How do I get a job in Canada?

Many British movers find a job first and get a work permit to match. Others arrive on an open work permit or as permanent residents and look once they land. Either way, the job hunt works differently from the UK.

Where to look

• Job Bank (jobbank.gc.ca): the federal government’s free job site. It flags jobs open to foreign workers, and employers applying for an LMIA usually have to advertise there
• LinkedIn: widely used for professional jobs, and the main way recruiters find people
• Indeed and specialist boards for IT, engineering, finance and health
• Government jobs: each province, the federal public service and cities have their own sites
• Employers’ careers pages, especially hospitals, health authorities, universities, school boards and large companies
• Recruitment agencies, especially in IT, finance, engineering and construction

Many ads say you must be “legally entitled to work in Canada”. That means they won’t sponsor you. Look for employers who already hire from abroad, such as health authorities and large engineering and tech firms.

How employer sponsorship works

Unless you have an open work permit (for example through International Experience Canada or as the spouse of a skilled worker), you usually need a job offer and an employer-specific work permit. For most jobs, the employer first needs an LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC):

1. The employer advertises the job in Canada, including on Job Bank, to show no Canadian or permanent resident was available
2. They apply for an LMIA and pay a C$1,000 processing fee per position. They can’t charge you for it
3. ESDC checks the wage meets the prevailing rate for the job and region, and that hiring you won’t harm the Canadian labour market
4. With a positive LMIA and a job offer, you apply to IRCC for a work permit
5. Some jobs are exempt from the LMIA, such as intra-company transfers and some roles under trade agreements

Jobs paid below the provincial median wage count as “low-wage”, with extra rules, and since September 2024 ESDC has refused to process most low-wage LMIAs in cities with unemployment of 6% or more. Check the current list before you rely on one. See Which Canadian visa or permit do I need? Check current LMIA rules on canada.ca

A job offer and Express Entry

Since spring 2025, a job offer no longer adds points to your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score in Express Entry, the main federal route to permanent residence. Canadian work experience still scores well, and many Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) still value a job offer. So a job can still lead to PR, just not as directly as before. See How do we get permanent residence?

Your résumé

• Canadians say “résumé” (or resume). Keep it to 2 pages, or 1 for junior roles
• Start with a short profile, then your experience, most recent first, with results and numbers rather than duties
• Leave out your photo, date of birth, marital status and nationality. Canadian employers avoid this information to prevent discrimination
• Use Canadian spelling and terms where it helps: “résumé”, “co-op” (a work placement), “GPA”. Explain UK qualifications in plain terms, for example “equivalent to a Canadian bachelor’s degree”
• Say clearly what work permit you hold or need
• Add a tailored cover letter. References are usually given on request, but have 2 or 3 recent managers ready

What jobs pay

Salaries are quoted as a yearly figure before tax, or by the hour for many trades and frontline jobs, and you are usually paid every two weeks. Pay varies a lot by province and city. To check a job’s pay:

Then work out take-home pay after federal and provincial tax, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) with the UK pay vs Canadian pay calculator, and read Is my Canadian job offer a good one?

Networking matters

Many jobs are filled through contacts. Ask for “informational interviews” (short, informal chats with people in your field), join your professional association, and go to industry events. Settlement agencies funded by IRCC offer free job search help to permanent residents.