If you’re looking for a work-from-home job with flexible hours, you may want to venture into the world of proofreading. After all, there are plenty of freelance proofreading jobs in Canada where you can earn an average income of $3,783 monthly.
This article tackles everything you need to know about becoming a proofreader in Canada, including what to expect, how to get started, and where to find job opportunities, whether you have experience or not.
Key Takeaways
- Some of the best platforms you can apply on as a proofreader are Sribbr, Polished Paper, and Wordvice.
- If you don’t have any relevant experience yet, you’ll have the best chances of landing proofreading jobs on freelancing marketplaces such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Flexjobs.
What Does A Proofreader Do?
Proofreaders are responsible for ensuring that written pieces of content are free from grammatical, typographical, formatting, and other similar errors by spotting them before the content is published or printed.
Note, however, that although their primary focus is on finding inconsistencies in the text, it’s not too uncommon for proofreaders to also be required to edit the text themselves when errors are spotted.
Hence, to excel in this role, you must be able to optimize snippets of written content on top of having excellent attention to detail.
Having a bachelor’s degree in journalism or language is not always a requirement to become a proofreader. However, some employers or clients may request this information as part of their selection process or requirements.
Best Work-From-Home Proofreading Jobs In Canada
1. Polished Paper
If you want to have a consistent workload from the get-go, consider applying to Polished Paper, an editing company that offers editing and proofreading services to clients worldwide. To apply, you must take part in a two-part test that typically takes 30-40 minutes to complete and provide your resume.
Polished Paper does not hire all year round, but when they do, they often take in quite a number of applicants. So, this platform is certainly one of the best websites you can use to start applying for jobs as a freelance proofreader.
2. Proofreading Services
Proofreading Services is another company that provides comprehensive editing and proofreading services to clients worldwide. They hire proofreaders from all around the world and compensate them between $19 to $46 USD per hour of work.
Both full-time and part-time applicants are welcome to apply to this platform. To do so, simply complete the 20-minute preliminary test and follow the further instructions provided on the website.
3. Scribbr
For proofreaders who have a bachelor’s degree or higher, Scribbr is an excellent editing and proofreading platform to apply to. This company focuses on helping students excel in academics, so as a Scribbr editor, you’ll be working with a thesis and other academic-related documents the majority of the time.
Note, though, that the positions offered by this company are not solely about proofreading. Many times, you’ll also be expected to act as an editor who reviews the overall writing style, information, and flow of the documents.
4. Wordvice
If you’re a proofreader who doesn’t mind directly editing documents, you may want to consider applying for a freelance editor position at Wordvice.
By joining this platform, you can set your own availability and decide how much workload you can handle, giving you more flexibility on your earnings and schedule.
As a Wordvice editor, your compensation will be based on the document’s word count and turnaround times. That said, the longer documents you’ll have to proofread, the more you’ll likely earn.
5. Proofreading Pal
Earn $500 up to $3,000 USD a month by working as a proofreader at Proofreading Pal. As part of this platform’s team, you’ll be responsible not just for spotting spelling and punctuation errors but also enhancing the sentences’ structure, clarity, and style.
You must have a graduate degree with at least 5 years of professional proofreading experience to work for Proofreading Pal. Submitting a cover letter and your resume is also part of the job hiring process.
6. Managed Editing
Managed Editing also offers exciting work opportunities for proofreaders with a bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years minimum of proofreading experience.
When working as an independent contractor for this platform, your tasks will be mostly editing and optimizing the documents of non-profit organizations, government agencies, educational institutions, and similar entities.
Managed Editing keeps track of every application submitted to them. So, even if you don’t get hired immediately, you may get contacted at a later date when opportunities that match your skills arise.
7. Edit911
Founded in 1999, Edit911 is another reputable provider of professional editing and proofreading services. They welcome applications all year round and typically respond within 48 hours if you’re fitted for a position they’re looking to fill.
Heads up, however, that you must have a Ph.D. in English or another writing-intensive discipline and possess experience as a teacher or professional editor to qualify as an Edit911 proofreader or editor.
8. Scribendi
Headquartered in Chatham, Ontario, the Canadian internet-based language company Scribendi is another great platform for finding work-from-home proofreading jobs in Canada.
You can easily apply on their website as long as you have a university degree in a language-related field and at least 3 years of experience in editing or proofreading.
Where To Find Proofreading Jobs Online With No Experience In Canada
9. Upwork
As one of the biggest job boards for freelancers worldwide, Upwork is undoubtedly one of the best places for proofreaders without experience to find jobs. There are dozens of job postings tailored for proofreaders on this platform every day, giving you more chances of finding a suitable gig.
Heads up, though, the competition on Upwork can be pretty intense. So, it’s common for clients to lowball freelancers on this platform.
Read our full review of Upwork.
10. Fiverr
Fiverr is an internationally-acclaimed online marketplace for freelance services across various industries. Here, you can create a “listing” of your proofreading services, and similar to other online marketplaces, potential clients can place an order if they need your help proofreading.
On this platform, clients will seek you, not the other way around. While this setup is indeed convenient, though, it can also be challenging for you to be noticed on Fiverr if you lack experience.
Related: Fiverr review.
11. Freelancer
Freelancer is another popular freelance marketplace that operates similarly to UpWork. To find proofreading jobs on this platform, all you have to do is browse through the job postings on the website and apply to those that pique your interest.
Keep in mind, however, that if you join the website for free, you can only make 6 bids a month, which may not be enough to land a well-paying job.
12. Flexjobs
Flexjobs is a platform that exclusively hosts job postings that have been carefully screened and vetted for by the platform itself. In exchange for access to legitimate and fairly compensated jobs, this website requires job seekers to pay a subscription fee.
The fee can go as low as $1.15 USD a week if you apply for the annual plan, but if you only subscribe to a monthly plan, it would cost you $6.24 per week to access this platform.
13. Clickworker
If you want quick-to-finish proofreading-related tasks, consider applying on Clickworker, a website that lets you carry out small tasks for small payments. This platform often hires proofreaders to check and correct texts, such as hotel descriptions, product descriptions, and software content.
The best part about applying on this website is that they don’t need you to have an extensive background as a proofreader. However, it’s worth noting that working on Clickworker is often only great as a part-time gig, as the pay isn’t too good.
14. LinkedIn
As the world’s largest professional network on the Internet, LinkedIn obviously can’t miss a spot in this comprehensive list. This platform is often home to some of the best-paying work-from-home proofreading jobs in Canada and is completely free to use.
The best part about LinkedIn is that you can access the credentials of prospective clients or employers, ensuring that you’re not applying for a shady scam. However, as employers can also review your work history, you should take time to build your LinkedIn profile to win the best jobs on this platform.
15. Guru
Another must-try freelancing marketplace for proofreaders is Guru. Although it’s not as popular as Upwork or Fiverr, this platform still caters to thousands of job postings, helping freelancers land their dream jobs since 1998.
Keep in mind, though, that, unlike Flexjobs, this platform isn’t too strict in managing the job postings listed on their website. So, be wary of scammers when browsing on Guru.
16. Media Bistro
Media Bistro is an online freelancing marketplace specifically designed for creative jobs, including copyediting, content writing, and editorial work. Finding jobs on this platform is pretty easy, thanks to its extensive search filters.
A slight downside I’ve noticed about this website, though, is that many listings do not show how much salary they’re offering for the job.
How To Become A Proofreader In Canada
The most efficient way to become a proofreader in Canada is to begin by enrolling in courses that teach the craft from top to bottom. There are many paid and free options online, so you can surely find ones that suit your budget and learning style.
The best proofreading courses will already go over everything you need to know to be successful in proofreading. Those often include detailed instructions about:
- How you can hone your skills in proofreading
- Where and how you can find potential clients
- How to avoid the common mistakes of beginner proofreaders
So, once you finish these courses, you’ll be fully equipped with the necessary information you need to start applying for proofreading jobs from home.
If you need a good starting point, be sure to check out the Proofread Anywhere course. I’ve tried their lessons myself to hone my proofreading skills for my blogs, and I was very impressed with how simple yet comprehensive each lesson was.
Pros and Cons Of Proofreading
Pros:
- You can work from home or anywhere else.
- You’ll have plenty of websites to find jobs from.
- You don’t need formal training or certification to start.
- There is no fancy equipment required to excel in this career.
Cons:
- Deadlines can be tight and stressful.
- Your everyday tasks may be monotonous.
- It can be isolating to work without intrapersonal interactions.
- If you’re a freelancer, there’s no guarantee how much you can earn.
How Much Can You Make From Proofreading?
Similar to most freelancing careers, how much you can make as a proofreader will vary on many factors, such as your preferred rate and workload level.
However, according to Indeed, the average base salary of proofreaders in Canada is $22.7 per hour or about $3,780 a month if you’re working full-time.
Note, though, that as a freelance proofreader, you can have full control over how much you want to charge. Hence, it’s possible to earn way more than the average earnings of a proofreader in Canada.
FAQs
According to PayScale, proofreaders can earn up to $35 per hour. Combine that hourly wage with possible bonuses, and you can earn up to $72,000 as a proofreader.
The average hourly rate for freelance proofreading jobs in Canada is $22.7. However, keep in mind that some proofreaders charge per output or word, not by hour.
Yes, proofreading is in high demand in Canada and worldwide. All industries need to produce written documents or posts at some point, and they need proofreaders if they want their content to appear as professional as they can be.
You can absolutely make a living off proofreading. Most proofreaders earn more than the minimum wage in their province, and some even achieve salaries comparable to that of some of the highest-paying jobs in Canada.
Proofreaders have the freedom to set their own rates, so there are no strict rules regarding how much you should charge per 1,000 words. However, to ensure you are not being underpaid, estimate how long it takes you to proofread 1,000 words. Then, make sure to charge at least $22.7 for each hour of work you do.
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