Tourism

• Working in Tourism in Canada
• Before You Come to Canada
• Preparing to Work in Tourism in Canada
• Finding a Job in Canada
• Additional Resources

---

Working in Tourism in Canada

Tourism is an important and growing part of Canada’s economy. The tourism sector is made up of five industry groups: accommodations, food and beverage services, rec reation and entertainment, transportation and travel services. The $75 billion tourism sector employs 10% of all workers in Canada. In 2006, almost 25% of the people who worked in tourism were born outside of Canada and over 20% had a mother tongue other than English or French.

Most tourism businesses are small or medium-sized: 77% have fewer than 20 employees; 21% have 20—99 employees; and just 2% have 100 or more employees.

While most tourism jobs are not regulated, there are certain aspects of many occupations that still require some kind of licence or certificate. For example, a chef may need a food safety certificate to prepare food. Provinces and territories have many different requirements for regulation and certificates in the tourism sector. You must understand the require ments for your occupation in the province or territory where you want to work.

Before You Come to Canada

While you are waiting to go to Canada, there are many important things you can do to improve your chances for success.

The Foreign Credentials Referral Office is an organization of the Government of Canada that provides you with helpful resources such as the Planning to Work in Canada? workbook and the Working in Canada Tool. Use these resources to find and collect important information and to develop your job-search plan.

You will need to prove your language skills in English or French or have an assessment. You can find information at www.language.ca. If you need to improve your language skills, start before you come to Canada.

Your official education, work and identity documents are important. It is much easier for you to gather and organize your documents while still in your home country. Important documents include a résumé outlining your work and volunteer experience, skills and education; diplomas, degrees, certificates and other proof of qualifications; school records or transcripts; and letters of recommendation.

Verify translation requirements. In some cases, you will have to use a professional translation service in Canada.

Preparing to Work in Tourism in Canada

Many tourism jobs require transferable skills (the skills learned through past job or career experience) while others may require specific qualifications. You should take the time to prepare to work in tourism by researching the skills and qualifications you will need for a job.

Your preparation for working in Canada also depends on your occupation and where you want to live in Canada. It’s important to get the exact requirements for your occupation in each province or territory. The most common licences and certificates for certain tourism jobs in Canada are a food safety certificate; a gaming licence; responsible beverage services; and a workplace hazardous materials information systems certificate. Some employers may arrange for you to get training and certification through your place of work.

In addition to the licences and certificates that you must have for some tourism jobs, the CTHRC also offers training and professional certification for some occupations that can help you get a job and develop your career in your chosen tourism field. Available for a fee, emerit tourism training and certification is accepted in every province and territory. Some of this training is online and self-directed and some requires on-site training.

You can also find more information about emerit training and certification through the tourism human resource organization in the province or territory where you want to work. You can find a list of all local tourism organizations at www.cthrc.ca.

Finding a Job in Canada

You should take time to research job requirements and develop a plan for finding work.

The CTHRC offers tourism career quizzes to help you communicate the skills you have to tourism employers on your résumé and during job interviews. For example, the FAST quiz can help you identify your transferable skills and how to apply them to a specific tourism occupation.

The CTHRC also has a comprehensive list of tourism job banks across Canada.

The Ready-to-Work Program is a national skill development program designed to assist people with transitions in the work force. The program offers a mix of classroom and on-the-job training that provides participants with the skills, knowledge, attitudes and experience required for long-term, stable employment in tourism – the world’s fastest growing industry.

Some provincial and territorial tourism human resource organizations also have job banks.

The Government of Canada publishes jobs offered by employers at www.jobbank.gc.ca.

Additional Resources

• Citizenship and Immigration Canada
• Foreign Credentials Referral Office
• Service Canada
• Coming to Canada Checklist (Discover Tourism)
• Interactive Zone (Discover Tourism)
• Free emerit national occupational standards