For candidates
Working in Canada: what it takes, and where we come in
Canada hires tradespeople, drivers and technicians from abroad every year, province by province, and we now work with Canadian employers hiring welders, fitters and mechanics. This page tells you what the move involves, points you at the official pages that decide it, and lets you register for our Canadian roles.
Straight answers
Six things to know before you plan on Canada
The permit
The employer and the government decide, not an agency
A work permit for Canada is issued by the federal government. Most come with a job offer, through a labour market assessment or, in Atlantic Canada, the Atlantic Immigration Program. If you are 18 to 35 and your country has a youth mobility agreement with Canada, the working holiday programme may give you an open permit with no job offer; places open once a year. Nobody can promise you a permit. Anyone who does, or who asks you for money to arrange it, is not working for you.
The trade
Red Seal is the mark that travels
Trades are certified by each province, and the Red Seal endorsement is the one recognised across the country. In some provinces a trade such as welding is compulsory, so you need the provincial certificate to work in it. Experienced tradespeople can usually challenge the exam with documented hours and references, so keep every reference letter and ticket you have.
The language
English or French, tested
Most routes ask for an approved language test result, and that includes people whose first language is English. For the main routes the approved English tests are CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training and PTE Core, and results count for two years. Our free English mock test gives you a band score and the CLB level it matches, before you pay for the real one. Take the free mock test
The driving
Licences are provincial
Each province runs its own licensing, and whether your car licence can be exchanged depends on where it was issued and where you land. Truck drivers: commercial classes do not exchange in any province we have checked, so plan on the province's testing and entry-level training.
The paperwork
Start gathering it now
Canada asks for a police certificate from every country where you have lived for six months or more since you turned 18, and a medical for many jobs. Check your passport has plenty of time left on it, and keep your trade certificates and signed reference letters together. The fewer gaps, the faster it goes.
The cost
You never pay us
Not to register, not to be put forward, not for a permit. Employers pay us, in Canada exactly as in Ireland, where we are licensed.
Check it yourself
The official pages
These are the sources. When something on this page and something on one of these disagree, the official page is right and we would like to hear about it.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaWork permits, the routes for skilled workers, language requirements, and what a job offer has to look like.Job BankThe federal job board. Wage ranges by trade and region, and the outlook for each occupation over the next few years.Red Seal ProgramThe trades covered, what the exam involves, and how experience gained outside Canada is looked at.International Experience CanadaThe working holiday programme: which countries take part, the age limits, and when the next season opens.New to CanadaThe government's own settling-in guide: banking, healthcare registration, driving, housing and schools, province by province.
Links checked 29 October 2026.
Where we are
What Sama is doing about Canada
We place tradespeople with employers in Ireland, the UK and now Canada, with the permit or sponsorship handled alongside the employer. Our Canadian employers are hiring welders and fitters first. We only put you forward for a role once the employer, the work and the paperwork route are real, and every candidate is trade tested before an employer sees them.
Registering below costs nothing and commits you to nothing. When a Canadian role fits your trade we will be in touch, and every Irish and UK role we have is open to you too. We read every registration, but due to the high volume of applicants we cannot respond to everyone.
Use the time
What you can do this month
Get your CV into the shape Canadian employers expect, take the English practice test, and gather your certificates, references, licence and police certificates in one place. Every one of these tools is free here.
Register with Sama
Tell us your trade and we will tell you what we have
Five fields, under a minute. We read every one. You never pay us anything, at any stage.
For employers
Hiring in Canada?
If you are a Canadian employer looking for trade tested welders, fitters or mechanics, tell us what you need and a member of our team will get back to you.
- No retainer. Nothing to sign until you have met people.
- Trade tested before you see them, not after.
- Nothing is ever charged to the candidate.
Would rather talk now? +353 1 903 8249
Martin, Lance or another member of our team will get back to you. Who we areLooking for work? This form is for employers. Register here instead, it is free.
We work directly with employers. We do not take on other recruitment agencies, labour suppliers or sub-agents.