If you’re looking to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef you’re in luck! Chefs are in demand right across Canada and you may be able to secure a Canadian Permanent Residency Visa either with or without a job offer.
For starters, Chefs are eligible to apply to immigrate to Canada under the Canadian Government’s Immigration program due to the demand for Chefs in Canada being so great they have included the occupation on the targeted occupations list, known as the NOC list (National Occupation Code List).
The code for Chefs on the NOC is 6321
This is great news for qualified Chefs the world over hoping to live and work in Canada.
Express Entry for Canada is not a visa class at all, it is simply the method (or database) that Canadian Immigration uses to select the right candidates for a permanent residency visa and in that case, as a chef looking to immigrate to Canada we’ll be looking at the Federal Skilled Trades visa and Provincial Nominee program.
Chefs from all over the world are eligible to make an Express Entry for Chefs Canada Residency providing they have the right skills, experience and qualifications in their home country.
Chefs looking to move to Canada to work under this NOC category 6321, might be employed under work titles including:
assistant chef
banquet chef
chef
chef de cuisine
chef de partie
chef pâtissier
cold foods chef
corporate chef
entremetier
executive chef
executive sous-chef
first sous-chef
garde-manger chef
head chef
head rotisseur
master chef
meat chef
meat, poultry and fish chef
pasta chef
pastry chef
rotisserie chef
saucier
second chef
sous-chef
specialist chef
specialty foods chef
supervising chef
sushi chef
working sous-chef
All these roles held by chefs are eligible to apply under this specific NOC category of 6321
Tasks for those looking to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef.
In general, chefs moving to Canada will be able to demonstrate knowledge or experience of the following:
Plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities of several restaurants in an establishment, restaurant chains, hospitals or other establishments with food services
Consult with clients regarding weddings, banquets and specialty functions
Plan menus and ensure food meets quality standards
Estimate food requirements and may estimate food and labour costs
Supervise activities of sous-chefs, specialist chefs, chefs and cooks
Arrange for equipment purchases and repairs
Recruit and hire staff
May prepare and cook food on a regular basis, or for special guests or functions.
Sous-chefs
Supervise activities of specialist chefs, chefs, cooks and other kitchen workers
Demonstrate new cooking techniques and new equipment to cooking staff
May plan menus and requisition food and kitchen supplies
May prepare and cook meals or specialty foods.
Chefs and specialist chefs
Prepare and cook complete meals or specialty foods, such as pastries, sauces, soups, salads, vegetables and meat, poultry and fish dishes, and create decorative food displays for special events such as banquets
Instruct cooks in preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food
Create new recipes
Supervise cooks and other kitchen staff
May plan menus
May requisition food and kitchen supplies.
Emigrate Canada has a dedicated Chefs Canada desk that only represents qualified chefs immigrate to Canada. They understand your profession and can talk your language when it comes to explaining your immigration pathway and the route to securing a Canada Visa for you (and your family).
Qualification Requirements to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef
In the UK for example, we’ll be looking for NVQ Level III
From South Africa, you will be expected to hold your Red Seal
We’re happy to represent chef clients from all over the World so regardless of your country of qualification feel free to contact us today for a full breakdown of your Canadian Immigration chances.
How to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef
The first stage in your Canadian immigration process is to calculate your Canada Immigration points for Express Entry using the Canadian Comprehensive Ranking System.
CRS Points are awarded for (amongst other things)
Age
Qualifications
English ability
French ability
Your partner’s skills
Work experience
As well as providing you with important CRS points these factors also count towards your overall Immigration Points score which must equal or exceed a total of 67
Once you receive an ITA (Invitation to apply) from Canadian Immigration as a result of your Express Entry application you’ll only have 60 days in which to lodge a formal application so under no circumstances should you lodge an Express Entry application ‘claiming’ to have certain points without first having all of your points verified through different testing, education equivalence certificates and skilled trades assessments.
Once you are invited to apply for your Canada Visa you cannot go back and have these things verified retrospectively, they must be done before you claim any points for them and given that your express entry profile is only valid for one year it makes sense to present the best possible case right from the start.
Skills Assessment Process to Immigrate to Canada as a Chef
The process of getting your Chef skills, experience and qualifications verified is called Skills Assessment and it serves two purposes.
Canada Chef Skills Assessment purpose one: With a positive skills assessment you’ll be able to claim the requisite points on both the Express Entry CRS and eventual Federal Skilled Trades application.
Canada Chef Skills Assessment purpose two: Your positive skills assessment will also double as your Red Seal qualification so having your Chef skills assessed means that you’ll be qualified to work as a chef in Canada from day one.
Can I Immigrate to Canada as a Chef without a job offer?
The answer is a resounding yes, providing you have a reasonable total CRS score on your Express Entry application and can meet the 67 immigration point threshold for your Canada Federal Skilled Trades Visa.
Technically there is no minimum CRS score required to submit a Chef Canada Express Entry profile.
Of course, securing a job offer (documented in the right way for immigration purposes i.e. LMT) will give you an instant CRS boost of 600 points so it makes sense to start this process as soon as is practical.
Chef Jobs in Canada
Occupations on the Canada NOC list can be classed as being ‘in demand’ and the chef code 6321 has been firmly established on the list for many years with lots of opportunities right across the country.
As a qualified new and highly skilled Permanent resident of Canada, you may work full-time from day one, either as a direct employee, contractor or in a self-employed capacity. Chef jobs in Canada are often better paid than in the UK, Europe and Asia and Canadian employment law respects the work-life balance.