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Each year, the Canada InfoNet program helps hundreds of newcomers start preparing for employment before they arrive in Canada. Through one-on-one support, e-learning modules, online mentoring and webinars, each participant builds a Canadian-style resume, learns how to conduct a job search in Canada, and connects with employers with the help of our highly trained Employment Specialists.

Meet Archana and Vivek - IT Experts

Archana and Vivek are two such participants.

The couple, from Bangalore, India, both had successful careers in IT and dreamed of moving to Canada. But without family here or a professional network, the task of finding meaningful employment seemed daunting. As part of their research into immigration, they found the Canada InfoNet program.

With the guidance of a Canada InfoNet Employment Specialist, the couple were able to identify and address the gaps in their resumes, understand how recruiters would screen their applications, and how to highlight their professional accomplishments in order to stand out among the competition.

Through the program they were connected online to mentors in Canada who taught them about the culture of the Canadian workplace, how to reach out to consultants and recruiters on Linkedin, and to implement practical job search strategies specifically relevant to jobs in Software Development and IT Management. Archana and Vivek finished the program well-prepared to find positions that fully utilized their skills and education.

The couple arrived in Canada in August of 2017 and, within a few months, both had found exciting new jobs in their industry and a sense of support from their new community.

The secret to their success? “Understand the job market. Start the online mentoring at the earliest and spend as much time as possible in the mentoring sessions. Have [your] resume modified to suit the Canadian market and apply for jobs before arriving,” advised Archana.

Vivek added, “The eLearning modules helped me understand the [Canadian] resume format and understand how to approach finding a job. Mentoring gave me confidence. Thanks for the support.”

Meet Amol - A Mentoring Success Story

Preparing for employment through Canada InfoNet’s one-on-one job coaching and mentorship services can help a new immigrant find gainful employment in Canada; sometimes within a few months of arriving, which was the case for Amol, our latest Canada InfoNet success story.

Amol, a Salesforce Consultant from India, was referred to the Canada InfoNet programme by our partners, Planning For Canada. He immediately started working with a Canada InfoNet Employment Specialist focusing on:

  • Job searching techniques.
  • A Canadian-style resume suitable for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
  • Updated communication skills for the Canadian workplace.
  • Guidelines for networking on LinkedIn or in person.

Canada InfoNet  gave Amol a better understanding of the Canadian job market and the confidence to interact with potential employers.

Meet Tasneem - A Marketing Specialist

Isn’t it remarkable how time flies? I have now spent four seasons in Canada. [I wanted to] thank you for the greatest gift of all in my first year here. You listened to my story and shared your views on the industry and job market here. I feel indebted to you for sharing knowledge with me; each [step of the Canada InfoNet program] has contributed to making me the person that I am today.

The last year brought with it the challenges expected with moving to a new country. After 11 years of [short term] marketing roles in different countries, I was “between jobs” for about 5 months. But I came across the term “up-skilling”, and then made the most of it during summer. I got Google AdWords certified, completed an online diploma in digital marketing, earned an email marketing certification, learned basics of UX design, HTML & CSS, and built a portfolio. My short term contract was replaced with a permanent account management role.

Tasneem accessed the following resources through our program:

  • One on one sessions with Canada InfoNet Employment Specialist through Skype and Email.
  • Canadian job search advice and support based on individual needs.
  • Resume building tool.
  • Employer Connections – job board connecting to job postings that match candidates’ profiles.
  • Self-directed e-learning courses.

What was the lasting result of Tasneem’s participation? He says “I have started to find my feet in Canada. Thanks to you.”

Meet Dale - Who Found a Job Within 1 Month

What exercise is to the body, employment is to the mind and morals.  – Henry David Thoreau

For anyone immigrating to a new country, finding employment as soon as you arrive is a top priority. It was no different for Dale who was preparing to leave his home in the Philippines and his well-established career in Accounting. When he started researching the job market in Canada, he came across the Canada InfoNet pre-arrival employment program and signed up. With determination and focus, Dale worked his way through the following steps of the Canada InfoNet program:

E-Learning Modules

The online learning modules gave Dale vital information on how to perform an effective job search in Canada. They also gave him insight into the culture of the Canadian workplace allowing him to successfully familiarize himself with what employer’s expected of him.

Resume Building

Dale used Canada InfoNet’s  resume building tools, along with the eLearning Modules, to build a strong resume and cover letter that would get him noticed by Canadian employers.

One-on-One Counselling

With his resume and cover letter ready, Dale worked with a Canada InfoNet Employment Specialist to help plan his job search strategy. Working together through online audio sessions, Canada InfoNet helped Dale prepare for interviews, boosting his confidence to face the challenges ahead.

These preparatory steps helped Dale gain the tools he needed to be ready to enter the Canadian job market. He was organized and prepared to start making connections with employers. With Canada InfoNet’s support, Dale was able to take the last few steps to employment in Canada:

  • He contacted Canadian accounting professionals.
  • Sought feedback and refined his resume.
  • Discovered how to leverage his foreign credentials to find a job.
  • Enrolled in a Bridging program upon arriving to New Brunswick. This crucial step reassured any potential employers that Dale would acquire the relevant professional designations needed to work in Canada.

And all his hard work paid off! Dale was able to secure a good job offer within a month of arriving in Canada. Dale offers the following advice to professionals immigrating to Canada:

Never rush your landing. Make sure to take advantage of pre-arrival services. Improve your credentials as much as you can. There are online Canadian work opportunities and diploma courses available, so make sure to utilize those.

I highly recommend the Canada InfoNet program because it focuses on strategies to find work specifically in Canada. I am grateful that I participated in the program. Canada InfoNet helped me boost my confidence and helped me prepare for my new job.

Congratulations Dale and best wishes.

Meet Parisa - Who Found a Job Before Arrival

Parisa was an established Telecommunications Engineer in her home country of Iran. Like many immigrating to a new country, Parisa was nervous and plagued with questions. How will I settle in a new country? I don’t know anyone, will I make friends? I have a good job now, will I be able to find something equally good? She took to the internet to look for answers. She started conducting research on her specific job sector almost five months before her arrival date. This is when she came across JVS Toronto and discovered Canada InfoNet pre-arrival employment services.

Canada InfoNet  is a specialized program designed to connect you to your career in Canada. It offers clients, like Parisa, insight into specific industries, job search support, help with resume and cover letter, gain understanding of Canadian workplace culture, all through personalized one to one support. Parisa also gained access to valuable advice through her online Canadian mentor who worked specifically in her field.

Before Parisa enrolled with Canada InfoNet , she was applying to all the jobs she came across on the internet but never got a response from any of the employers. Canada InfoNet’s eLearning modules gave her specific information about the Canadian job market. Her Employment Specialist highlighted the importance of networking and targeted resume and cover letter. Parisa now decided to change her job search strategy. She:

  • Conducted targeted research on companies in the field and made a list of all telecom carriers and subcontractors.
  • Followed these employers on social media and signed up for job notifications from them.
  • Carefully scrutinized the job postings she received as notifications to understand the job requirements.
  • Implemented the methodologies talked about in the Canada InfoNet eLearning module to address these requirements in the resume and cover letter.
  • Talked to her Employment Specialist and online mentor over Skype and Email. Modified her targeted resume and cover letter based on suggestions from them.
  • Used social media platforms like LinkedIn to build her industry specific network.

Parisa’s hard work and determination paid off. She received a job offer from a leading telecommunication company in Canada after a few rounds of online interviews. She has successfully overcome her main challenge of finding a job which matched her skillset in her new country! Starting a new life in a new country has its challenges, but she knew this job would make her transition much more easier.

Parisa has advice for other immigrating professionals, “Canada InfoNet  is a great start before you arrive in Canada. The program will help you speed up the process of finding a new job. Search, Search, Search! Before you arrive, you should know which companies you should target based on your expertise. Don’t give up – if you fail, push harder and you will be successful.”

Meet Mark - Who Secured a Job 3 Days Before Arrival

JVS Toronto’s Canada InfoNet program is designed to guide internationally trained professionals through the challenging aspects of the Canadian job market. Many Canada InfoNet  participants find jobs in their field shortly after they arrive, and sometimes even before they have left their home country!

Mark is a Test Automation Engineer from Philippines who was able to secure a job offer in a similar position, 3 days before he arrived in Canada!

He believes a strong resume helped him find employment faster. He was able to build this resume with the help of personalized employment counseling, online learning modules and tools offered by the Canada InfoNet program.

We asked Mark to tell us how Canada InfoNet  helped and to share some tips. This is what he had to say:

How has pre-arrival program helped ease your transition into Canada?
Canada InfoNet pre-arrival program has helped me gain better understanding of the Canadian job market.

What aspects of the program did you find particularly helpful?
Resume building is one of the best aspects of the program. Without it, I would not have been able to get a job because my earlier resume wasn’t tailored to the Canadian job market.  

What did you think would be your biggest challenges before arriving in Canada?
Finding a job, a place to live in and other settlement things to do during the first few weeks of arriving were certainly things I worried about.  

What do you feel about the challenges post arrival?
Good research and preparing well for these challenges helped us settle much faster.  

What are the various strategies you used that helped you find your job?
I did 3 main things which helped me find employment:

  • Tailored my resume to suit the Canadian job market with help from Canada InfoNet program.
  • Targeted jobs that match my skill set.
  • Persistent in my job search.  

Any pre-arrival job search tips that you would like to share with other Canada InfoNet  participants who are looking to immigrate to Canada soon?
Prepare early,  tailor your resume to the Canadian job market and specific to the industry as well. Apply to jobs even if only one or two of your major skills match. 

Would you recommend Canada InfoNet program to others, why?
Definitely! I feel that 70% of my success in landing a job before landing in Canada is because of the Canada InfoNet program. The remaining 30% is on individuals to research companies, look for jobs and prepare and perform well in interviews.