Newcomers and Immigrants Finding Engineering Canadian Careers

For those new Engineers who have recently arrived in Canada, finding suitable employment can definitely be challenging.

The good news is that several resources exist to support you, from government to corporate.  When it comes to helping newcomer engineers help make the transition from their foreign workforces into the Canadian workforce. Initiatives such as Transition to Employment Programs at Polycultural Immigrant & Community Services, based in Toronto, Ontario, provide workshops, coaching and mentoring and work sessions to help build the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to succeed in the Canadian workforce. The key is to work with newcomers and immigrants and their existing workforce knowledge and enhancing that knowledge by tailoring it to the Canadian work experience.

Well-qualified newcomer engineers, with previous employment experience and/or academic credentials from overseas, have difficulty getting their qualifications recognized in the Canadian workforce. A primary reason for why Employers may be more inclined to hire someone with Canadian academic credentials, or work experience, is because of their familiarity with Canadian workplace culture, the organizational framework, and standards and expectations. Ways that newcomers or immigrants can help overcome this obstacle include, becoming more fluent in the English language, better understanding the social dynamic in Canadian workplace settings, further education and skill acquisition in Canada, and analysis of their current knowledge and skill set and presenting potential employers with how they could contribute to the success of their organization (e.g., specialized resume or cover letter).

Engineers are encouraged to take advantage of local employment support agencies that cater to them. These agencies offer a wide array of services, ranging from help getting settled as a newcomer, to advanced English classes, to resume help and interview preparation.

For cases where skilled engineers continue to have issues finding meaningful employment, there are bridging programs and resources, such as the non-profit organization, Allies, that has established a National Mentoring initiative that help bridge the connection between skilled newcomers and immigrants and established Canadian organizations.

It is also important to note that many newcomers and immigrants are more likely to find suitable employment by expanding their network. By getting out there and meeting different people within the relevant sector that interests them, these individuals coming to Canada are now immersed in a network which could potentially lead to a number of employment opportunities. Networking is a means of taking initiative and self-managing the employment search. Candidates will be able to form important relationships within their industry, keeping up-to-date with the trends within the field, gain further insight on how to find meaningful employment, and ways on accelerating career growth and achieving success in the Canadian workforce.

Finding suitable employment in Canada can be difficult, however, with effective planning and efficient implementation, employment objectives can be more easily achieved.

Do you operate any other specialized job boards in Canada?

In addition to the partnerships mentioned above, we also share resources with several other targeted job boards.

www.aboriginaljobboard.ca is a national resource for first nation job seekers looking to work across Canada.

www.canadayouthworks.ca is a national job board for youth with barriers to the job market.

www.newcanadianjobss.ca is a national job board for newcomers in Canada.

www.jobboard.lgbt is a national job board specializing in the LGBTQ2S community.

www.veteranjobboards.com is an international job board specializing in Veteran Job Seekers who are looking for work.

The h2bjobboard.com is a national job board specializing in the international employees who want to work in America.

HireTruckDrivers.org is a national job board specializing north American drivers.

Disabilityjobboard.net is a national job board specializing in disabled job seekers looking to find work.

Workandtraveljobs.com is a national job board specializing in work and travelers

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