Recently, the Ontario government made it illegal for employers to require Canadian work experience in their job ads. Moreover, it made mandatory for all job postings to feature salaries. Here’s how to find a job in Ontario.
Well, both steps do not just represent victories for the Ontario labor force, but also for newcomers to Ontario who often find themselves held back from roles & professions they are qualified for due to their lack of Canadian experience. Considering these two changes, read on to know how you can find a job in Ontario.
In-Demand Skills In Ontario
For newcomers who haven’t yet chosen a career path & who are hoping to transition to permanent residence in Canada, paying attention to in-demand skills within the province can be an advantage to finding a job in Ontario.
In-demand skills reflect labor gaps in the Ontario job market. Well, Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program also uses this information to determine which economic applicants they must nominate to IRCC for PR. In fact, every province in Canada does this through their respective PNP.
Both factors mean that those newcomers with in-demand skills are more likely to succeed both in their work, & later immigration pathways from worker to permanent residence. As a result, it makes such skills an ideal place for newcomers not yet set on a career path to begin.
Considering both of these factors, newcomers with in-demand skills stand a much better chance of finding employment & of immigrating & settling permanently in Ontario due to the inherent value they offer for the province’s labor market.
Accreditation & Bridging Programs
While recent legislation has eliminated the need for Canadian experience in finding work in Ontario, newcomers to Ontario need to get accreditation in their field and, if necessary, a license to perform duties in their profession. This crucial step increases their employment chances.
This is because accreditation is not only a legal requisite for many professions in Canada. However, it assures employers that foreign-trained workers can perform up to domestic regulations & standards.
One way to get accredited is through recognized organizations that facilitate this process. It is vital to look for accreditation services that are recognized in Canada & have a history of providing successful accreditation services to Canada from your home country.
In addition, bridging programs can be an excellent way to gain the relevant skills for those who might need to add to their international credentials.
The idea behind these programs is to close the gap between one’s internationally acquired credentials/ education & the experience or training they might need to work in their profession.
Ontario has an extensive network of these programs that cover a wide variety of fields. It is vital to note that these programs are available to those working in regulated professions or in unregulated professions that need highly skilled workers & in demand.
Settlement Services
In order to find a job in Ontario, newcomers must know about the settlement services.
Newcomers can highly benefit from these services offered throughout the province. Multiple newcomer organizations receive funding from provincial, federal, & municipal governments. Moreover, these services can range from employment help to language training, housing assistance, etc.
In addition, newcomers should be aware that their eligibility to obtain these free services depends on both their status in the nation & who is funding the specific service that they are trying to use. Well, it is a good idea to inquire about the same with your settlement service organization/ service to confirm eligibility.
Building A Network In The Province
A recent study by Statistics Canada found that some of the most common reasons that newcomers had difficulty finding employment in Canada included a lack of a good network, Canadian job experience, & professional references. As such, one of the most integral things that newcomers can do is to secure employment. They can do this by building a network with other professionals in the province.
Fortunately, this is not a step to be left until individuals arrive in Canada – with online networking platforms like LinkedIn. Newcomers to Canada can begin engaging with the Ontario job market from abroad. Moreover, professional groups on other social media often give newcomers another way to interact with their chosen professional community in Ontario.
Approaching these interactions with a polite & friendly demeanor will have positive results, as these two aspects of Canadian business culture are prominent during networking.
For those already in Ontario, using LinkedIn & other social media can be an excellent transition into coffee chats & offline meetings with professionals. These experiences can be invaluable as they function as an opportunity to have a natural interaction with a professional contact while also giving you one-on-one access to them & their knowledge. It is often advisable to bring some resume or sample work in case there is an opportunity to discuss your experience. However, it must be noted that many coffee chats are informal get-togethers. For those lucky enough to have professional contacts in Ontario, utilizing your already existing network can be a powerful way to begin an employment search.
Newcomers can take advantage of multiple other offline avenues, like dedicated networking events, job fairs, professional conferences, etc. While some of these events might need a professional credential, many are still open to the public, with little to no entrance fee. However, a quick web search for ‘networking events near me’ or ‘networking events in Ontario’ can yield the desired results.