Did you know that by 2025, it’s estimated one-fifth of jobs in Ontario, Canada’s most populated province, will be in the skilled trades sector? Read on to learn what the skilled trade sector looks like in Canada, and featured Canadian skilled trades programs for international students.
This vital industry helps homes, businesses, and cities to grow and run. Whether you choose a path in baking, goldsmithing, operating cranes, or collision repair, each trade requires hands-on work and attention to detail. For international students, studying the skilled trades means developing a focused skill set while also earning practical experience and industry connections through apprenticeships and co-op terms.
Short on time? Jump to individual sections:
- What are the skilled trades?
- Which trades are in high demand in Canada?
- Featured Canadian skilled trades programs
What Are the Skilled Trades?
In Canada, skilled trades, sometimes called vocations, are jobs where you work with your hands and require specialized training. Think you know all the trades out there? It’s likely some will surprise you—in Canada, there are over 300 designated trades. Of that number, 54 are Red Seal certified. This means that once you’ve passed the Red Seal exam, your certification will be recognized everywhere in Canada, and you won’t have to recertify if you move.
Per the Government of Canada, most skilled trades fit under one (or more) of five sub-sectors. These are:
Construction
Passionate about building? This in-demand field includes popular trades like electricians, plumbers, carpenters, heavy equipment operators, and welders.
Information and Digital Technology
Digital skills are a growing part of many trades, which include crane operators, machinists, and network technicians.
Manufacturing and Industrial
This field brings together automotive manufacturing, product manufacturing, resource extraction, and processing trades. Careers include process operation, industrial mechanics, vehicle machining, and cabinet making.
Services
A massive part of the Canadian economy, service trades range from landscape horticulturist to cook, or hairstylist to youth worker.
Transportation
Focusing on vehicle repair and maintenance, tradespeople include motorcycle technicians, automotive service technicians, and heavy-duty mechanics.
Which 10 Canadian institutions support the most international students in the trades? See the list, plus current study permit trends, on ApplyInsights.
Which Trades Are in High Demand in Canada?
The skilled trades with the highest projected demand between 2022 and 2026 are:
- Cook
- Industrial electrician
- Industrial mechanic (or millwright)
- Painter and decorator
- Welder
That said, all trades grads enter a sector that’s growing fast. In fact, the federal government estimates “over 256,000 new trades apprentices are needed over the next five years to meet demand in Canada.” If you want to live in a specific part of Canada, check out the federal chart listing top trades jobs by region, too.
In Canadian skilled trades programs, you’ll learn current trade practices. Plus, hands-on class time means working with tools you’ll see on the job. (You’ll also learn how to stay safe, whether using table saws, bulldozers, or hair dyes.) In fact, as many trades programs integrate more technological skills, new grads may modernize their workplaces. For example, your comfort with new tech might mean introducing tools like drones, advanced sensors, and autonomous vehicles to your workplace to drive efficiency and job safety.
If you’re a student interested in becoming a Canadian permanent resident through the Express Entry program, you’ll need to build up the needed amount of work experience after graduating. First, you’ll need either two years of full-time work, or equivalent part-time work, over the five years prior to applying. Then, international grads from eligible trades programs may apply for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).
While FSTP doesn’t have an education prerequisite, applicants get points for graduating from relevant programs in Canada. By studying in Canada, and apprenticing with local companies, students build relationships that may lead to a job offer—another FSTP requirement.
Before you can work in a trade, you’ll need to apply for your study program and student visa! Here are our top dos and don’ts to know when applying for your Canadian student visa.
Featured Canadian Skilled Trades Programs
Now, let’s look at some Canadian skilled trades programs that are popular with international students. Our list aligns with the top trades above, but remember—each of these institutions offer lots more programs. If you can dream it, it’s likely you can study it.
Construction/Industrial Electrician
Learn how to keep buildings safe as a Construction/Industrial Electrician. You’ll learn how to install, alter, and maintain electric systems that provide heat, power, and more to buildings. From testing circuits to reading architectural drawings, you’ll pick up key skills in class and at a work placement.
This 37-week post-secondary certificate is offered by Newfoundland and Labrador’s College of the North Atlantic at their Labrador West, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and Burin campuses. Completing this certificate will also prepare you to write the Red Seal exam for this trade.
Culinary Arts
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is respected internationally for their two-year college diploma in Culinary Arts. In 2023, CEOWorld Magazine called SAIT one of the World’s Best Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools, ranking #15 globally. SAIT is located in the vibrant city of Calgary, Alberta, which was ranked the seventh-most livable city in the world by the Economist in June.
The Culinary Arts program includes an internship, and time working in classroom restaurant environments like the Highwood restaurant or The Butchery, an on-campus meat market which is the first of its kind in Canada. Students learn everything from patisserie to culinary diplomacy, developing foundational cooking skills and knowledge of industry trends.
Manufacturing Engineering Technician – Automation (Industrial Mechanic Millwright)
Prepare for your future! This integrated technician-apprenticeship program enables grads who become registered apprentices to skip the in-school training part of the Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) apprenticeship. Plus, the Manufacturing Engineering Technician program has an optional co-op term where students gain apprenticeship hours while still learning.
This two-year undergraduate diploma at Mohawk College’s Stoney Creek Campus for Skilled Trades immerses students in a hands-on environment. There you’ll troubleshoot automated systems, learn AutoCAD and PLC programming, and practice machine fabrication. With a campus 20 minutes from downtown Hamilton, Ontario, students also enjoy a more affordable cost of living while being close to a larger city.
Interior Decorating and Visual Display
International students will gain vital strategic, software, and industry knowledge through this 16 month diploma of vocational studies. Offered through the state-of-the-art Pearson Electrotechnology Centre (PEC) of the Lester B. Pearson School Board in Montreal, Quebec, the Interior Decorating and Visual Display program is taught by industry experts in a project-based learning style.
As one of Canada’s cultural capitals (and the best student city in Canada in 2023, per QS), Montreal is a fantastic place to hone your knowledge of design, fine arts, and decorating styles. Plus, through PEC’s student placement program, you’ll work with successful designers and build a portfolio to share with future employers.
Welding and Fabrication Technician
This two-year Welding and Fabrication Technician diploma program is offered as a partnership between Sheridan College and Canadian College of Trades and Technology. Students get hands-on training in skills ranging from metal arc welding to overhead welding. You’ll study at CCTT’s Fort Erie, Ontario campus, not far from the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Because Sheridan and CCTT encourage wellbeing in and out of the classroom, all students also have mandatory health insurance, dedicated student support services, and access to on-site housing.
Canada’s skilled trades sector is growing and diverse. This means there’s a space for everyone to build their knowledge in this vital sector. No matter which trade you choose, best of luck with your study abroad journey!
Ready to find the skilled trades program that matches your goals? Check out the ApplyBoard platform. With over 140,000 current study abroad programs, you’re bound to find a great fit.
