The short answer
To work in Canada you need a Social Insurance Number (SIN), and IRCC advises applying for it as soon as you arrive. If you work in a regulated profession or compulsory trade, you must also have your credentials recognised and get a licence in the province or territory where you will work. That process varies by occupation and province, takes time and can cost money, so the official advice is to contact the regulator before you arrive where you can. For unregulated jobs, a Canadian-style résumé, networking and local help matter most.
Key terms in plain English
- Regulated occupation: a job, such as a nurse, engineer or electrician, that requires a licence or certificate issued by a provincial or territorial regulator.
- Foreign credential recognition: the process of checking that your education, training and experience meet the standards for the profession in the province where you will work.
- ECA: an educational credential assessment used for immigration. It is not a licence.
- Job Bank: the Government of Canada's job and career information service.
- Employer-specific work permit: a permit that lets you work only for a named employer.
Looking for work
IRCC's page suggests several approaches:
- Use help for newcomers. Settlement organisations offer résumé workshops and job search training, and your province's newcomer website has local information.
- Use Job Bank, which has jobs, wages, main duties, employment trends and educational requirements, including a section for newcomers.
- Search directly. Check company websites, job fairs and job search websites, and ask friends and family. Many jobs are not advertised, so networking matters.
- Apply with a cover letter and a résumé. Employers decide who to interview from them.
- Volunteer. IRCC notes that it can help you build Canadian experience, practise English or French and meet people who can act as references.
If your job is regulated
- Check whether your occupation is regulated where you plan to live, using the Government of Canada's foreign credential recognition tool.
- Contact the regulatory body in that province or territory. Do this early, ideally before you arrive.
- Expect steps such as assessing your credentials, exams, language tests and Canadian experience. Costs and timing vary.
- Look into support. The Government of Canada describes loans and support services for the recognition process.
- Plan for language. IRCC says most regulated jobs require strong English or French, including work-related language.
An immigration ECA does not guarantee a job in your field or a licence.
Your rights as a worker
If you are a temporary foreign worker, the federal government says you are protected by Canada's labour laws. Your employer must pay you for your work and keep the workplace safe, and cannot take your passport or work permit away. Each province and territory has a labour standards office that can talk to you about fair pay, hours and working conditions, and you do not need your employer's permission to contact it. If you are on an employer-specific permit, you can only work for the named employer, and changing employer involves steps, so read your permit's conditions.
Checklist
- To do: SIN applied for
- To do: Résumé and cover letter adapted for Canadian employers
- To do: Job Bank profile or alerts set up
- To do: Settlement organisation contacted for job help
- To do: Regulated occupation? Regulator contacted and requirements noted
- To do: Credential assessments and certified translations ordered
- To do: Language requirements for your field checked
- To do: Labour standards office for your province noted
- To do: Permit conditions read
Common mistakes
- Waiting until you land to contact a regulator. Some processes take a long time.
- Assuming a degree equals a licence. It does not.
- Paying someone for a "guaranteed job". No one can guarantee you a job.
- Giving your passport or work permit to an employer. An employer cannot take it.
- Ignoring the language requirement. Regulated jobs need strong language skills.
Things that change
Occupation lists, regulator requirements, loan programmes and labour standards are updated by governments and regulators.
Verify before you act
Read IRCC's page on looking for jobs in Canada, the Government of Canada's foreign credential recognition page, Job Bank for newcomers and temporary foreign worker rights. To report abuse, see the official reporting page.