Planning to work in Canada?
An essential workbook for newcomers

Section C – Finding a job in Canada

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Introduction

This section is designed to help you understand all you need to do to obtain work in Canada. It provides you with a series of essential steps that will help you learn how to find and get a job in your preferred profession. This process will take time, but completing each task below as thoroughly as possible will give you and your family members the best possible chance to succeed professionally in Canada.

NOTE: Please note that the fact that you have been accepted to come to Canada does not guarantee you employment in Canada in your preferred profession or any other profession. This workbook is not tied to any immigration or visa application process for coming to Canada. However, using this workbook will allow you to obtain the greatest benefit from your experience and education.

Learn more about employment standards, health and safety in the workplace, workplace equality, racism-free workplaces and Canada’s laws against discrimination.

Step 1: Occupation

Knowing the proper Canadian name for the job (occupation) you want can help you avoid confusion with employers. Check the “Working in Canada Report” to find a definition of your job as well as other titles within your occupational group. Note the job names that apply to you.

Step 2: Is this a regulated occupation?

HELP

Many professions set their own standards of practice. These are called regulated occupations. In Canada, about 20 percent of jobs are regulated by the government to protect public health and safety. For example, nurses, doctors, engineers, teachers and electricians all work in regulated occupations. If you want to work in a regulated occupation and use a regulated title, you must have a licence or a certificate or be registered with the regulatory body for your occupation. Some occupations are regulated in some provinces or territories but not regulated in others.

A non-regulated occupation is a profession or a trade for which you don’t need a licence, certificate or registration to work in. Most occupations in Canada are non-regulated. If you are applying for a non-regulated occupation, you must show your potential employer that you have the education and experience to do the job. Even if an occupation is not regulated, an employer can still ask that an applicant be registered, licensed or certified with a professional association.

Review the “Licence and Certification” section of the “Working in Canada Report” and choose one of the following:

A) My job is REGULATED in the province or territory where I plan to live. I need a licence or a certificate before I can start working in Canada.

B) My job is NON-REGULATED in the province or territory where I plan to live.

NOTE: If you answered B, then please skip Steps 3 to 5 and proceed directly to Step 6.

Step 3: Who regulates?

Review the “Licence and Certification” section of the “Working in Canada Report” and take note of the name and contact information for the regulatory body or apprenticeship authority for the job and the province or territory you have chosen. This organization has information about the licensing, certification or registration that you need in order to work in that province or territory in that job. Write the name of the organization (or organizations) and contact information for each.

HELP

Regulated occupations are also called professions, skilled trades or apprenticeable trades.

Licensing requirements can differ in each province and territory. To find out if there is an advantage to choosing one destination instead of another, compare the licensing requirements for different provinces and territories.

Step 4: Will I need to be certified or licensed or registered?

Consult the organization’s website and review the licensing, certification or registration requirements that apply to you.

List the requirements for registration, licensing or certification to work in that job in that province or territory and note whether you are qualified or not qualified, or whether you will need more information.

NOTE: If the requirements are not available on the website, or if the organization has no website, you will need to contact the organization directly in order to obtain this essential information.

Step 5: Getting certified or licensed or registered

Compare your qualifications to the requirements for licensing, certification or registration to work in that job in that province or territory.

List information about examinations that you will have to pass.

Plan what you need to do to meet the requirements for licensing, certification or registration to work in that job in that province or territory. For each examination you must pass, make a list of:

• What you have to have (or do) to be eligible to write the examination;
• How to prepare for the examination; and
• The dates and locations for the examination.

HELP

Learn about multiple choice tests and how to prepare for this type of test by visiting the Internet and entering a search for “Multiple Choice Test Tips.”

For each requirement that you currently do not meet, list the:

• Steps you need to take to meet the requirement;
• Details of when and how you will meet the requirement; and
• Estimates of the cost and how long it will take you to meet each requirement.

Make a schedule that shows the sequence of actions you will take.

Step 6: Main duties

Review the “Main Duties” section of the “Working in Canada Report” and list the main duties for the job in the city and province or territory you have chosen.

Step 7: Jobs and skills requirements

Review the “Jobs and Skills Requirements” section of the “Working in Canada Report” and list the employment requirements for this job. List the key requirements and note whether you are qualified or not qualified, or whether you will need more information.

NOTE: Information on employment requirements for a specific occupation may change or not always be available. Please check the Working in Canada Tool regularly for updates.

Step 8: Wages

Review the “Wages” section of the “Working in Canada Report” and note the typical hourly wage for this job in the city and province or territory you have chosen.

You may also wish to find out about employment standards and labour laws in Canada by visiting the Government of Canada Labour website.

NOTE: Information on wages in a specific area may change or not always be available. Please check the Working in Canada Tool regularly for updates.

Step 9: Outlooks and prospects

Review the “Outlooks and Prospects” section of the “Working in Canada Report” to see what your chances of getting different jobs are in a specific location or across Canada.

Step 10: Job opportunities

Make a list of potential employers by:

• reviewing the “Job Opportunities” section of the “Working in Canada Report” where you will see current job opportunities related to the occupation you have chosen and listed in Canada's National Job Bank for the city you chose to live in;
• visiting the Government of Canada Job Bank website;
• visiting the Government of Canada Working in Canada website;
• visiting Service Canada’s Finding a Job page to help you find a job in Canada, create a résumé, choose a career, assess your skills and more;
• searching the “Help Wanted” sections of national or local newspapers;
• searching the Internet for “Jobs” and the name of the city and province or territory you wish to live in;
• social networking; networking is the way to search for jobs in Canada’s hidden job market. It is an effective way to tell a lot of people that you are looking for work; and
• visiting other online job search resources.

HELP

You may also find a potential employer by asking an immigrant-serving organization about a “Job Search” training session or workshop or by asking for information from the Service Canada Centre in your community. Names and contact information for more immigrant-serving organizations can be found through an Internet search for “Canadian immigrant-serving organizations.”

You might want to track the following information for potential job opportunities:

• Potential Employer
• Job Title
• Salary
• Location
• Skill Requirements
• Languages Required:
  • English
  • French
  • Bilingual
• Contact Information

NOTE: You will find more job opportunities when you consider broader occupations. Your skills are transferable to other occupations and sectors that you may not have considered. See Step 13 for more information.

Step 11: Continuing education and training information

There are several ways that you can research the continuing education and training opportunities available to you in Canada to qualify to work in the job you want in the city and province or territory you have chosen.

• Review the “Education and Training” section of the “Working in Canada Report.”
• If you plan to work in a regulated occupation, visit the website for the regulatory body or contact the apprenticeship agency listed in Section C: Step 3.
• Visit the Government of Canada Training and Careers website.
• Visit the Red Seal Program website to find out about the 49 skilled trades in Canada (for example: welder, bricklayer, hairstylist, tile setter).

You might want to track the following information:

• Program Name
• Organization
• Contact Information
• Cost

NOTE: Information on continuing education, training or study programs in a specific area may change or not always be available. Please check the Working in Canada Tool regularly for updates.

Step 12: Other jobs

If you plan to work in a regulated occupation, it may take some time to complete all the actions in the plan you outlined in Steps 4 and 5. In the meantime, you should learn about other jobs that are related to your field or your skills, education and abilities so that you can work while you wait to be licensed for your intended (regulated) occupation in Canada.

Regardless of whether you plan to work in a regulated or non-regulated occupation, you may wish to learn about other types of jobs so that you have more options for working in Canada. These jobs may be related to your field or your skills, education and abilities or they may be unrelated because you are seeking a career change.

How?

• Review the “Job Opportunities” section of the “Working in Canada Report.”
• If you plan to work in a regulated occupation, you may wish to contact the organizations listed in Step 3 and ask their advice.
• List other jobs for which you may be qualified, or which you would like to perform; then complete additional online Working in Canada reports to find out if these other jobs are regulated or non-regulated.
• If you are in Canada, you may also contact a Service Canada Centre in the city or province or territory in which you live to make further inquiries. Find a Service Canada Centre near you.
• You can also find contact information in the “Further Information” section of the Working in Canada Report.

HELP

There are many Service Canada Centres located across Canada. Each centre offers a range of services for federal departments and agencies, other levels of government and community service providers. Examples of services offered include applying for employment insurance, a passport and a Social Insurance Number.

Step 13: Other jobs not in my field

Learn about other jobs that are NOT related to your field so that you can work while you wait to be licensed for your intended (regulated) occupation in Canada or if job opportunities in your current non-regulated occupation are not available.

How?

• List other jobs NOT in your field for which you may be qualified; then complete additional online “Working in Canada reports” to find out if these other jobs are regulated or non-regulated.
• If you are in Canada, you may also contact a Service Canada Centre in the city or province or territory in which you live to make further inquiries. Find a Service Canada Centre near you.
• You can find additional resources to consult in the “Further Assistance” section of the Working in Canada Report.

HELP

There are many Service Canada Centres located across Canada. Each centre offers a range of services for federal departments and agencies, other levels of government and community service providers. Examples of services offered include applying for employment insurance, a passport and a Social Insurance Number.

Step 14: Action

Plan what you need to do to meet the requirements to work in this job in the city and province or territory you have chosen.

How?

Use the information in Step 7 for each requirement that you do not meet or that you need to improve.

Estimate the cost and how long it will take you to meet each requirement.

Make a schedule that shows the sequence of actions you will take.

Step 15: Prepare a résumé and cover letter

In Canada, a résumé is an important tool in the job search process. A résumé and a cover letter tell an employer who you are, what you have done in the past, what your qualifications are, and why you want the job. Understanding Canadian-style résumés can help you prepare a great résumé. You can learn more about writing a résumé by:

• visiting “How to Apply for Jobs in Canada ” on the Working in Canada website, and
• visiting the Government of Canada Job Bank website.

NOTE: You will need to create a free account with a user name and password to access the “Résumé Builder” section of the Job Bank website.

HELP

You may also ask an immigrant-serving organization about a “résumé writing” training session, workshop or service. Names and contact information for more immigrant-serving organizations can be found through an Internet search for “Canadian immigrant-serving organizations.”

Step 16: Prepare for a job interview in Canada

An interview is a meeting between you and your potential employer, often with set questions and answers. An employer will often interview several qualified applicants for a job.

HELP

Some interviews may include a multiple choice test. To learn how to prepare for this type of test, visit the Internet and entering a search for “Multiple Choice Test Tips.”

You can learn more about how to prepare for a job interview by:

• visiting “Interviews” on the Working in Canada website;
• visiting the Government of Canada Job Bank website; and
• visiting the Government of Canada (Public Service Commission of Canada) Jobs website.

Step 17: Volunteering

The term “volunteering” means performing a service willingly and without pay. Working as a volunteer can help you:

• get Canadian work experience;
• practise English or French;
• build your network;
• make friends and meet Canadians;
• find someone who will be a reference for you; and
• show potential employers that you are hard-working.

Learn more about how volunteering in Canada can help you to find a job by:

• searching the Internet for “Volunteer” and the name of the city;
• asking for more information from an immigrant-serving organization. The names and contact information of more immigrant-serving organizations can be found through an Internet search for “Canadian immigrant-serving organizations”; and
• visiting the Volunteering in Canada website for an overview of volunteering.

Make a list the volunteer opportunities in Canada that are of interest to you.

Step 18: Start your own business

If you are thinking of starting your own business in Canada, you will need a detailed business plan. You can learn more about starting a business in Canada by:

• visiting the Invest in Canada website;
• visiting the Government of Canada, Canada Business website that links to information about starting a business in Canada;
• searching the Internet for “Small Business” and the name of the city; and
• asking for more information at an immigrant-serving organization. The names and contact information of more immigrant-serving organizations can be found through an Internet search for “Canadian immigrant-serving organizations.”

 

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