Police work in Canada

Policing public order and fighting for justice, no matter what, is a job that not everyone is willing to do. If your vocation is to protect communities, punish criminals and simply make the world a better place every day, there is always a demand for law enforcement officers in Canada.

According to Job Bank, the most opportunities for police employment are in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.

Police salaries

The salary of police officers in Canada depends on different factors: job requirements, qualifications, experience, specialization, and working conditions.

According to official figures, police officers in Canada earn on average $95,614 CAD per year or $7,968 CAD per month.

The highest hourly rates are offered to officers in Yukon and Northwest Territories — over $40 CAD. In third place is the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, where police officers earn an average of $31 CAD per hour.

Police officers also usually receive additional benefits, such as a special pension plan, health insurance, and additional sick pay. The social package is usually negotiated at the time of employment.

Police officers in Canada — what do they do?

According to the Canadian Occupational Handbook, police officers in Canada:

• patrol the designated areas to maintain and enforce safety standards;
• investigate crimes and accidents, execute search warrants, ensure the reproducibility of evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare briefs and reports of depositions in court;
• apprehend and arrest criminal suspects;
• provide emergency assistance to victims of crime and natural disasters;
• participate in crime prevention, public awareness and safety programmes;
• can supervise and coordinate the work of other police officers.

Where and how police officers work in Canada

Police officers protect the public, prevent and investigate crimes, and enforce order. They may work for federal and municipal governments, provincial and regional governments, the armed forces, and transportation and railroad companies.

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Police officers work both indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. The schedule is in shifts, so officers have to go to work at night, weekends and holidays. It is not uncommon for them to spend all day in a patrol car, at the scene of an accident or crime. The work is also not without risk, and you have to be prepared for that.

Police officers can move up the career ladder and work in narrowly focused areas if they have the appropriate experience and qualifications.

Examples of posts:

• the bodyguard is the police;
• an investigator for the Canadian Intelligence and Security Service;
• a member of the canine team is the police;
• the precinct cop;
• civilian liaison officer;
• a community services liaison officer;
• Constable;
• a forensic scientist.

Employment requirements

Not everyone is hired to work for the police, and the employment process is quite complicated and lengthy.

Becoming a police officer usually requires a high school diploma. Often a college or university degree is required, with law, social sciences, criminology and criminal justice as priority areas. A driver's license may be required.

The candidate usually undergoes several interviews, medical examinations, psychological tests, physical fitness assessments, polygraph tests and screening by detectives from the recruitment department (including interviews with relatives, friends, neighbours, colleagues, employers, etc.).

When an employee is hired, he or she undergoes training that lasts from three to six months. Before taking up their duties, new recruits take the oath of office.

A police officer must also:

• to be attentive and observant;
• to strive to help people;
• to be calm and stress-resistant;
• to be able to solve problems;
• have a good command of English or French.

Please note: only a Canadian citizen or permanent resident can work for the police.

How to immigrate to Canada

If you have police experience, you can immigrate to Canada through one of the programs that are suitable for this profession.

Many immigration programs are suitable for police officers, for example:

• federal skilled trades program;
• Manitoba flow for foreign skilled workers;
• Quebec's flow to skilled professionals.

For more Canadian immigration programs for police officers, see here.