As you prepare to move to Canada, there are so many details that usually take center stage. Many of us assume that we are skilled and talented enough to find a job within a few months. One of the top 11 mistakes most newcomers to Canada make is being unprepared for the Canadian job market. Research shows that the unemployment rate in new immigrants is approximately two times higher than their Canadian-born peers.
There are seven steps that I believe are key to job searching before arriving in Canada. These steps will help give new immigrants the momentum they need to accelerate their job search as soon as they land in Canada.
Steps to job searching
1. Study the Canadian job market
The first step is to understand the overall job market growth and prevalent trends. The job market changes every year, and there can be significant events that can completely turn the job market upside down. Having a good grasp of the Canadian job market before arriving in Canada is extremely important.
Two highly recommended resources are:
The key things to note about the Canadian job market:
- STEM fields are the fastest growing in Canada, and there is currently a labour shortage in this sector;
- Corporate culture and employer brand are critical to most employers; and
- Excellent communication skills and a good grasp of the primary language is paramount.
2. Understand the job market and culture in your province
The second step is to dive deep into the job market and the culture of your chosen provinces. Study province-specific labour market reports as well as job search sites blogs such as Indeed and Glassdoor.
Examples of Province Specific Labour Market report:
- Ontario:
- British Columbia
- Quebec
- Alberta
While you learn about the province’s job markets, also learn about the culture of the province. Visit our Pinterest board Know Your Canadian Province to get bite-sized information about Canada’s provinces.
3. Tailor your resume to the Canadian market
If you are immigrating to Canada from outside North America, your resume format may differ from that of Canada. The most common in Canada is the traditional reverse chronological resume. With this format, start with the most recent experience.
Key sections to include:
- Top skills and qualifications
- Career highlights
- Education
- Hobbies and interests
- Awards
- Volunteer experience
The ‘Objective’ section of the resume is often vague and takes up unnecessary space, so its best to leave it out—the more concise and easy-to-read your resume, the better. Aim to keep your resume to a maximum of two pages and ideally to one page. Rather than listing all your tasks, focus on your top two or three accomplishments under each job role.
Other resume formats are the functional resume or a balanced hybrid resume. Having the correct resume format is vital as most Canadian companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and have a 75% rejection rate.
Once you have reformated your resume to suit the Canadian market. Then you can test it by uploading it to resume review sites such as:
Many ask about whether it is possible to find a job from overseas. It is possible, although challenging to accomplish. One of the best places to find answers to your job search questions is online forums on immigrating to Canada.
4. Join professional organizations and groups
The fourth step is to join professional organizations and groups. Become a part of global industry groups and join the local chapters in your chosen city or province. Two examples are the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) for accountants and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for communication professionals. Register to be a member before or immediately after you arrive in Canada.
This serves two purposes:
- Immediate access to a network of your peers in your chosen field or industry.
- An opportunity to learn more about the skills and tools most valuable in a Canadian context.
Several organizations accept members from across the globe, and a few require you to provide a local address to join. Look for LinkedIn and Facebook professional groups. This will be key to your job search before arriving in Canada, as you will have built credibility and connections with people. Join our SGP Achievers group to meet other newcomers and career mentors.
Once you land, sign up for volunteer positions and volunteer for their events. Members usually receive a discounted price for the organization’s activities, and most of the time, volunteers attend for free! As a new immigrant, a discounted price or free is right for your pocket. Once you land, you will need to learn the do’s and don’ts of networking in Canada.
5. Assess then boost your skills
The fifth step to starting your job search before arriving in Canada is to assess and boost your skills. Here in Canada, personality and other assessment tests are essential. Many hiring managers look for soft skills such as leadership, emotional intelligence, inclusion and teamwork skills. One of the most valued skills is self-awareness. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses can set you apart from most candidates. I encourage everyone to do a personal SWOT analysis.
There are a few free tests that I recommend you take before you arrive in Canada:
Other paid tests will give you the best sense of the most suited careers for you. We offer these tests through our 30-60-90 and other One-on-One career strategy sessions.
Once you have completed your assessments, and understand your strengths and weaknesses, note the skills you need to improve or acquire. There are several free courses that you can take online to improve your skills and qualifications before arriving in Canada.
Knowing the job market, where you stand, and the skills you need to get there can accelerate your job search once you arrive in Canada.
6. Make one-on-one connections with people
Learning the art form of connecting with people is possible for any personality type. As a newcomer to Canada, you will gain a lot of ground in your job search if you make connections before arriving. Our blog post on the do’s and don’ts of networking give tangible templates to reach out to people on LinkedIn or by email.
There are three questions to consider when making one-on-one connections with people:
- What do this person and I have in common? Here you want to know where you can find common ground with the person. The easiest way is to connect with people who share the same groups, professions, nationalities, interests, schools or causes.
- Do I want to have an ongoing relationship with this person? My rule of thumb is not to reach out to people that you don’t hope to have an ongoing connection with—Check-in with each other twice a year at least or once every three months or more. You must be willing to put in the time and effort to keep this relationship going.
- How can I offer my skills, connections and experience to elevate this relationship?Always approach a connection, understanding that you both offer value to the relationship. Avoid looking at the relationship as transactional. However, it is essential not to feel powerless when you connect with people. Confidently ask, “If there is anything I can do to support you in your work or X, please don’t hesitate to ask me.”
7. Get in touch with career and settlement services.
Before you arrive in Canada, you can get in touch with several career and settlement services for immigrants. There are thousands of them all over the country, and many are non-profit and free for newcomers. The Canadian government is determined to continue to increase the number of new immigrants annually. They also recognize the difficulty many new immigrants face in finding a job once they land in Canada.
For many permanent residents, the government has pre-arrival services that you can take advantage of before moving to the country. For some temporary residents, you will have to seek these out. There are flagship organizations in every province, and there are free programs provided by the libraries and community centers. Stay posted for our resource guide coming soon.
Bonus step: Work on your communication skills
For many immigrants, English is a second language and can be a barrier to your job search. If you struggle with English, I encourage you to sharpen your English skills before arriving in Canada. For immigrants with a good command of the English language, your focus should be on strengthening your communication skills.
The key to strong communication skills is your ability to clearly and succinctly convey ideas compellingly. No matter the work you are in, strong communication skills are always in the top five categories of skills hiring managers are after. In many roles, you will have to present ideas to your peers or senior leaders. Practice giving your elevator pitch to your friends and family, join toastmasters groups and find other avenues that will allow you to become a formidable communicator.
There you have it: the seven essential steps to starting your job search before arriving in Canada. These steps can help significantly reduce the time it takes for you to find a job in Canada when you land.