Canadian resume guide for newcomers
Last checked 2026-10-14
Resumes in Canada follow conventions that can differ a lot from other countries. This guide covers the common norms employers in Ontario expect, and the mistakes newcomers often make. It is general guidance, not a guarantee — norms vary by industry, so check job postings in your field and ask a free settlement or employment agency to review your resume.
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What to leave out
Canadian resumes focus on skills and experience. Do not include:
- A photo
- Date of birth or age
- Marital status, children or family details
- Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) — you give it to an employer only after you are hired
- Religion, nationality, gender, health or a passport/ID number
- Salary history (unless the posting asks)
In Ontario, the Human Rights Code limits what employers can ask about these personal characteristics during hiring, so leaving them out is the norm. (Ontario Human Rights Commission)
Length and order
- 1–2 pages is typical for most jobs. Recent graduates often use one page; academic CVs are an exception.
- Reverse-chronological: your most recent job first. Each role: job title, employer, city and country, month/year start–end.
- Common section order: contact info → summary → skills → experience → education → volunteer experience → languages / certifications.
Contact information
Name, city and province (e.g. “Mississauga, ON” — a full street address isn’t needed), Canadian phone number, a professional email address, and optionally a LinkedIn profile URL. Get a Canadian phone number early; a foreign number can make it harder for employers to call you.
Summary and skills
Open with 2–3 lines on who you are professionally and what you offer, matched to the job (e.g. “Civil engineer with 8 years of infrastructure project experience in India; EIT application in progress with PEO”). List skills that match the posting’s wording — technical tools, certifications, and languages.
Describing foreign experience in Canadian terms
- Explain the employer. A Canadian recruiter may not know a company outside Canada. Add one short line: industry, size, what it does (e.g. “one of Nigeria’s largest telecom providers, ~5,000 employees”), only if accurate.
- Use equivalent job titles where your local title would be unclear, and keep it honest (you can write “Senior Accountant (title: Chief Clerk)”).
- Show results with real numbers — budgets managed, team sizes, customers served — and convert currency to CAD if you mention money.
- Use action verbs (led, built, reduced, trained) and bullet points, not paragraphs.
Credentials: get them evaluated
An educational credential assessment tells employers what your foreign degree or diploma is equal to in Canada. Common designated organizations include World Education Services (WES) and the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS). On your resume you can write, for example: “Bachelor of Commerce, University of Lagos (assessed by WES as equivalent to a Canadian bachelor’s degree)”. (IRCC: Educational credential assessment)
IRCC notes that an assessment can help in a job search but does not guarantee a job in your field or a licence. If you work in a regulated profession (e.g. engineering, nursing, teaching, accounting designations, skilled trades), you need a licence or certificate from the Ontario regulator — check with the regulator early. Employment Ontario can point you to services. (Employment Ontario)
Canadian and volunteer experience
Volunteering, internships, bridging programs and contract work can help you build local references and show how you work in a Canadian workplace. List them in a “Volunteer experience” section with the same detail as paid work.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission says a strict requirement for “Canadian experience” is prima facie discrimination under the Code, except in rare circumstances. It’s still useful to highlight transferable skills and any local experience you have. (OHRC policy)
ATS-friendly formatting
Many larger employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan resumes before a person reads them.
- Use a simple one-column layout, standard headings (“Experience”, “Education”, “Skills”) and common fonts.
- Avoid tables, text boxes, images, icons and putting key info in headers/footers.
- Use words from the job posting where they truthfully describe your experience.
- Save as PDF or .docx — whatever the posting asks for. Name the file clearly (e.g. “Priya-Sharma-Resume.pdf”).
References
Write “References available on request” (or just leave references off) and prepare a separate list of 2–3 references with their permission. Canadian references (a volunteer supervisor, instructor or employment counsellor) can help.
Common mistakes newcomers make
- Including a photo, age, marital status or SIN
- Sending a 4–5 page CV for a non-academic job
- Using the same resume for every application instead of tailoring it
- Listing duties without results
- Using unfamiliar abbreviations, local job titles or grading systems without explanation
- Leaving out credential assessment details or licensing progress
- Spelling — Canadian employers often use Canadian spelling (e.g. “centre”, “labour”); be consistent
- Unprofessional email addresses, or no Canadian phone number
- Not including a cover letter when the posting asks for one
Free help in the GTA
Government-funded employment and settlement services can review your resume, run job search workshops, and connect you with mentoring and bridging programs — for free.
- Employment Ontario — find employment services near you
- ACCES Employment — employment services for newcomers in the GTA
- COSTI Immigrant Services — employment and settlement services in Toronto/York Region
- Settlement.org: Employment — Ontario job search information and local services
- Job Bank: Write a good resume and prepare for an interview — Government of Canada tips