Newcomer Support

As a newcomer to Canada, you may have to do some research about childcare services and the type of education available for your children or for yourself, and how you can find employment in Canada. The good news is that there is support available to you in many ways, and Newcomer Support Canada is here to help you make informed choices and be mindful of scams.

Education:

Education is an important aspect of life, which requires making decisions that shape the future. Children under the age of 16 are required to be registered for school. Schools in Canada are open from Monday to Friday (except for Statutory holidays), and the standard school year runs from late August / early September and ends in June with holiday breaks for Winter, Spring, and Summer.

Apart from home schooling or at-home education, you can find government-approved childcare programs with proper nutrition for children between ages 0-12 years at various licensed daycares, dayhomes, and family childcare centers across Canada. They typically operate year-round with regular hours of operation based on Monday – Friday (6am – 6pm) schedule, and offer before-and-after-school care as well.

Canada has many options for Primary and Secondary Education as each province and territory runs their own education system and establishes the curricula for their schools. It usually starts with kindergarten at age 4 or 5 and goes up to High School – Grades 9 to 12 (except in Quebec, where it starts at grade 7 and ends in grade 11). Depending on which province or territory you reside in, it is mandatory for children to attend school until the age of 15 to 18 years. Although you can find English and French public schools from Grade 1-12 that are funded by taxes, there are also private schools and separate religious schools that charge tuition fees and offer specialized curriculum for Pre-School – Grade 12.

* Contact your local school or provincial ministry of education to learn about how you can register your child in school.

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Post-Secondary / Continuing Education in Canada is offered by colleges, universities and private institutes that may or may not be accredited and recognized by the provincial or territorial government. While most universities offer undergraduate (Bachelor’s) and graduate (Master’s and Ph.D.) programs as well as professional and continuing education programs, there are also some accredited colleges that offer ‘University-Transfer programs.’ Additionally, private colleges and institutes offer certificate and diploma programs in various fields. Since all post-secondary institutions charge tuition fees and may / may not have funding associated to their programs, it is important for you to beware of scams.

* To find out about programs and admission requirements, you will need to search the respective post-secondary institution’s website or contact them directly and complete the application process.

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Note: It If English or French is not your first language, you may need to take an official language test to demonstrate your proficiency. Similarly, if your education has been completed outside of Canada, you may be asked to get your educational credentials recognized.

(You can check out our International Credentials Evaluationsection for more information).

Employment:

As a newcomer, you may have barriers related to education and experience in your home country that may / may not directly count towards employment in Canada. Since you may have different job search needs, the quickest way to gain Canadian work experience is through short-term or temporary work; and finding volunteering opportunities which can potentially lead to employment prospects because you interact and meet new people.

In most cases, the employment support available to newcomers are those offered by agencies and organizations that run a government-funded employment skills program. Unlike recruitment companies that place you in a job for some reward, these employment and career services are provided at no cost to you because it is in partnership with the Government of Canada. Typically, you would complete a series of workshops that are based on essential skills, after which you are helped with job placement.

 

Some things to consider for Employment in Canada:

  • Research about the types of jobs and organizations that accept newcomers and/or skills or work experiences that may be required. Be sure to learn about which jobs are regulated in Canada and which are not so you exactly know whether equivalencies will be required. (You can check out our ‘International Credentials Evaluation section for more information).
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  • Once you arrive in Canada, find a Service Canada office to get your Social Insurance Number (SIN), Provincial Health Card, and Driver’s License / Provincial Identification Card as these are Canadian pieces of identification besides your Permanent Resident Card or Work Permit status for Refugees.
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  • You may have relevant education from your home country, but employers in Canada place great emphasis on “Soft Skills” and transitional skills. These include your communication and research skills; your ability to work with others in teams; how reliable and dependable you are; your ability to problem-solve and resolve conflicts; how reliable and adaptable you are to changes, and more – all of which you can learn and include in your resumes and cover letters.
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  • Canada has two official languages: English and French. Although English is more widely spoken across Canada (excluding Quebec) but knowing other languages and being multilingual is also a skill, which some employers may consider it as asset.
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  • Professional Networking can also help you learn about job opportunities. The best way to build your professional network is by creating a profile on LinkedIn and making connections with people, especially those who work at organizations where you want to work. In fact, some organizations offer mentoring programs that you can benefit from. You can also attend networking events and career fairs in your city, and one place where you can find these free events is https://www.eventbrite.ca

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  • To search for jobs, most people usually find employment through job boards, corporate websites, associations, social media, or word-of-mouth. However, when applying for jobs in Canada, you often need a Resume or a Curriculum Vitae (CV) highlighting your education, work experience, and skills. It is advised that you review the format and make necessary changes accordingly so it can meet the screening requirements of the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
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  • In order to help newcomers as well as unemployed and under-employed individuals in Canada, there are FREE employment-support programs and services funded by the provincial / territorial governments in partnership with the Government of Canada that you can really benefit from. Below are common employment-related services you can find as a newcomer:
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  • Creating resumes and cover letters
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  • Preparing for job interviews
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  • Group workshops to help with your job search
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  • Understanding the Canadian workplace culture
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  • Connecting with local employers
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  • Professional certification and foreign credential recognition / accreditation process
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  • Exploring further education and training
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  • Finding employment, education, or volunteer opportunities
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  • Labour market information and referrals
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  • Employment mentoring to connect with professionals from variety of fields in Canada
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  • Specialized employment programs for women, youth between the ages 15-30, and self-employment program options (restrictions may apply).

 

To support you in your search, check out our Helpful Links page. As you are trying to navigate your employment options in Canada, try to find out every detail about these programs and avoid having any conflict of interest between the programs offered by different organizations. You can be eligible for most of these government-funded programs if you are:

  • Permanent Residents of Canada
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  • Canadian Citizen
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  • Refugee with positive Notice of Decision Letter
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NOTE: Newcomer Support Canada also offers professional career services such as Online Employment-Focused Workshops for Newcomers, Webinars for Independent Learning, Quick Resume Critiquing, Cover Letter Review, and 1-on-1 Interview Coaching for a minimal fee to help you fast-track your career and find employment in Canada. You can also check out our DIY-Guide for Writing ATS Resume and Cover Letter.

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