I’ve driven across Canada a few times, lived on both coasts and grew up in the middle, surrounded by the Great Lakes. If there’s one thing you can say about Canada (there are many great things), is that it's beautiful.
However… finding work and living in some of the most amazing places on our planet can be difficult. And with the cost of housing skyrocketing recently, you may need more than a job.
You probably need a Canadian side hustle or part-time work as well.
The good news is that work-from-home jobs in Canada are abundant, and the trend toward remote workspaces and telecommuting continues to grow.
Living, working, and enjoying life in this country is possible.
With that said, a few things to keep in mind about these home-based opportunities are…
- Some are “employee” based, meaning they’re not always hiring, and like any job, you'll need to apply, interview, etc. Many of these jobs also come with health benefits and bonuses.
- Some are not necessarily work-at-home jobs but rather work out of your home. Driving for Uber is one example. It's home-based but obviously not work at home. There are a few others on this list that require a vehicle.
I've also included simple and quick ways to make a few bucks online, like doing surveys with Survey Junkie, for example, or watching videos and visiting websites with Inbox Dollars.
And not to be left out, making money online with your own business is mentioned, which has a much higher income potential than the others where you're trading your hours for dollars.
Finally, for the most part… I left out specific wages because many depend on the position you're applying for, the province you're in… and the state of the economy when you're reading this.
Canadian Based (At Home) Employment
3D Power – An architectural animation company that creates virtual walkthroughs of buildings, properties, government projects, etc. They hire remote Photoshop artists, web designers, animators, etc., for collaborative projects.
Alorica – A home-based customer service company that provided paid training, benefits, and what they claim to be competitive wages (competitive with who they don’t say). When searching, you can sort by country.
Canadian Mortgages Inc. – If you have a background in finance, Canadian Mortgages periodically has some remote mortgage broker positions.
Concentrix – With industries ranging from automotive to banking and healthcare, Concentrix has a wide variety of work-at-home opportunities listed. Both Canadian and US jobs are listed together within the drop-down menus, so it might take a little extra searching.
ContractWorld – They connect home-based workers with customer service positions for companies such as L’Oreal, ClubLink and Pizza Hut.
Flexjobs – In addition to remote jobs, you can also find location-based part-time jobs here. Many positions require specialized education like business analyst and engineer, but you can also find jobs such as resume writing and inside sales. Examples of the categories they have listings in are below.
Global Mentoring Solutions – Work-at-home employees of Global Mentoring Solutions have the potential to earn (according to their website) close to six figures with benefits such as medical and dental. These are skilled positions in IT, however, so they are not for everyone.
Also, many Canadian Jobs are mixed in with US jobs (example below), so you may have to sift through some of the listings.
HGS – Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) is an employee-based home job where you answer incoming calls. A high school diploma or equivalent is required with minimum wage pay.
Inspire Fundraising Solutions – Work-from-home employees at Inspire Fundraising Solutions make outbound calls to new, existing, and past fundraising supporters. Benefits are included in the compensation.
Jobspresso – Specializes in connecting potential candidates with remote opportunities. Positions include customer service, sales, marketing, content writing, and technical engineering…
NetHire – A Canadian-based recruitment agency with most of their in-home work being business-to-business sales positions (examples below).
Pizza Hut – Taking pizza orders from home is a trend that hasn’t gotten real traction yet. While some companies, like Pizza Hut, employ at-home workers, some others have tried without much success.
Pizza Orders at Home (Franchise Owners Hamilton Ltd.) – Another order-taking opportunity. Their only client at the moment is Pizza Pizza, but for all the benefits of working from home (no commuting costs, living outside of high-cost neighbourhoods…), taking pizza orders is not the worst opportunity out there.
Smith.ai – Hires virtual receptionists to handle live calls and online chats for small and medium-sized businesses.
Sykes – A global company with 46,000 employees, Sykes Canada often has home-based customer service jobs that also come with health benefits.
Transcom – A global company that hires virtual customer service agents. Like many of the companies on the list, they’re not always in need of people. They might be a good company to bookmark and check with periodically.
UHaul – There are enough UHaul centers across the country that I would never have thought UHaul employed people to work from home, but it turns out they do. Check out their remote sales and reservations opportunities. It’s a minimum wage job, but according to their website, they also provide bonuses and benefits.
Unity4 – Vancouver-based company that provides virtual call center services.
Weed Man Turf Ops – Weed Man is a Canadian-born landscaping company that uses virtual sales agents. If you don’t mind making outbound sales calls, this might be a work-at-home job worth looking into.
When searching for Weed Man Turf Ops jobs on Indeed (or any job on Indeed), there is a tab to read company reviews. If you'd like to see all the jobs they offer, you can locate them here (pictured below).
Freelance (Jobs)
There are different types of freelance jobs. Some are company-specific, meaning you apply like you would any job, but you're paid as an independent contractor, and you make your own schedule.
Other freelance jobs are marketplace-based, where employers (many small businesses and solopreneurs) and freelancers buy and sell services. These are not company-specific (unless you get hired on for a long-term project or contract) but usually consist of many smaller jobs for multiple employers.
This category of freelancing (jobs) is for those who prefer the flexibility of an independent contractor but the stability of working for a company.
Accutran Global (check out the review) – One of the more common jobs you’ll find online is transcription jobs. They usually per “audio minute” or per word (Accutran pays $.004 – $.0055 per word or $.40 per audio minute for larger projects), so the better you are, the more you can make. It can be a stable income for experienced transcribers. To apply to Accutran Global, just scroll down on their homepage, and you will see a link.
AIETA (American International English Teachers Association) – An online English teaching job where you can earn an annual income of 60K or 70K… but you will need to apply with your bachelor's degree and prove your ability to teach.
Analysia – This is a unique web-based job, although not really a “job”. You can make some extra money by testing websites and giving feedback on your experience. It’s a pocket money side gig, though, not a place to earn a full living.
Babbletype – Another transcription company that pays weekly via PayPal. This is a freelance position, and like most transcription companies, you must apply and be qualified. They also require native speakers for the language that’s being transcribed.
Blue Zebra Appointment Setting – Another business-to-business cold calling opportunity, Blue Zebra Appointment Setting claims to pay between $15-$25 per hour, depending on your experience.
ClicknWork – Connects people with a variety of different remote jobs, from writers and web researchers to analysts and trendspotters.
Dada ABC – Provides English language classes for children ages 4-16 and hires online English tutors.
Golden Voice English – Another English teaching company that tutors Chinese children through video conferencing.
Lyft(Currently in Toronto) – Relatively new to Canada, Lyft is a competitor to Uber, which is currently available in the Toronto area.
Uber – Uber has made an impact in Canada, and it's a driving gig I did full-time. It’s not exactly a work-at-home job, but rather a working-from-your-home job, making your own schedule and not having to go to an office or specific place of business every day.
Mystery Shopping Inc – Since my days pumping gas in the early 90’s, I’ve always wondered about being a mystery shopper. You’ll need a vehicle for this job, but it could be a fun side hustle if you have another source of income. Pay ranges between $10 – $15 per store, which covers 15 minutes in store, 15 minutes of paperwork, and expenses such as fuel.
Panda Tree – A little different than the other language tutoring websites focusing on English, Panda Tree hires Mandarin and Spanish teachers.
QKids – If you’ve ever thought of going overseas to teach English… except for the going overseas part, QKids might be what you’re looking for. Here, you will teach English online to children ages 5-12, but like many online teaching positions, requirements can be specific.
Scribie – If you’re new to transcribing, Scribie is probably the place you want to start. They don’t have the stringent hiring requirements and obligations like some other transcription companies. They also let you pick and choose your jobs rather than waiting around for them to be assigned to you.
ShiftSmart – ShiftSmart is a jobs marketplace/labor-management app that provides jobs in Canada occasionally. Workers can search for entry-level shifts doing jobs such as mystery shopping, store merchandising, cleaning, product testing, survey calling, etc…
Travel Masters – If you have experience as a travel agent, Travel Masters might be a good opportunity. They hire both location-based and home-based workers. It is, however, 100% commission-based with no base salary, so the upside can be good… but there’s also a chance of earning nothing.
Tutor.com – One of the most popular online tutoring platforms, Tutor.com has positions for tutors in 40 different subjects, including math, science, English, business, social studies, and test preparations. Becoming a tutor isn’t a given either. They require applicants to be tested and submit background checks. However… this is a stable work-at-home job, and if you’re qualified, one of the better online opportunities.
Valnet – Valnet is a digital media publishing company and has some work-at-home opportunities, such as social media content writers. These are remote freelance positions, but you still need to apply and send samples of your writing.
Virtual Gurus – If the idea of customer service or sales doesn’t appeal to you, Virtual Gurus (VG) hires virtual assistants. VAs can be hired for a range of services, from data entry work or technical tasks to creative jobs such as graphic design.
VIPKid (check out the review) – one of the more popular online English teaching platforms. VIPKid provides virtual classroom settings for students in China, specifically children between the ages of 4-12.
Voxtab – Voxtab provides transcription, subtitling, and closed captioning services to clients worldwide. Like many work-at-home companies, VoxTab is a target of phishing scams (an organization or individual pretending to be from VoxTab), so if you're applying for an online transcription job, please note their official statement: Any communication that is sent from Voxtab is only sent from our registered domain name @voxtab.com. No communication will be sent to any client(s) from, or on behalf, of an individual.
Freelance (Marketplace)
ClickWorker – A microtask site (pay per task) in areas such as writing, translating, researching, and data processing. The more efficiently you can perform tasks, the more you will get paid.
Content Mart – One of the most sought-after positions online is a content writer. There are plenty of people who write, but good ones can be hard to find. If you have a skill for writing, you can definitely find work as an online content writer. Content Mart is always looking for freelance copywriters and editors. Areas of specialty include business, travel, kids/parenting, resumes, and entertainment.
Domainite – A web design and development company that is also a content provider for their clients.
Field Agent – Okay… Field Agent doesn’t really belong in this list of work-at-home “jobs”, but it is a unique money-making idea. The concept here is an app-based exchange where people post various tasks, like taking a location-based picture, for example, and getting paid for it. You’ll never turn this into a full-time income, but to snag a few extra bucks every month, you can keep the app on your phone and see what tasks turn up.
Gigwalk – Similar to Field Agent but with more substantial tasks. Gigwalk also won’t provide a reliable income, but having their app on your phone and picking up a gig here and there can provide some additional income. Payments are made through PayPal.
HireWriters – HireWriters pay up to $20 per article once you become established (and your work trusted). Other available jobs here are proofreading and researching.
italki – italki claims to be the largest online language learning marketplace in the world. They have more than 1.5 million students all over the world and thousands of teachers teaching over 100 languages. Getting started here is easier than most other language tutoring websites. italki is a marketplace rather than a service provider, so you can simply create your profile and introduction video and then look for students (or have students looking for you).
iWriter – You won’t get rich writing for iWriter, but having purchased some articles from here before, with just a little bit of writing talent, you can easily be one of their elite or elite plus writers and earn a livable income (depending on where you live). Unlike a freelance site such as Upwork for example, the focus with iWriter is speed. I’ve posted a handful of jobs and had them completed within an hour or two.
Skillshare – Skillshare is a wide-open tutoring marketplace. You can teach just about anything (well… within reason…), from photography and entrepreneurship to math or music.
Upwork – one of the most popular and well-respected freelance sites online. It’s the go-to place for professional online business owners and large companies searching for talented workers. As an Upwork customer, I can say the way they operate as a broker between client and freelancer is exceptional.
At present, there are nearly 85,000 jobs posted at Upwork within a dozen different categories (below)
As a freelancer, you can find both long-term hourly jobs and fixed-price projects.
Fiverr – Similar to Upwork and just as popular. Fiverr has a somewhat different reputation, often seen as a cheap way to get something done. But the truth is, most freelancers will post jobs on multiple freelance sites, and the quality (and price) of the work is dependent on the freelancer, not necessarily the website. If freelancing appeals to you, Fiverr is definitely one you’ll want to set up a profile with.
Peopleperhour – Works much like Upwork and Fiverr, but not as well known.
Home Based Business Resources and Ideas
Wealthy Affiliate (check out the review) – For something different, this Canadian-based company might be what you’re looking for. Wealthy Affiliate is a resource-based platform that provides everything you need to start an online business and earn passive income. This is a long-term approach to making money online as your business grows.
For more information, you can also check out my free step-by-step guide to making money online, which you can get right now by clicking HERE.
iVend – Like jobs such as Lyft, Uber, or mystery shopping… this one requires a vehicle. You’re not necessarily working “at” home, but “from” home. iVend is a small business, not a job, so it will require investment. But, if you have the resources to get started, it could be rewarding.
Centre Holidays (home based travel agent) – Not exactly a job, but a potential opportunity (and potential loss). This a commission-based travel agent business that comes with a $995 start-up cost and a monthly fee of $95 – $155. Definitely not for everyone, but it's a potential work-from-home income stream for the right person.
Become a Social Media Manager
In the late 90’s and well into the 2000’s, I spent many years doing B2B outside sales. Social media didn’t exist when I started, but as the web grew in popularity and companies like Facebook popped up, I often wondered how many professionals, as well as small and medium-sized businesses, were aware of the benefits of being on social media and how to manage their presence online.
As it turns out, not many. Even today, most don’t have time to bother. At least not effectively.
That makes social media management a great side hustle. If you have any knowledge or experience with social media marketing, you probably know more about it than 99% of the business owners you drive past daily.
And there are many ways you can market your side hustle and find new clients. You can network with local organizations, use social media, print flyers business cards, and start knocking on doors. You can also purchase programs like Agency Master Academy that teach you how to start your own social media marketing agency.
Since you’re skilled at social media (or plan on getting skilled to make money at it), you will also learn how to locate local business owners and key employees online using tools like Google, Facebook, and Linkedin… and promote your service.
It might take some time, but eventually, you’ll land one client and then another. One place to focus is on professionals… doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc., who can benefit from a stronger online presence but don’t have the time or desire to do it themselves.
Another place to look for home-based social media management jobs is indeed.com and mediajobs.com.
Web Design and SEO services
In much the same way you’d go about looking for Social Media clients (above), web design and search engine optimization (SEO) is another service that most professionals and small and medium businesses know little about.
If you’re not skilled in these areas, you can learn from training platforms like Wealthy Affiliate (mentioned above), which also provide training videos (Canadian-based) about running yourself as a business, how to price your services, etc.
Give Music or Sports Lessons
Teaching an instrument online is gaining in popularity, but there is still a strong market for it locally. Like the business ideas above, the best way to get started is to hit the pavement and knock on doors.
I mentioned that I spent years in outside sales, going from business to business… and one thing I learned is that in just about every office and business you go into, there is someone who has kids at home, and they love to talk about them.
Whether your expertise is with a guitar, a piano, tennis, or yoga… many of those parents have talked about or thought of putting their children into lessons (or taking lessons themselves). Being in the right place at the right time will often be the incentive that gets them to take action.
Become a Virtual Friend
Yes, you read that title correctly… become a virtual friend. It's a relatively new idea, or at least one that is gaining popularity.
So, what exactly is a virtual friend?
A virtual friend is someone who offers emotional support, companionship, or other services to people online. They can be a valuable resource for people who are feeling isolated and lonely or just want someone to talk to.
Virtual friends typically communicate with their clients through messaging apps or video chat platforms. They listen to their client's concerns, offer advice or encouragement, and provide emotional support when needed. Some virtual friends may also engage in virtual activities like playing games, watching movies, or just chatting while doing common hobbies like knitting or gardening.
To become a virtual friend, you'll need to have good communication skills, empathy, and the ability to establish a strong emotional connection with your clients. You should also have a variety of interests and be interesting.
You'll also need to set boundaries and maintain professionalism with clients.
You can start on dedicated virtual friend websites or market your services through social media and other online platforms. You can also provide it as a service on freelance platforms like those discussed above.
Overall, becoming a virtual friend can be a unique and rewarding way to earn extra income from home.
By providing emotional support and companionship to real people online, you can make a positive impact on the lives of others while enjoying the flexibility and convenience of working from home.
Accounting/Bookeeping
My wife and I have a friend on Vancouver Island who took a bookkeeping course and now runs her own bookkeeping business from home. Plenty of small independent business owners need someone to manage all of their invoices, receipts, etc.
There are also many firms that hire virtual accountants.
Online Surveys and Rewards
No, you won't become rich doing online surveys… but there's probably no easier way to make a few extra bucks. Even if you tackle some of the other online jobs here, you'll more than likely be faced with downtime.
Waiting on a transcription job or driving Uber... you can guarantee you'll have some time to kill. And if you're going to kill time, you might as well make some money at it.
Online surveys with sites like surveyjunkie.com are a good way to make some extra money. You can also make money watching videos, searching the web, and visiting websites with Inbox Dollars.
Maru Voice Canada is another survey site worth checking out, although they're not always accepting new members like those mentioned above.
Other Work-at-Home Ideas
Take stock of what you have available. Not every idea requires a skill like web design or playing the guitar. Other potential work-at-home (or home-based) jobs include,
- Freelance Writing, Editing, Fact-Checking, and/or Proofreading (for your own clients).
- Transcription (for your own clients)
- Babysitting
- Home Daycare
- Landscaping
- Cleaning
- Buying and selling using local classifieds
- Family and wedding photography
- Dog Walking
- Remote Laundry Service
- Build and Flip Niche Websites
- Mobile Massage
- Personal Assistant/Shopper
- Virtual Assistant (for you own clients)
- DIY Event Photo Booth Business
- Vending Machine Business
- Inflatable Rentals
- Mobile Bicycle Repair
- Mobile Car Detailing, Oil Change, Etc.
As Canadians, we have a seemingly endless supply of work-at-home (or work out of your home) options. The biggest challenge (for most Canadians), however, is that we've been brought up with an “employee” mindset rather than an “entrepreneurial” one.
I get it. Being an employee for a stable company (even if you're the boss) is arguably simpler and less risky. But if you're reading this, something is pulling you to become entrepreneurial and pave your own way.
Hopefully, this list of resources and suggestions sets you down that path.
For even more work-at-home jobs and ideas, check out my list of more than 200 here.
Also… if you'd like to help others, please share (below in the comments section) any other work-at-home ideas or sources you have for Canadians.
Have you had any experiences with making money by filling out surveys? Crypto currency is also another interesting side hustle.
I’ve tried surveys and don’t recommend it. On many of the survey platforms you’ll spend most of your time answering qualification questions that disqualify you from the survey and don’t reward you. Some, like Angus Reid, have such a high payout threshold with so few surveys available that you’ll never reach a payout. If you’re going to try surveys, the only reliable and remotely enjoyable platform I tried was Toluna. Payout thresholds are reasonable, and the platform is the best out there for prequalifying you so that you will actually qualify and get paid for most of the surveys you open. However, even if you stay dedicated and check every day on Toluna, don’t expect to make more than $200 – $300 in an entire year with it. Surveys can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, and rarely pay more than $1 (most of them paying 50 cents or less). For most people, answering market research questions gets pretty soul-sucking after a while. I promise you, your time is worth more than paid surveys.
As for crypto, I recently downloaded a game called Coin Hunt. If Coin Hunt is available in your area, I highly recommend it. It’s location-based on your phone, so it requires data, but the data requirements are pretty reasonable. Similar to games like Pokemon Go, you see yourself on a map and can travel to nearby keys and vaults to access them. Collect keys to open vaults, and answer a skill-testing question to win a small amount of crypto. The questions are usually pretty easy. One question I got was “who was the main character in the movie Tarzan”. I’m pretty sure the questions are only there to weed out bots. If you are a human who can read and does not live under a rock, you can play Coin Hunt pretty successfully. I can’t remember what the crypto payout is on regular mode, but if you’re confident you can answer questions quickly, you can turn on hunter mode to get 10 cents per blue vault (one key) and $1 per green vault (10 keys). The payout threshold is $5USD once per week, which is very achievable. You absolutely cannot make a living with this game, BUT I pretty consistently get paid $12 – $20 per week just by playing on my public transit commute to/from work and school every day. Plus, if the value of bitcoin and ether keeps rising, keeping your money in crypto form can see its real-world value grow from what you originally got paid, just by letting it sit there.
I just remembered another good pocket money app – Mistplay. This phone app pays you to play mobile games they’re promoting. If you enjoy trying and playing mobile games (which I do), this is a great way to earn some pocket change while doing what you’d be doing anyways. They’re very transparent about how quickly you’ll get rewarded for any one game, so you can prioritize higher paying games if you want to earn more quickly. They always have a good selection, and if you’ve already maxed out all the games they’re offering, you don’t have to wait long for a new game to be added. My only issue with Mistplay is that you get paid in gift cards instead of through a cash app like PayPal. However, they have decent cards available, including prepaid Visa and Amazon, so it’s not hard to use the money you earn. They also let you choose from a few different payout thresholds, so you can get paid smaller increments more frequently if you prefer. Even saving up for the highest increment (which I believe is $20) doesn’t take too long. I’ve probably gotten around $200 this year from playing mobile games, because it’s something I spend a lot of time doing anyways.
Excellent collection of resources! There are a few on the list we haven’t tested, but will!
Great post out here…. Thanks for the updates will always fall back to these information.
Great post
Great list. I would suggest adding GMR Transcription in the transcription category. They also offer job from home for transcribers and editors. More information: https://www.gmrtranscription.com/careers.aspx
Thank Nicole, I really appreciate the recommendation and will look into them 🙂
Jay