With the cost of living in Canada on the rise, you're probably not alone if you're someone looking for ways to make some extra money.
What you might not know though, is that there are tons of side jobs you can do in Canada from the comfort of your home, with many requiring little to no education or costs to get started.
Indeed Canada has shared a list of the best-paid side jobs in Canada that can be done from home, and you may already have the skills required for many of these.
Here are seven easy side jobs you can work remotely as well as the requirements of each role and what you'll need to get going.
1. Travel agent
A travel agent helps people arrange and plan trips and excursions, so if you have a love for travel and knowledge of how to get deals and navigate the industry, this could be the perfect side job for you.
In addition to a knowledge of travel, you'll also have to have some customer service skills. Besides that, there generally isn't really any specific kind of education or background required to become a travel agent, making it an accessible gig that can even be done from home.
If you want to have some kind of training, you could take classes with a company like The Travel Institute to earn a certification, or further general studies in tourism at various institutions.
It's also worth noting that some locations may require agents to pass an exam or other legal requirements.
Some of the things you can expect to do as a travel agent are research travel options, discuss costs with clients and provide advice on travel plans.
According to Indeed, the national average salary for a travel agent in Canada is $36,261 per year.
2. Digital marketer
Digital marketers promote a business and its products online, according to Indeed.
They may do this through social media and/or search engines, with the goal of attracting new clients to a business.
Digital marketers usually take care of things like content creation (in the form of written, audio or audiovisual content), search engine optimization, data analytics, email marketing or mobile marketing, and may specialize in one or more of these areas.
Some of the skills you'll need to have for this kind of work include creativity, research and communication skills.
You may also want to consider training of some kind, either through online resources, through a digital marketing program or even at an institution like a college or university.
You'll also need the technical skills required to use a number of digital marketing software tools such as Hootsuite (a social media tool) SEMrush (for search engine optimization) and MailChimp (an email marketing tool).
According to Indeed salary reports, the average salary for a digital marketer is $52,525 per year.
3. Copywriter
A copywriter is someone who writes copy used to sell products in advertising and marketing, either in print or online.
Some of the duties of a copywriter can include working in partnership with a graphic designer to brainstorm concepts for ads and campaigns, developing brand voices, researching products, services and customers, and editing and revising work.
The work copywriters do could appear in print ads in newspapers and magazines, on websites, on social media, or on billboards and posters.
According to Indeed, formal education isn't necessarily required for this kind of role, but a formal training in French, English, journalism, marketing or advertising can help.
A great way to get started is to select a copywriting niche and identify the specific kinds of content you want to create.
According to Indeed, the national average salary for a copywriter is $49,694 per year.
4. Data entry clerk
A data entry clerk organizes and inputs data (which could be things like statistics or financial information), into a system for a business, and can be employed in the private or public sectors.
Most data entry clerks work with digital databases such as spreadsheets or other tools.
Some of the duties of a data entry clerk, in addition to inputting information, include updating entries and maintaining databases, documenting discrepancies, creating reports, and performing some other administrative tasks.
Advanced education is not generally required for this role, making it an easy side gig to pick up. Indeed notes, however, that experience, location and the industry you work in as a data clerk can affect your pay.
Some of the skills necessary for this role include good time management, organization, attention to detail and computer skills such as typing.
Most likely, you'll probably already have many of the skills required for this kind of work.
The national average salary for a data entry clerk in Canada is $38,883 per year, according to Indeed.
5. Social media manager
If you've got a keen eye for aesthetics and a knack for navigating social media platforms, a side job as a social media manager could be an easy jump.
A social media manager's job is to, as the title suggests, handle social media accounts, usually of a business or organization.
Social media manager positions are available across a wide range of industries.
This role is responsible for things like planning, creating and publishing content, and analyzing and reporting on content performance.
A social media manager can expect to do things like creative copywriting, graphic design, shooting and editing video, photo editing and photography, and community management.
While formal education may not always be required for this role, a background in marketing, advertising or another relevant field could set you apart.
Experience can also be important, so you may want to consider creating a portfolio and working on your own social media presence, which can help prove to potential clients that you know your stuff.
The national average salary for a social media manager in Canada is $50,628 per year, according to Indeed.
6. Virtual assistant
A virtual assistant performs tasks for others remotely and the job can take little time to learn.
Virtual assistants may help with administrative tasks, schedule appointments, answer calls, create presentations, or work on budgets.
The main draws of this kind of work are that the hours are usually quite flexible, it can be done from home and it's usually easy to get started.
Some areas you can specialize in as a virtual assistant include bookkeeping, website development, customer service, content creation and blogging.
While virtual assisting doesn't require a license of any kind, the industry you work in may require some kind of license or certification.
Some of the skills needed for virtual assisting include typing and data entry skills, oral communication, writing skills, and time management.
For actual positions, job platforms, networking and recruitment agencies can be great places to start.
The national average salary for a virtual assistant is $60,277 per year, according to Indeed.
7. Editor
If you have great attention to detail and love reading and writing, you may want to consider a side job as an editor.
An editor's job is to make sure written materials like books, newspapers, magazines and websites are of the quality clients expect.
Editors' duties include reading and revising content, catching and correcting errors, rewriting texts, verifying information, and flagging legal issues.
While jobs in this field usually require a bachelor's degree in English, journalism, communications or a related study, according to Indeed, a degree in a non-editing-related field can often suffice.
What's great about this kind of work is that the need for editors lies in many industries beyond publishing.
Some other areas for editors to work in include medical editing, comparative editing (which involves working with translated material) and sales and marketing.
Finding your niche as an editor is a great way to get started, as is building a portfolio.
The national average salary for an editor in Canada, according to Indeed, is $51,635 per year.
Best of luck!
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