Eligibility requirements as a cook in Canada 

English requirement

IELTS (validity 2 years)

Minimum requirements for Dual Intent LMIAs

IELTS General Stream

Reading 3.5, Writing 4.0, Listening 4.5, Speaking 4.0

CELPIP

Reading 4, Writing 4, Listening 4, Speaking 4

Cooks

Cooks prepare and cook a wide variety of foods. They are employed in restaurants, hotels, hospitals and other health care institutions, central food commissaries, educational institutions and other establishments. They are also employed aboard ships and at construction and logging campsites.

Index of titles

Example titles

1. Apprentice cook
2. Assistant cook
3. Banquet cook
4. Breakfast cook
5. Broiler cook
6. Cafeteria cook
7. Camp cook
8. Caterer cook
9. Construction camp cook
10. Cook
11. Diet kitchen cook
12. Dietary cook
13. Domestic cook
14. Ethnic food cook
15. First cook
16. Fishing and merchant vessel cook
17. Grill cook
18. Hospital cook
19. Institutional cook
20. Journeyman/woman cook
21. Kosher foods cook
22. Licensed cook
23. Line cook
24. Logging camp cook
25. Mess cook
26. Pastry cook
27. Pizza cook
28. Railway cook
29. Restaurant cook
30. Second cook
31. Ship's cook
32. Short order cook
33. Small establishment cook
34. Special diet cook
35. Special order cook - hospital
36. Therapeutic diet cook
37. Third cook

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Prepare and cook complete meals or individual dishes and foods
• Prepare and cook special meals for patients as instructed by dietitian or chef
• Schedule and supervise kitchen helpers
• Oversee kitchen operations
• Maintain inventory and records of food, supplies and equipment
• May set up and oversee buffets
• May clean kitchen and work area
• May plan menus, determine size of food portions, estimate food requirements and costs, and monitor and order supplies
• May hire and train kitchen staff.
• Cooks may specialize in preparing and cooking ethnic cuisine or special dishes.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Completion of a three-year apprenticeship program for cooks or completion of college or other program in cooking or food safety or several years of commercial cooking experience may be required.
• Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified cooks upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Eligibility requirements as a Chef in Canada 

English requirement

IELTS (validity 2 years)

Minimum requirements for Dual Intent LMIAs

IELTS General Stream

Reading 3.5, Writing 4.0, Listening 4.5, Speaking 4.0

CELPIP

Reading 4, Writing 4, Listening 4, Speaking 4

Index of titles

Example titles

1. Assistant chef
2. Banquet chef
3. Chef
4. Chef de cuisine
5. Chef de partie
6. Chef pâtissier
7. Cold foods chef
8. Corporate chef
9. Entremetier
10. Executive chef
11. Executive sous-chef
12. First sous-chef
13. Garde-manger chef
14. Head chef
15. Head rotisseur
16. Master chef
17. Meat chef
18. Meat, poultry and fish chef
19. Pasta chef
20. Pastry chef
21. Rotisserie chef
22. Saucier
23. Second chef
24. Sous-chef
25. Specialist chef
26. Specialty foods chef
27. Supervising chef
28. Sushi chef
29. Working sous-chef
30. 
    

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Head chefs

• Plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities of several restaurants in an establishment, restaurant chains, hospitals or other establishments with food services
• Consult with clients regarding weddings, banquets and specialty functions
• Plan menus and ensure food meets quality standards
• Estimate food requirements and may estimate food and labour costs
• Supervise activities of sous-chefs, specialist chefs, chefs and cooks
• Arrange for equipment purchases and repairs
• Recruit and hire staff
• May prepare and cook food on a regular basis, or for special guests or functions.

Sous-chefs

• Supervise activities of specialist chefs, chefs, cooks and other kitchen workers
• Demonstrate new cooking techniques and new equipment to cooking staff
• May plan menus and requisition food and kitchen supplies
• May prepare and cook meals or specialty foods.
• Prepare and cook complete meals or specialty foods, such as pastries, sauces, soups, salads, vegetables and meat, poultry and fish dishes, and create decorative food displays for special events such as banquets
• Instruct cooks in preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food
• Create new recipes
• Supervise cooks and other kitchen staff
• May plan menus
• May requisition food and kitchen supplies.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is usually required.
• Cook's trade certification or equivalent credentials, training and experience are required.
• Executive chefs usually require management training and several years of experience in commercial food preparation, including two years in a supervisory capacity and experience as a sous-chef, specialist chef or chef.
• Sous-chefs, specialist chefs and chefs usually require several years of experience in commercial food preparation.
• Red Seal endorsement for cooks is also available to qualified chefs upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
• The certifications of Certified Working Chef (CWC) and Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC), administered by the Canadian Culinary Institute (CCI) of the Canadian Culinary Federation (CCF) are available to qualified chefs.