Employment

Employee Benefits in Canada

accountants-email-list/The average national income per person in Canada is $55,800 a year. Personal tax varies from province to province but is around 21%, which means you would pay about $11,720 in tax, meaning your net pay is $44,080 a year. Now, before we get to the employee benefits in Canada in just a moment, there’s one more thing you need to notice. The average cost of living in Canada for a single person is around $25,400 per year. Do you see where we are going with this? Then keep in mind that you could be earning this in a country ranked as one of the highest in the world for quality of life.

The Perks of Working in Canada

Flexible Working Hours– while not unique to Canada, few countries have embraced this concept as widely as Canadian employers, from fast-food workers to CEOs. Having the privilege of a flexible schedule allows personal growth and wellbeing outside of the workplace. As long as you meet your commitments, you should be able to pursue your own development outside of work. For example, the WWF grants employees two Fridays off every month.

Extended Vacation Days– many companies across Canada incentivize employees by allowing them to win or earn additional vacation days based on their performance or achievements. Some companies provide snow days, where employees can work from home or skip work altogether to enjoy the outdoors. Adobe, for example, shuts down for an entire week in the summer and the winter for exactly this reason.

Maternity and Paternity Leave– Canada is one of the most progressive countries in the world in this regard, where companies give employees up to a year of paid leave after the birth of a child. Working law in Canada requires companies to provide a minimum of 5 weeks of paid maternity and paternity leave, but Canadian companies know how valuable new citizens are. Netflix, for example, offers a full year, and Facebook grants a $4,000 “Baby Cash” bonus to new parents. It is not uncommon for Canadian companies to have a very ‘family-centric’ culture.

Work Perks– sometimes it is not about how little you have to be at work, but how awesome being at work can be. Canadian companies are incentivized to look out for their employees’ well-being. This can mean little things such as a healthy breakfast on a Monday or big things, like an in-office acupuncturist at Twitter and catered meals every day! Many companies also offer gym memberships to employees, for the simple reason that better physical health means better mental health, and that means better performance in the workplace.

For more information about employment in Canada, worker rights, and benefits,Click Here.

What you Need to Work in Canada

It goes without saying, but the first thing you’ll need is a job offer! There are many recruitment companies and agencies you can make use of, but always proceed with caution – it is one thing to pay for services, but you should never have to pay for a job offer. Typically a recruitment company works on a commission basis, which they will take from your first paycheck only once you have started.

Once you have a job offer, you will need a Canadian work permit. The temporary foreign work permit is awarded to foreigners with job offers in Canada. The conditions of the work permit application will depend on the job offer, such as the duration and location of your work. If you change employers in Canada, it is vital that you apply for a new work permit (unless you are awarded an open work permit) to maintain your legal status in the country should you wish to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Permanent Resident?

The answer to this question depends on the immigration program you apply through. There are over 100 Canadian visa and immigration programs. For example, if you work in one of the Atlantic provinces, all you will require is a valid job offer. If you are going to work as a caregiver, you can apply for permanent residency after two years of experience. If you are a professional or skilled trades worker, you can apply without a job offer through the Canadian Express Entry system. The great thing about the Canadian immigration system is that there is a pathway for people from all walks of life.

Working and excellent employee benefits in Canada can mean a lot more than just a great paycheck. It can mean the possibility of a happier, brighter future. Quality of life should be as important as professional goals, and in the Great White North, you will be able to strike a balance that will ultimately lead to a fulfilled life.

If you want to learn more about the types of opportunities that can be found in Canada, and the immigration options available, you can visitCanadianVisa.org.

If you have any questions, please ask below!