Jobs: finding work as a newcomer
Steps, in order
- Rewrite your resume in the Canadian format: short (usually one or two pages), focused on achievements and results, no photo, no date of birth, no marital status, and no salary history unless asked.
- Use Job Bank, the Government of Canada's free job portal, including its newcomer section, alongside employer career pages and large job boards. Set up alerts for your job titles in your city.
- Check whether your occupation is regulated in Canada. Regulated professions (for example, doctors, engineers, teachers, trades) require a licence or certification from the provincial regulator; unregulated jobs do not. Settlement employment services and the Job Bank's credential information can explain the route for your occupation.
- Use free settlement employment services: resume help, interview practice, and connections to employers who hire newcomers. Many are funded by IRCC and are free for permanent residents and protected persons; ask 211 or a local settlement agency which ones serve your city.
- Apply widely, keep a record of every application, and treat any employer who asks you to pay for a job offer as a scam.
Official & finder links
Check before you act: Credential-recognition routes are occupation- and province-specific and were not verified individually for this draft; the page must link to the Job Bank credential tools and to provincial regulators rather than stating one route.
General information only — not legal or financial advice. Rules, benefit amounts and local services change. Use the official or finder links above to confirm details before acting. No local addresses or phone numbers are listed here on purpose — use the national finders above for your area.