Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants
This page was last updated on
June 19, 2023
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British Columbia has a growing economy and job market—employers and communities are looking for workers in many different areas.
Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants helps professionals use their skills, training, and foreign qualifications for work in B.C. It can help you get jobs that match your experience and background.
The Career Paths program offers:
- financial help to pay for professional re-credentialling (training) or licenses
- job-related language training
- assessment (checking) of credentials and experience
- career planning and coaching
- communication with regulatory authorities
- referrals to employers and mentors
- Canadian work experience opportunities – for example, through work-study programs or related jobs in your industry
- if your occupation is not practised in B.C. or your qualifications are not recognized in B.C., Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants can help you find other options
Visit the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA) website to see
videos that explain the Career Paths program.
Are you eligible?
You may be eligible for Career Paths if you:
- became a permanent resident of Canada within the last ten years
- are a protected person/refugee
- have been selected for permanent residence
- have 1 year of work experience in your home country (Stream 1 and 2)
- have 2 years of work experience in your home country, or 1 year of pre-arrival work experience in your home country if you are 30 years old or younger (Stream 3)
- have an intermediate to advanced level of English language proficiency
- are unemployed or working in a job that does not use your skills and training from your home country
The program has three streams:
- Stream 1: Priority occupations. These are specific jobs that are classified using the NOC system. They are in demand in B.C. and difficult to fill.
- Stream 2: Regulated occupations. These include skilled jobs where you may need to be recertified to work in B.C. The recertification process is done by a regulatory body.
- Stream 3: Unregulated occupations. These include skilled jobs where you may not need to be certified.
Stream 1: B.C. priority occupations
Stream 1 could help you find work in a high-demand job. Under this stream you could get up to 24 months of help toward your work goal. Support may include:
- career counselling specific to your job
- help getting recertification education (where relevant)
- English language training specific to your job
- other help that B.C. employers know will help you succeed
Find the jobs that are in high demand in B.C. under stream 1 below, including service providers and their contact information. The occupations below are found in the
NOC 2016 version.
Service providers delivering the Career Paths Program: Stream 1
Stream 2: regulated jobs
More than 280 jobs in B.C. are regulated. To work in a regulated job, you need to be certified. Stream 2 could help you find work in a regulated job that does not fall under Stream 1.
Each regulated job has different standards. A regulatory authority sets these standards. It also assesses qualifications from other countries.
In this stream you may receive up to 22 months of help to reach your work goal. This could include:
- career counselling specific to your job
- financial help to upgrade your skills, including language training
- help with getting ready for exams
- other support that will help you succeed in B.C.
If you don’t have a lot of work experience in Canada, career counsellors can help you find a practicum or a temporary job in your industry. While you work, you can get your Canadian credentials.
Stream 3: unregulated jobs
Stream 3 may help you to find a job in any unregulated occupation in B.C. Under stream 3 you may get up to 12 months of help reaching your work goal. Support could include:
- career counselling specific to your job
- financial support for upgrading (including language training)
- other support that will help you succeed in B.C.
Find services under stream 2 and 3 in each region of the province, including service providers, their contact information, and the cities they serve.
Service providers delivering the Career Paths Program: Streams 2 and 3
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The Career Paths program is funded by the Province of British Columbia and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.