At first you may find it difficult to get work that matches your skills. It may also be difficult to find a job that pays as much as you want until you get Canadian experience. Try not to be discouraged. When the right job does come along, you will have the benefit of that previous experience.

When you apply for a job in Canada, the employer will want some information about you. Bring a list of your education and work experience (a resume). Also bring letters of reference from your former employers, your professional degrees and trade certificates. You may be asked to provide English or French copies of these documents.

Remember that certain trades or professions are regulated, which means that you must be licensed, registered or certified to practise them. In other words, you must meet certain standards which are set by the organization responsible for your profession in the province where you plan to work. The standards vary from province to province. So even though you may be qualified in another country, your qualifications must meet Canadian standards for you to be licensed to practise.

Documents and foreign credentials

You may need Canadian qualifications to work at a licensed trade or profession. You may have to write an examination or work as a trainee to qualify. The requirements vary from province to province and from profession to profession. You might want to contact the national and/or provincial association which looks after accreditation in your profession or trade. You can also contact the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials, or other international credentials evaluations services.

Immigrant-Serving Organizations can help

If you cannot speak the language used by the employer, ask a friend to interpret for you, or get a translator through an immigrant-serving organization. You might also want to ask about job finding clubs, about workshops, and about getting help with preparing a résumé or writing a letter. These services are often provided by immigrant-serving organizations themselves or by the province.

Human Resources Development Canada offices

Many jobs are posted either on billboards or on self-serve computers at your local Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) office. The Canadian government runs HRDC offices throughout Canada. They provide information and services for people looking for work. Some offer the free use of computers, printers, the Internet, telephones, fax services, and resource libraries. They may offer workshops on how to prepare a résumé or look for work, as well as computer training and other courses.

HRDC also runs the Job Bank, and the Electronic Labour Exchange, an Internet site that matches jobs with people and people with jobs. Employers use the exchange to advertise a job and you can use it to advertise your skills to thousands of potential employers. The Internet address for the Electronic Labour Exchange is www.ele-spe.org.

Another Internet site that may be useful is "Worksearch." This is an easy-to-use site that can help you with all aspects of your search for work. The Internet address for this site is www.jobsetc.ca. The HRDC youth InfoLine is 1 800 935-5555.