Moving within Canada to work
Moving across the country for work can allow you to:
- put your skills to work where they are needed
- find more job opportunities
- find higher wages in different areas of the country. For example, in Alberta an electrician can earn about $36 per hour while the average across Canada is $32.00
If you are looking to work in a different province or territory, there are tools and programs that can help, as described below.
Where to look for jobs in Canada
Job Bank is Canada’s national employment service. It can help you find work and plan your career. You can search for information such as:
- job opportunities
- job description
- wages
- job prospects
- job requirements and skills
Moving to work in a regulated occupation
If you want to work in another province or territory, you will need to determine if your occupation is regulated.
Job Bank will tell you:
- if your occupation is regulated (click on the Requirements section after you complete your search)
- who is the regulatory body
If your occupation is regulated, you will need a certificate or licence issued by the regulatory authorities in the province or territory where you are moving. Each province and territory is responsible for establishing occupational standards and entry to practice requirements for most regulated occupations.
The Canadian Free Trade Agreement stipulates that a certificate issued by one province or territory should be recognized by all others unless there is an exception due to public health, safety and security reasons. These exceptions can be found on the Labour Mobility Working Group (LMWG) website page. This group was established by the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM).
There is also a “Guide for Regulatory Authorities” checklist (PDF 116KB) that shows what you might need when applying for a certificate or licence.
If you need help in getting your certificate recognized, you can contact your local Labour Mobility Coordinator.
Moving to work in a skilled trade
The federal government works with the provinces and territories to support the Red Seal Program. This program may help you to:
- work in a skilled trade in another province or territory
- complete your apprenticeship training in another province or territory
Visit Support for Apprentices to learn more.
Getting financial help to move for work
If you are moving to a new city, province or territory to work you may qualify for the moving expenses tax deduction. You could claim expenses like:
- transportation and storage costs
- temporary living expenses
- cost of cancelling a lease
- incidental costs related to your move
- costs that you may have to pay to keep your old home
You may also apply for the non-accountable moving allowance if your employer is paying or paying you back for your moving costs.
Visit the Canada Revenue Agency for more information.
Continuing to receive Employment Insurance benefits when you move
If you want to keep receiving Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits when moving to another area to look for work you must:
- be available to work
- be actively looking for a suitable job
- continue to look for work until you start a job even after you have accepted a job offer. This includes the days before, during and after a move
You may still receive EI regular benefits if you voluntarily leave your job to follow a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child to a new place. Visit the EI Benefit Entitlement Principles for more details, or contact Service Canada for any questions about the EI program.
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