One common question we get is: how to get a job in Canada? Canada is a welfare country, is an attractive land of opportunities for job seekers from all over the world. However, if you don’t know where to start from, it might seem very difficult to you. You might be pretty confused about the type of visa you should apply for and how to prep your qualifications and resume for applying to Canadian employers.
How to Get a Job in Canada in 5 Steps
Landing a job in this competitive job market can be pretty challenging. Especially if you want to apply for a Canadian job, working around your way with work visas and permits and preparing yourself to become a suitable candidate for getting a job in Canada is a highly tedious task. However, more than one-quarter of the Canadian workforce is immigrant workers. With an aging baby-boomer generation, companies are looking towards foreign candidates for working in Canada.
Read on and learn how to find jobs in Canada and grab this opportunity the right way. We have divided the task into five steps to easily follow and understand where you should start if you are seeking job opportunities in Canada.
Get a Work Visa or a Work Permit
There is a multitude of jobs in Canada for foreign workers. However, the first step to becoming qualified for applying to these jobs is getting a work visa or a work permit.
But how to get a work visa in Canada? Read on!
The temporary foreign worker program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP) are two ways to get a work permit before getting a job in Canada. However, currently, Canada has closed the TWFP. This means that the employees who hold the LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) can easily offer visas to potential candidates.
So, there are two ways to get a work permit; one is from the employer who has agreed to hire you, and the other through the IMP. The IMP can offer open work permits like the Post-graduate work permit and the working holiday visa.
Get your Qualifications Accredited
According to Canadian standards, one of the significant steps that count towards getting a work visa from an employer with LMIA is getting your qualifications accredited. World Educations Assessment (WES) is a third party that accredits your credentials according to the Educational Credential Assessment. The processing is about CAN$ 200 and takes ten days.
However, you need to check whether or not your profession needs an ECA. Some occupations, including physiotherapists, social workers, medical professionals, and teachers, require a different form of accreditation. This is because these professions are regulated. You will need to register with the provincial regulatory body to get your qualifications accredited or get additional training and take up exams to get accepted by employers.
Processing for these professions takes as much as six months for processing. Also, additional training and examinations are not only time-consuming but also costly. It would be best if you researched the region that you have selected to assure that you submit the documentation they require for accreditation.
Update your Resume
Want to know how to apply for job in Canada? Update your CV regularly! Wait no more and dust off your writing skills to start updating your resume. Including references from work will give the authenticity that Canadian workers are looking for. You must include the position that these people hold in the organization and their contact information.
You can also go for professional resume-building websites like LinkedIn, where your professional network can write recommendations about you.
Seek for the Companies you Wish to Apply to
Once you have your qualifications accredited and updated your resume, it is time to seek companies that are best suited for you and job roles requiring the level of qualifications you have.
Applying for every company is not recommended. At times, hiring agencies are the same for multiple companies, and a copy-pasted cover letter does not leave a good impression. Be selective about your choice of applying to companies and make the effort of writing unique cover letters to fit each role and each organization.
It is important that you stay truthful about what you claim. Quantify your previous achievements, but do not exaggerate. It will help you to progress in the job-seeking process very smoothly.
Follow up on your Application
Now that you know how to apply for jobs in Canada and apply to the companies you have chosen, it is good to follow up on your application via email. However, wait at least a week after you have applied. This will show that you are interested in the role and are not firing your CVs everywhere but rather have picked the employer.
Furthermore, if you get an interview call, make sure that you show courtesy by replying to the email with a thank you. A little politeness goes a long way. Also, responding with confirmation can demonstrate your professionalism.
If you are already in Canada and are looking for a job, it is better that you get on to networking. You can attend career fairs along with volunteer work to get in the industry.
All in all, these five steps can help you in progressing your career in Canada. If you are a foreigner or want to apply from within Canada, these steps can help you land a job with Canadian firms.
Remember, just a little effort can go a long way. The quantity of applications will not land you a job, but the quality will. So, make sure that you are applying before thorough research on the requirements and designing your cover letter according to the job description.
