20 Best Remote and Work From Home Jobs in 2020

One thing that the first few months of 2020 showed us — and more importantly our bosses — is that only a handful of us actually need to go into the office. Most of us can get the job done just as well, and often even more efficiently, when we work from home. Flexible work hours and the option of working remotely at least part of the time aren’t elusive job perks anymore. For a growing number of workers, these have become prerequisites and the office as we’ve known it is a dying institution. While you might have to sacrifice part of your paycheque for convenience and a better work/life balance, your job can still be stimulating. Here are some of the best remote and work from home jobs in 2020.

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Customer Service Representative

Customer service representatives have one of those surprising jobs you can do from anywhere. You can even do Amazon work from home if you have reliable internet, a private work area and are willing to become an expert in the company’s products and services.

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Research Interviewer

One of the more interesting ways to make money from home without becoming isolated is to become a research interviewer. In this job, you work with a set of basic questions to interview subjects and then compile the resulting information into a data set or written report. Typically you get on-the-job training but you do need great communication and analytical skills and reliable internet and phone connections.

RELATED: 13 things you should never say on a work call.

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Lawyer

Lawyers have one of the highest paying in-demand jobs for women. However, you don’t have to don a power suit and briefcase every day to make a good living as a lawyer. You only need a dedicated home office with all the tech required for telecommuting. In Canada, to become a lawyer you need to finish law school and articling, pass the bar exam and be licensed to work in your province or territory.

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UX Designer

UX stands for “user experience” and a UX designer creates the entire user experience for a product, from acquiring it to using it and even troubleshooting. This includes aspects like design, functionality and branding. You’ll need a degree in a tech-related field as a starting point. Then there are several UX design courses you can complete in Canada, many of them online.

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Software Engineer

Software engineers have one of the highest-paying in-demand jobs in Canada for 2020. It’s a highly skilled job where you design, develop and test software systems but you can do it from anywhere as long as you have a good computer. You need at least a bachelor’s degree in software engineering or a similar IT field but some employers may require you to have a master’s degree.

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Editor and/or Proofreader

Because most editing and proofreading jobs are freelance jobs, editors and proofreaders are old hands at working from home. As long as you have access to a good computer and reference materials like dictionaries, you can do the job even from a hammock in an exotic beach location. Great written language skills and an eye for detail are a must and it will also help to get certified through a professional body like Editors Canada.

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Virtual Assistant

Some of the most important skills to have in the age of the side hustle include organizational skills, social media skills, marketing skills and language skills. If you have all of these and more, you’re perfectly cut out to be a virtual assistant. Your duties can vary from one client to another and may be anything from simply answering emails to event management.

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Transcriptionist

As a transcriptionist, you transcribe recordings like interviews and speeches. To do this, you need a computer, a good pair of headphones and great typing and listening skills. You can earn more money if you’re familiar with different accents, can transcribe more than one language or if you specialize in an area like medical transcriptions.

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Translator and/or Interpreter

In a diverse country like Canada and in an increasingly globalized world, being multilingual is one of the best skills you can have and translators and interpreters have one of the best jobs for Generation Z. To become a translator and/or interpreter, you need to be fluent in at least two languages and understand the unique nuances of each language. Certification with the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council will help give you credibility.

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Writer

Writers were born to work from home or from a peaceful retreat. To become a writer, you can take writing courses but it’s more important to have a great way with words. Content or technical writing will help you pay the bills while you’re working on the Great Canadian Novel. You don’t even need a home office, as long as you have a computer with a good word processing program, internet for doing research and a quiet space where you can work undisturbed.

RELATED: 20 books by Canadian women writers.

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Social Media Manager

Social media manager is one of those jobs that didn’t exist ten years ago but now is everywhere. To do this job, you need to be social media savvy and have great communication skills. You also need to be able to think creatively to make the business’ social media accounts stand out. It’s the type of job you don’t even really need a computer for, as long as you have a smartphone with the different social media apps downloaded.

Multimedia designer working in home office

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Multimedia Designer

If you want a creative job that doesn’t involve math and has a good future, multimedia design is a field worth considering. Usually you’ll need a qualification in multimedia or graphic design and have a flair for combining media like graphic design, video and audio. If you have a good computer with all the necessary software, this is a job you can easily do remotely.

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Online Teacher/Tutor

You don’t have to be physically in the classroom to work as a teacher or tutor. There is more and more demand especially for English teachers and tutors who can work with students in countries like China. Depending on the client, you may need a teaching or tutoring qualification and extensive knowledge of the subject, as well as a good internet connection.

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Construction Manager

One of the best jobs for women in trades, a construction manager is excellent at multitasking and organizing. You basically need a computer and a telephone, so you can easily manage the construction process from home, even though you’ll need to be able to visit construction sites at times. A degree or diploma in construction management will help you land the job.

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Bookkeeper

A bookkeeper takes care of their clients’ finances by keeping financial records and reconciling accounts and managing bills, invoices, payroll and taxes. With a computer and accounting software, you can do this job from anywhere. Certification with the Institute of Professional Bookkeepers of Canada will help you attract more clients.

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Account Manager

If you’re an account manager, you handle the company’s relationship with particular clients, making sure the company meets their needs and that they will continue to do business with the company. It’s one of those high-paying jobs that don’t need a degree but you need to be a creative thinker, great problem solver and have excellent people skills. You can do this job from a home office but may need to go into the company offices or to visit your clients at times.

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Web Developer

Pretty much all the best careers for women in tech are ones that you can do remotely, as long as you have a good computer with the necessary software. As a web developer, you do more than just making a website look cool: you also design the features that make the website function. To become a web developer, you need to know the relevant computer languages but a qualification in web development will help too.

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Telephone Triage Nurse

Registered nurses have one of the most in-demand jobs in Canada in 2025 and beyond. If you’re a registered nurse but can’t afford the risk of being infected with a contagious disease, you can use your skills to become a telephone triage nurse instead. Patients describe their symptoms to you by telephone or video chat and you recommend the steps they need to take for treatment, including referring them to a physician or the emergency room if necessary.

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YouTuber

Most of the richest YouTubers barely need to get off the couch to make a living, especially if they specialize in gaming-related content. To become a successful YouTuber, you need a good video camera and a computer and know how to use the platform. It also helps to make videos that are unique and entertaining.

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Enumerator

Instead of those boring data entry jobs from home where you sit and type numbers or names into a computer for hours on end, as an enumerator you work out of your own home and get to go to other people’s homes (when things return to normal) to interview them and collect census data. It’s an entry-level job where the only real qualification required is that you have a valid driver’s licence. While it’s not a long-term gig, it’s a great option for gaining work experience.