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Written By
Corinna Frattini
Jan 31, 2025
•Employment Services
Dreaming of continuing your career in Canada is exciting! However, as with any job search, it takes hard work, patience, and perseverance. For newcomers looking to join Canada’s workforce, preparing to work in Canada and planning your job search approach is vital. Searching for a job in a new country is challenging, especially for newcomers who can face hurdles. The best advice is to take advantage of free, government-funded programs. Why? Because pre-arrival employment services can help you avoid the stress of navigating your job search independently. Discover why pre-arrival employment services are vital to newcomers and how they can help you gain a competitive advantage and continue your career in Canada!
Any job search takes hard work, patience, and perseverance. Searching for a job as a newcomer is even more challenging with hurdles to overcome. For newcomers looking to join Canada’s workforce, preparing to work and planning your job search approach is vital.
If you are in Canada, click here to find free newcomer services near you!
When moving to Canada, there is a great deal to know and do to set yourself up for success, from deciding what province and city to settle in, preparing for the local job market, and acclimatizing to life in Canada.
It takes time to learn about job requirements and become familiar with what you require to work in Canada. What could take months to research, can be a matter of hours when you access pre-arrival services. So, why not use services that can help you orient yourself faster? Pre-arrival employment services can help you:
Many pre-arrival services because IRCC funds them. Providing free pre- and post-arrival support is the best and fastest way to welcome, embrace, and support newcomers who choose to build a new life in Canada. With faster integration, you’ll contribute to Canada’s economy and achieve your professional goals more quickly.
While IRCC pre-arrival employment services are free, you must meet specific requirements. Be sure to check if you are eligible for the programs you are interested in. To be eligible you must:
Unfortunately, pre-arrival services are not available to temporary residents who plan to visit, study, or work in Canada on a visa or permit.
Are you moving to Canada soon or already here? Do you need to find a job? Would you like to find good resources for finding employment in Canada? If so, join us for a free webinar where you can ask an expert your questions. We’ll discuss what you can do to make yourself more marketable to potential employers.
REGISTER FOR THE WEBINARMultiple organizations in Canada provide free pre-arrival employment services to help newcomers prepare to work in Canada. You can get career guidance and direction no matter what province or city you settle in. With guidance, you’ll have the confidence you need for an effective job search. But, where do you start?
This is the best place to begin your search for employment services. With one simple registration, PreArrivalCanada.ca gives you access to a wide range of settlement and employment programs that you may be eligible for if you have been approved to immigrate to Canada. Only three simple steps:
One: Find out if you are eligible for free pre-arrival services by answering a few questions.
Two: Explore a list of nationwide settlement, employment, and industry-specific employment programs.
Three: Complete the registration form and begin receiving pre-arrival employment services from the programs that you select.
While PreArrivalCanada is your best starting place, here are other organizations and employment services to consider!
The construction industry is predicting an 80,000 shortfall in workforce numbers over the next decade due to retirements and industry growth. So, it’s fair to say Canada’s construction industry is actively hiring.
If you have construction experience, BCCA-IN can help you build your Canadian construction career faster. If you’re eligible for this free construction-focused employment services program, you’ll receive one-on-one coaching with a dedicated career coach.
BCCA-IN can help you if you’re a technical professional such as a tradesperson, engineer (in any discipline), architect, technician, technologist, project manager, estimator, or analyst. With a BCCA-IN career coach, they can:
Connect you to provincial professional associations and licensing authorities, and more!
Many professions and trades within the construction industry are regulated. When you work with a dedicated career coach, they can steer you in the right direction and help you understand how to obtain required licenses.
While you’re still in your home country, you’ll learn how to access the right tools, resources, job leads, and referrals to build your career faster. With connections to settlement services, construction associations, and employers across Canada, you’ll receive support no matter where you plan to settle.
Here’s an overview of three of the employment programs:
Canadian Employment Connections
This program provides virtual pre-arrival services to help internationally trained professionals prepare to join the Canadian job market. With a focus on in-demand jobs, you’ll discover the skills you need to land roles across six Canadian sectors including Engineering, Financial Services, Human Resources, Leadership, Sales and Marketing, and Supply Chain.
Connecting Canada Program
Thinking of settling in a smaller urban or rural community in Canada? This can be a great alternative to settling in Canada’s largest cities such as Toronto and Vancouver. While these large cities are often the ones that immigrants are most familiar with, they are expensive to live in. With the Connecting Canada Program, pre-arrival immigrants can learn about different communities to settle in and engage with local employers eager to hire immigrant talent.
Entrepreneurship Connections Pre-Arrival (ECP)
Are you an entrepreneur? Or do you want to explore how entrepreneurship can provide you with exciting opportunities?
In Canada, small businesses generate more than 100,000 jobs a year! If you aspire to pursue your entrepreneurial dream, ACCES Employment can equip you with the skills and knowledge to make your dream a reality. You’ll gain access to coaches and consultants who can share their experience and advice.
With the ECP program, you’ll receive entrepreneurship training and support, and resources to start your business. When you participate in the ECP program, you can make an informed decision about starting a business in Canada.
With Planning for Canada employment services, you’ll discover how to boost your employability. You’ll receive one-on-one support from a facilitator who can prepare you for professional success. This organization can help you update your resume to meet Canadian standards and learn new skills, including industry-specific language, or Canadian workplace etiquette.
While you can find a job in Canada with your existing foreign credentials and work experience, you may need your credentials assessed before applying for jobs. This can also make it easier for you to get a job faster when you arrive. Planning for Canada employment services provides the information, resources, and contacts to guide you through the credential recognition process with ease.
When you participate in the AEIP, you’ll benefit by getting a custom settlement plan that includes how to approach your job search in Canada. Working with employment counsellors who will determine your unique needs, you’ll learn about Canada’s labour market and effective job search strategies. You’ll discover local employers and services and learn how you can present yourself to employers with confidence.
Using free pre-arrival employment services can be a great benefit to help you easily and quickly join the workforce and continue your career in Canada. You’ll discover a positive and rewarding experience that will ensure you achieve your important goals and dreams!
Whether you are moving to Canada on your own, or with family members, there is a great deal to consider to set yourself up for success. From deciding what province and city to settle in, to preparing for the job market, to getting familiar with a new city. It can take some time before you are comfortable with your new environment. So why not take advantage of services that can help you orient yourself faster? That’s where pre-arrival services can help you. Here are some examples of pre-arrival employment services and the benefits you’ll gain!
Find a mentor to help you navigate the Canadian job market. A mentor will share their job-search experiences, point out common mistakes, and help you to avoid making the same mistakes. This can save you valuable time, build your confidence, and prepare for interviews to secure your first job in Canada. When you take advantage of pre-arrival employment services, you’ll get help to find the a mentor who shares your professional background in Canada.
ob search assistance (write your Canadian-style resume, research the job market,
Prepare to get your credentials recognized
Networking and building relationships with people in your line of work can help you to find a job faster. Networking can help you discover jobs in Canada’s “hidden job market”. These are jobs that are not broadly advertised, resulting in fewer people competing for the job. However, you have to access the professional network. Pre-arrival employment services can help you to build the right relationships even before you arrive in Canada. When you build connections, it will help you to find a job faster. The sooner you can continue your career in Canada, the faster you will gain financial stability.
WRITTEN BY
Corinna Frattini
Senior Editor, Prepare for Canada
Corinna Frattini is the Senior Editor and Content Director for Prepare for Canada. She contributes articles to help newcomers achieve their goals in key areas related to living, working, and settling in Canada. With an extensive background in human resources and leadership development, her articles focus on what Canadian employers seek and how newcomers can continue their careers in Canada.
© Prepare for Canada 2025
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