Civil engineers work on projects involving the construction and repair of buildings, roads, airports, trains, bridges, tunnels, canals, dams, ports and coastal infrastructure, and highways. They can work for construction corporations, engineering consultancy organizations, or as self-employed individuals. Civil engineers can find numerous job opportunities in Canada. If you are a qualified and experienced civil engineer, then this will be a good opportunity to migrate to Canada.
In Canada the civil engineering jobs are expected to be in the fields of architectural, engineering and related services. Openings for civil engineering jobs are expected to be more in the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba.
How to immigrate to Canada as a mechanical engineer?
Civil engineers can migrate to Canada using the immigration programs- Express Entry or Provincial Nominee Program. The first step in the process to migrate to Canada is to calculate your eligibility for applying to these programs.
Under Express Entry civil engineers can apply through the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP).
As for provincial nominee program, the provinces offer several streams for civil engineers. You can check the in-demand occupation list of the provinces you are interested in.
The NOC for civil engineers is 2132. Here are details of the provinces that are open to civil engineering.
| Province | Name of program |
|
Alberta |
Alberta Opportunity Stream
NOC 0211 - Engineering Managers NOC 2131 - Civil Engineers NOC 2231 - Civil Engineering Technicians Alberta Express Entry Stream |
|
British Columbia |
BC PNP Tech Pilot Program
NOC 2131 - Civil Engineers Express Entry British Columbia |
|
Ontario |
Ontario Express Entry
Human Capital Priorities Stream In-Demand Skills Stream |
|
Manitoba |
Skilled Workers in Manitoba
NOC 0211 - Engineering Managers NOC 2131 - Civil Engineers |
| New Brunswick | Express Entry Labour Market Stream
Skilled Workers with Employer Support |
|
Newfoundland & Labrador |
Newfoundland & Labrador Express Entry Skilled Worker
Skilled Worker Category |
|
Nova Scotia |
Nova Scotia Demand: Express Entry
NOC 2131 - Civil Engineers Nova Scotia Express Entry Labour Market Priorities Skilled Worker Stream (Skilled Workers Pathway) |
|
Northwest Territories |
Northwest Territories Express Entry Stream
Skilled Worker Stream Critical Impact Worker Stream |
|
Saskatchewan |
International Skilled Worker: Employment Offer
International Skilled Worker: Occupations In-Demand International Skilled Worker: Saskatchewan Express Entry |
|
Prince Edward Island |
PEI PNP Express Entry
Skilled Worker Stream Critical Worker Stream |
|
Yukon |
Yukon Express Entry (YEE)
Skilled Worker Critical Impact Worker |
How much do civil engineers earn in Canada?
The median wage for this profession is nearly 41 dollars per hour and the maximum wages for this profession is in the Canadian province of Alberta where it is 47 dollars per hour.
| Community/Area | Wages ($/hour) | ||
| Low | Median | High | |
| Canada | 25.00 | 39.42 | 61.54 |
| Alberta | 28.21 | 44.71 | 70.00 |
| British Columbia | 27.13 | 44.23 | 64.00 |
| Manitoba | 26.67 | 38.46 | 56.00 |
| New Brunswick | 22.37 | 41.83 | 54.36 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 16.40 | 37.96 | 60.00 |
| Northwest Territories | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Nova Scotia | 22.14 | 37.50 | 53.85 |
| Nunavut | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Ontario | 23.50 | 38.00 | 63.71 |
| Prince Edward Island | 26.00 | 32.31 | 40.00 |
| Quebec | 24.73 | 35.00 | 53.68 |
| Saskatchewan | 28.85 | 40.00 | 62.50 |
| Yukon Territory | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Skills required
- Analytical skills include ability to:
- Analyze information
- Planning
- Inspection and testing
- Research and investigation
- Engineering and Technology include:
- Design
- Engineering
- Applied technologies
- Building and Construction
- Computer and Information Systems
- Mechanics and Machinery
3-year job prospect-The job prospect in the next three years for civil engineers is expected to rise in the provinces of Manitoba and British Columbia.
| Location | Job prospects |
| Alberta | Fair |
| British Columbia | Good |
| Manitoba | Fair |
| New Brunswick | Good |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Fair |
| Northwest Territories | Undetermined |
| Nova Scotia | Fair |
| Nunavut | Undetermined |
| Ontario | Fair |
| Prince Edward Island | Good |
| Quebec | Fair |
| Saskatchewan | Fair |
| Yukon Territory | Good |
10-year predictions
There will be more job openings than job seekers for this position in the next ten years. Few vacancies may not get filled due to skill shortage.
Employment requirements
- Applicant should have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or in a related area of engineering.
- They can also have a master's degree or doctorate in a related engineering discipline.
- The applicant should have a license by a provincial or territorial association to approve engineering drawings and reports and to practice as a Professional Engineer.
- They are eligible for registration by a professional body after graduation from an approved training program and after three or four years of supervised work experience in engineering, and after passing a professional practice exam.
- Some employers may ask applicants to have the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification offered by the Canada Green Building Council
Professional license requirements
Before you can start working, you may need to get a professional license from a regulatory authority.
Responsibilities
- Evaluate project specifications by interacting with customers and other engineering team members
- Execute major civil projects such as buildings, highways, bridges, dams, systems for the management of water and waste
- Establish specifications for building procedures
- Evaluate and suggest suitable materials for building and construction
- Interpret, evaluate and authorize surveys and work on civil architecture
- Conduct field work
- Ensure that construction plans comply with building code requirements and standards and other regulations
- Establish and track work schedules for construction
- Carry out feasibility studies, economic assessments, local and regional transport studies, environmental impact studies or other analysis
- Monitoring the quality of air, water and soil and establishing methods for cleaning up polluted sites
- Supervise the project or site for land survey or construction work
- Prepare and review contract documents and analyze bids for construction projects
- Supervise, evaluate and approve plans, measurements and cost estimates by technicians, technologists and other engineers.