place for any of the Provinces of Canada at this time. So you have to apply using the usual process.
In summary, do not be a victim of the promise of a better job in Canada without knowing the facts. Yes, Canada indeed needs Engineers. Use the internet to research facts about the licensing process for each province.
My articles in the Alberta Filipino Journal serve only as additional information based on my personal experiences and knowledge. For specific advice regarding your circumstances, you can email me and I am happy to answer all your concerns.
