7 Canada Immigration Pathways PNP for Truck Drivers

There are several Canada PNPs specifically for Truck Drivers (NOC 7511) in Canada and we are going to look at 7 of them.

In fact, Truck Drivers (NOC 7511) is in the high-demand occupations list of  British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Alberta provinces.

So let’s quickly look at the 7 provincial nominee programs (PNP) for truck drivers in Canada:

1. British Columbia (BC) PNP for Truck Drivers (ELSS)

2. Saskatchewan Experience – Long-Haul Truck Driver Sub-Category

You can also apply to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) as a long-haul truck driver under the Long-Haul Truck Driver Project.

This sub-category allows trucking firms to bring long-haul truck drivers to Saskatchewan.

• You must begin working for an approved trucking firm on a temporary foreign work permit.
• If an approved trucking firm offers permanent employment, the trucker may apply to the SINP for permanent resident status after six months of employment.
• You must meet the sub-category criteria. Criteria can change at any time, but we will use what was on this website when we got your application.

To qualify for SINP as a long-haul truck driver you must:

• Have worked for at least six-months (780 hours) of full-time (30+ hours per week) work experience in the job with the employer that has provided you the Job Approval Letter, with a valid work permit.  The work experience must be consecutive work experience.
• Have a current Saskatchewan Class 1A driver’s licence.
• Have a full-time, permanent job offer from your employer. Your employer must be an approved trucking firm in Saskatchewan.
• Have at least Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 4 or higher English language ability in all four categories (listening, speaking, reading and writing).
  • See Learning English for more.
• Have a valid SINP Job Approval Letter. Employers must register with the SINP and obtain the Job Approval Letter. They will then provide the Job Approval Letter to you if you meet their hiring qualifications.

3. New Brunswick Truck Driver PNP

New Brunswick province has an immigration pathway for truck drivers under the New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program skilled worker stream.

NB has even published a Guide for New Brunswick Transport Truck Drivers which outlines the eligibility requirements that truck drivers and businesses in New Brunswick must satisfy.

Important eligibility requirements include:

• Intent to Reside

genuine intention to reside in New Brunswick

• Work Experience
  It is your responsibility to demonstrate that you are qualified for the position.
  To be considered you are required to demonstrate that you have 24 months of work experience in NOC 7511:
  Transport Truck Drivers within the past five years, including at least six months of continuous employment in
  New Brunswick, with a New Brunswick Driver’s License, as a Transport Truck Driver while working on a valid
  work permit, prior to the date of your application
• Offer of Employment
  A New Brunswick employer has offered, and you have accepted, permanent, full time, year-round (nonseasonal) employment in an eligible occupation. Permanent means the job has no pre-determined end date; it
  is a long-term job offer. Full-time means that you are expected to work a minimum of 30 hours per week, or
  1,560 hours per year.
• Competitive Wage
  The wage you have been offered must be competitive with New Brunswick wage rates for the occupation.
• Employer Support
  All applications must be supported by an Employer Information Form (NBPNP-004) completed by the employer
  and signed by both the employer and the applicant.

4. Nova Scotia PNP for Truck Drivers

Truck drivers can also move to Canada as permanent residents as a through the Nova Scotia occupations in Demand stream PNP.

Eligibility to apply under Nova Scotia PNP for truck drivers as outlined in the Nova Scotia Occupations in Demand Stream
Application Guide includes:

• You must have a full-time, permanent job offer from a Nova Scotia employer as a long-haul truck driver (NOC 7511) BEFORE you can apply to immigrate through the NSNP Occupations in Demand stream.
• Your offer is for a permanent job. Permanent means that your job has no end date.
• The job you have been offered is located in Nova Scotia
• You intend to live in Nova Scotia.
• Your employer is a Nova Scotia employer. That means
  – If the employer is a commercial business, it must be registered with the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies AND show that it has a permanent establishment in Nova Scotia as defined in Canada’s Income Tax
  Act.
  – If the employer is a not-for-profit organization, it must be registered under the Societies Act.
  – The employer must have operated in Nova Scotia for at least 2 years.
• You will be paid a sufficient wage or salary for your job.
• Your job offer is in NOC 7511: transport truck drivers
•  You are between the ages of 21 and 55.
• You have a high school diploma AND you have the training, skills, and credentials needed for the job.
• You have proof of your immigration status in the country where you are currently living.
• You have worked 12 complete calendar months within the last 5 years and a minimum of 1,560 hours. This work must be related to NOC 7511: transport truck drivers AND it must be paid work. It cannot include volunteer work or unpaid internships.

5. Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) In-Demand Skills Stream PNP for Truck Drivers

Through the OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream, a foreign worker can apply for permanent residence in Ontario if they are in an in-demand occupation in a specific sector such as trucking with a job offer in Ontario.

Following are the eligibility requirements for truck drivers to qualify under the Ontario Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream:

• Have a full-time and permanent job offer in Ontario from a valid employer
• The pay of the job offered must meet or be higher than the median wage level, for that occupation, in the specific region of Ontario where you will be working
• The position offered must be urgently necessary to your employer’s business. This means that the job offer must align with your employer’s existing business activities and the position must be urgently needed to maintain or grow ongoing business activity.
• The work you do while in the position of the job offer must occur primarily in Ontario.
• Expression of interest and invitation to apply
• Must have accumulated at least 9 months of relevant work experience while lawfully residing and working in Ontario in the three years prior to application submission.
  • Work experience of this duration must be supported by an Ontario driver’s license that was valid for all periods of work experience claimed, i.e. for a total of 9 months cumulatively (or the equivalent in part-time work).
• At least 9 months of full-time work experience while legally living and working in Ontario in the three years prior to submission of application.
• Must be able to understand, read, write and speak either English or French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 4 or higher.
• Must have a Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or credential, or its equivalent in another country.

  If you completed your studies outside of Canada, you need to get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) that proves your education is equivalent to a Canadian high school diploma.

  The assessment must be done by one of the following organizations, designated by IRCC:

  • Comparative Education Service – University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies
  • International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
  • International Credential Evaluation Service
  • International Qualifications Assessment Service
  • World Education Services
• must intend to live in Ontario after being granted permanent residence. This is determine by examining applicants’ ties to Ontario, which can include doing things like:
  • working or having worked Ontario
  • getting job offers, applying to or interviewing for jobs
  • studying
  • volunteering
  • leasing or owning property
  • visiting
  • having professional networks and affiliations, family ties and personal relationships
• If you are applying from within Canada, you must have legal status (a visitor record, study permit, or work permit) at the time you apply and should maintain that status until the time of nomination.

6. Manitoba PNP for Truck Drivers

Through the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) Employer Direct Pathway, Manitoba trucking companies can  recruit a specific number of international qualified truck drivers.

All Manitoba trucking companies are required to apply to the federal Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process to recruit international truck drivers as Temporary Foreign Workers if they have not been successful in recruiting drivers from within Canada.

*’International’ in this context refers to any individual who is not currently a permanent resident or citizen of Canada, regardless of their country of residence.

Long-haul truck drivers, whether recruited through the LMIA process or directly through Employer Services, must meet all of the following eligibility/assessment criteria to be considered under the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP):

• Between the ages of 21-50;
• Completed secondary school (Canadian equivalency);
• Minimum 3 years of continuous and verifiable documented work experience as a long-haul truck driver in the past five years in a jurisdiction where the training, licensing and/or regulation of truck drivers is comparable to North American standards, as determined by Employer Services and the MPNP;
• Can provide reference letters and other verifiable proof of employment, including pay deposits, financial transactions and/or income tax returns to show entire period of declared employment;
• Valid IELTS, CELPIP or TEF result (within past 2 years) with a minimum CLB 5 language level in all four bands (see CLB Language Grid);
• Sufficient financial resources to establish in Canada;
• Have been thoroughly screened by the employer through an in-person or video interview, with previous and current employment references verified by the employer;
• Have fully disclosed the use of any paid representative involved in the recruitment process including applications for LMIA, temporary work permits, and the MPNP assessment process.

7. Prince Edward Island’s PEI PNP Workforce Category 

Truck drivers can apply for Canadian permanent residence through Prince Edward Island’s PEI PNP Workforce Category.

• at least 12 months of long-haul truck driving experience
• job offer must be with an eligible PEI employer

Occupations in Demand
To be eligible to apply for PEI Occupations in Demand, you must

• have a full-time, non-seasonal permanent job offer from a PEI employer in NOC 7511 (Transport truck drivers),
• have at least one year of work experience directly related to the job;
• be 18 to 59 years old;
• have successfully completed (at minimum) a secondary school diploma (high school);
• provide a valid language test result from an IRCC-approved testing institution, with a minimum score of
  CLB/NCLC 4. Language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result;
• have sufficient financial resources to pay all immigration costs (including travel expenses) for you and your
  family to be able to establish in PEI; and
• demonstrate a genuine intention to settle in PEI.

Critical Worker Stream
To be eligible for the PEI Critical Worker stream, you must

• have a full‐time, non-seasonal (i.e. permanent or minimum of two years) job offer from a PEI employer in intermediate-skilled position, defined by the National Occupation Code (NOC) skill level C or D;
• have worked a minimum of six months full‐time for the PEI employer;
• have a valid work permit and legal status in Canada;
• have successfully completed (at minimum) a secondary school diploma (high school);
• be between the ages of 18 and 59;
• have a minimum two years of full‐time work experience or relevant education in the past five years;
• provide a valid language test result from an IRCC-approved testing institution, with a minimum score of CLB/NCLC 4. Language tests are valid for 2 years after the date of the test result;
• have sufficient financial resources to pay all immigration costs (including travel expenses) for you and your
  family to be able to establish in PEI; and
• demonstrate a genuine intention to settle in PEI

Where to find long-haul truck driver jobs in Canada

• Canada government Job bank
• Indeed
• Trucking companies in Canada websites