A comprehensive guide into dog keeping jobs in Canada, including all that one would wish to apply for under sponsorship of their visa.
Starting with the fondness for pets, especially dogs, Canada can create several avenues for dog keepers to keep their dogs: working as dog walkers, pet sitters, kennel assistants, or even dog trainers. The demand for professionals in this field is high and growing. The guide explains how to find out about the job market for dog keepers in Canada, what qualifications you require, how to check for visa sponsorship possibilities, and how to traverse this process successfully.
Dog Keeping Job Market Overview in Canada
Dog sitting encompasses everything from merely taking a dog for a walk to grooming, overnight services, and specialized training. Within Canada, the two clear distinctions of roles undertaken are as follows:
Dog Walker: Providing dogs with regular walks and exercises and, sometimes, even feeding services.
Dog Sitter: Dog sitters take care of dogs while owners are away, providing service either in homes or specific facilities.
Kennel Assistant: Boarding facilities or kennels are places where the dogs may well stay for an extended period, and a kennel assistant has to take care of the comfort and safety of those animals.
Dog Trainer: A dog trainer provides behavior modification and obedience training to dogs of various breeds and ages.
Groomer: These workers may offer grooming services such as bathing, nail trimming, and care for certain coat conditions. With such a significant population of pet owners in the country, the demand for professional dog-care skilled labor is high, especially within metropolitan cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal.
Job Market and Opportunities
Canada is considered a very active and promising hub in pet care services. In urban cities, where owners can’t afford the time to walk their pets regularly or provide long-term care, a good and skilled requirement for dog sitters arises. The most common platforms and employers looking for a dog keeper include:
Pet Care Companies: Several Canadian pet care agencies hire for different services, including dog sitting, walking, and training.
Web platforms: Websites like Rover, Care, and Pawshake provide freelance opportunities and part-time sitting and walking jobs for dogs.
Kennels and boarding houses: Such facilities have employees caring for the dogs put under their observation to make them fit.
Dog daycare centers: These centers have allowed dog owners always to drop their pets while going to work and, hence, offer employment opportunities in these facilities.
Veterinary Clinics: Some clinics hire kennel attendants or dog care assistants to take care of pets that stay overnight in the clinics.
There are plenty of job opportunities, though they are highly competitive, in metropolitan cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. However, those possessing specialized skills related to training or grooming have a greater advantage in these places.
Employment Trends
This is also because, since the pandemic, most people started operating from home and had flexible schedules, enabling them to adopt dogs. This has raised demand for the dog care industry throughout the country. Moreover, owners can pay a premium for quality services, thus making it one of the most viable sectors wherein trained professionals can start ventures.
Qualification and Skills
While most jobs related to dog keeping do not require formal education, possessing relevant qualifications will enhance your possibilities of employment, especially in a visa-sponsored job.
Key Skills
Dog Behaviour Knowledge: Understanding dogs’ breeds, behavior, and body language is essential in safe handling.
Pet First Aid: Knowledge of administering first aid to pets in case of injury or sickness is highly desirable.
Physical Fitness: Generally, a physically intensive job, such as walking and caring for dogs, involves some stamina.
Communication Skills: For this business to go smoothly, it is necessary to communicate effectively with the owners of pets and understand the particular needs the owners might have.
Time Management: Especially for dog walkers or sitters who deal with several pets at one time, being punctual and organized is critical.
Beneficial Qualifications Pet First Aid and CPR Certification: This adds some clout to your business and shows potential employers you are prepared for and capable of handling an emergency.
Certification in Dog Training: A certification in dog training by recognized organizations, such as the International Association of Canine Professionals, will be helpful for a dog lover seeking to become a professional dog trainer. The Animal Care Program: Classes in animal care or veterinary assistance, which Canadian colleges offer, will provide more significant success in finding a job. Past work experience is essential, including informal work in keeping dogs. 4. Visa Sponsorship Options
You will need a work visa to move to Canada for a dog-keeping job. Here is how to go about it:
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
The TFWP allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers to fill temporary labor shortages. In hiring under the program, an employer is expected to acquire a Labour Market Impact Assessment, showing no qualified Canadian citizen or PR is available for the job.
Steps for Visa Sponsorship:
Find an Employer: Zero in on a potential employer willing to hire you and sponsor your visa. For this, you may consider agencies in pet care, kennel places, and dog daycare centers.
LMIA Application: The employer consequently applies for an LMIA, showing no competency in the local employment sector.
Work Permit Application: Once this LMIA is approved, you apply for a work permit and enter the country.
Arrive in Canada: Once your application is approved, you will be allowed to enter Canada and start working under the conditions specified in your work permit.
Global Talent Stream (GTS)
While the Global Talent Stream is mainly intended to apply to high-skilled technology workers, some of the more luxury service-based businesses might be able to hire through it, offering a streamlined visa process. If that role is in high demand and you bring specialized expertise, such as in dog training or animal behavior, you might qualify.
PNP
Some provinces run their immigration programs within the PNP. Other provinces may have jobs in short supply, and therefore, it may be easier to find visa sponsorship in those particular lines of work, in this case, in pet care services.
Process:
You apply for a job within a province with a high demand for dog-keeping services.
Once employed, your employer may nominate you within the PNP.
You then apply for permanent residency upon receiving the provincial nomination, granting you the right to live and work in Canada.
How to Find Dog-Keeping Jobs with Visa Sponsorship
Visa-sponsoring job search is not easy, but these little strategies might help in your hunt:
Job Boards: Websites like Indeed, Workopolis, and LinkedIn often carry postings related to pet care jobs, some of which are visa-sponsored.
Networking: You can better reach your potential employer by joining various Canadian pet care groups on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Pet Care Agencies: You may also contact all the pet caring companies in Canada directly with questions about job vacancies and visa sponsorship.
Recruitment Agencies: A few agencies have specialized services for foreign workers seeking employment in Canada with visa sponsorship.
Salaries and Working Conditions
Average compensation for dog keepers in Canada by role and region:
Dog Walker: The average rate a dog walker gets paid in Canada is CAD 15-25 per hour.
Dog Sitter: Rates range from CAD 30-100 per day, depending on how long the care will be provided.
Kennel Assistant: Average of CAD 14-18 per hour.
Dog Trainer: Earns as low as CAD 20 to as high as CAD 50 hourly, depending on experience and specialization.
Wages could be higher in larger towns like Toronto and Vancouver since services for dog care are sought more in these urban centers. Working hours are variable from part-time through full-time. Some jobs may require you to work on weekends or holidays, especially when you tend to pets whose owners are away.
Conclusion
There are abundant dog-keeping jobs available in Canada. It is one of those numerous careers that will provide a successful path in this industry, aided by animal passion, appropriate skill, and the constant pursuit of an employer who will sponsor a visa. You could get yourself working with dogs in Canada by targeting pet care companies, networking with industry pros, and being up-to-date with most visa processes.