A recent survey suggests that the Canadian trucking zone may be reduced to 48,000 long-haul truckers by 2024. This is wonderful news for truck drivers because it opens up a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking to immigrate to Canada for this type of work.
Furthermore, there is a high demand for and employment opportunities for long-haul truck drivers in the Canadian transportation industry. The Canadian government has also been supportive of the majority of these developments, providing work visas to qualified overseas personnel seeking employment as truck drivers in Canada.
Truck Driver Work Visa Requirements in Canada
Let’s take a look at what it takes to become a truck driver in Canada. This will assist you in comprehending the requirements for obtaining a visa sponsorship truck driver job in Canada as a foreigner.
Here are a few examples:
Truck driver jobs in Canada are available on a permanent, full-time, overtime, weekend, day, night, and evening basis.
For this position, a high school diploma is preferred but not required.
Experience with heavy-duty vehicles is preferred but not required.
It is necessary to be fluent in basic or functional English.
Certificates, licenses, memberships, courses, and other credentials will be required for this position.
A valid driver’s license (Class 1 or A) is required, as is the Air Brake (Z) Endorsement.
Tractor-trailer, Flatbed, Refrigerated, Highway, Straight truck (4,600kg+ or 10,000lbs+ with three or more axles), etc.
Safety and security: Basic security clearance, criminal background check, driving record check (abstract), medical examination, and drug test are all required.
Information on transportation and travel: Availability to travel throughout Canada and the United States. Willing to travel during the day, evening, or night, including overnight routes, for long periods of time.
Other requirements include the ability to work legally in Canada and the willingness to drive long-haul trucks in a two-person team.
Required Skills
Ability to operate and drive straight or articulated trucks for the transportation of goods and supplies.
Cargo loading and unloading, tarping, and cargo safety and security
You must be able to plan and schedule your trips.
You should be able to plan your journey using atlases and other planning tools.
Collect data and send it to the central dispatcher.
The ability to drive in a convoy or as part of a two-person squad.
You should also be able to inspect the tires, lights, brakes, cold storage, and other equipment on the vehicle.
Canada’s Best Provincial Truck Driver Programs
Here is a list of the top programs in Canada for finding a truck driver job with visa sponsorship:
British Columbia is a province in Canada.
British Columbia is a provincial truck driver training program in Canada.
For candidates in British Columbia’s entry-level and semi-skilled category, which has over 400 job openings, a full-time job offer in long-haul trucking is the gold standard. Long-haul truck drivers can stay in the province indefinitely. To learn more about immigration in British Columbia, go to their website.
With 837 job postings now available, Quebec leads the way in terms of provincial opportunities for truck drivers. According to information on the Quebec government’s employment website, truck driver employment prospects are ‘excellent’ with their platform.
Ontario
The NOC code for transport truck drivers (7511), along with three other occupations, was added to the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program Employer Job Offer In-Demand Skills Stream in July 2019. It means that experienced truck drivers with a job offer in Ontario can follow a set path to permanent residency in Canada.
Alberta long-haul truckers are another in-demand profession under the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, with over 500 job openings on the employment bank. Truck drivers are eligible to apply for both the Alberta Opportunity Stream and the Alberta Express Entry program.
Manitoba
Employers in Manitoba seeking truck drivers should use the federal Labour Market Impact Assessment for Temporary Foreign Workers process. The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program allows businesses to hire outside of the LMIA process if certain criteria are met, such as recruitment efforts and compliance with provincial labor laws.
This province is located in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. According to the Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Outlook 2025 report, truck driving will require significant immigration to meet job vacancy demand. To be eligible for the NLPNP’s Skilled Worker and Express Entry streams, trucking companies must apply.
Saskatchewan
For people who are already working in Canada on a work permit, Saskatchewan Immigration has a separate Long-Haul Truck Drivers Sub-Category. The occupation is also eligible for the province’s Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand draws, both of which focus on specific occupations.
Nova Scotia Transport Truck Drivers (NOC 7511) are one of two target jobs in the Nova Scotia Nominee Program’s Occupations In-Demand Stream. This clears the way for drivers to obtain permanent residency. You can apply for a truck driver job in Canada with visa sponsorship through this program.
Salary of a Truck Driver in Canada
Truck drivers’ hourly wages are now competitive with national and provincial averages. The median wage of truck drivers is slightly lower than the national average, according to job bank and Statistics Canada data, but it can rise to more than $8 above the national average, to $32 per hour, under certain conditions. Wages for truck drivers are expected to rise in the coming years as labor market demand rises.