6 Things I Learnt While Job Hunting In Canada Since Moving From The UK & It's So Different

It can be hard to get a job before you arrive

As amazing as it would be to have a job lined up ready for when you arrive, in reality, it's a little bit trickier than that.

When I moved in 2021, part of the requirements was having a valid job offer but even though the rules aren't as strict now, it's always good to know where your first paycheck will be coming from.

Realistically, hospitality is your best bet here so look up resorts or places that are likely to have a high turnover of staff first. There are also tons of different Facebook groups available for people travelling to Canada internationally for work and people will quite often post if they're hiring too.

They may not be your dream job, but having some money in your pocket is better than nothing.

Salaries are rarely listed

One of the biggest things I noticed when I first started job hunting in Canada was the number of job postings that don't indicate the salary.

While it's definitely a thing in the U.K. too, almost every job post I came across when I moved had no salary listed which definitely caused a bit of stress when I was getting used to a new currency.

I found it helpful to look online for advice on the average salary for a job in my field so I at least had some idea of a realistic income ahead of getting the dreaded interview question of how much I'd like to be paid.

The lack of vacation days will make you want to weep

In the U.K., the average paid time off is around 20 days with additional bank holidays so I was pretty shocked when I arrived in Canada, where paid time off can be as little as 10 days a year.

There are slightly more stat and provincial holidays, two weeks of vacation time really doesn't stretch that far so you'll need to be much more organized in how you plan trips.

Make sure your resume is right

You'll also need to be extra careful with your resume and cover letter to make sure the language is right. The smallest error could see your resume dismissed straight away.

Despite being English-speaking countries, there are many differences in Canadian and British words and spelling so I was extra careful to check that everything was correct.

Make sure you've changed your keyboard settings to Canadian English and double-check everything. If you know any helpful Canadians, they might be able to look through to see if there's any glaring mistakes.

Brush up on Canadian terms

On that note, make sure you brush up on Canadian terms, especially when it comes to an interview. Look through the company website and try to double-check any acronyms or words you're unsure of.

I did manage to get through a whole interview not knowing what "RCMP" stood for but I wouldn't recommend it. You'll spend the whole interview worried that you're going to get caught out. It's way better to over-prepare than under.

Check out what benefits are offered

In Canada, I've found more full-time positions that offer benefits such as health and dental. Benefits are definitely less common in the U.K. overall.

As a newcomer, it really took me a while to grasp how benefits work and I definitely didn't make the most of them at first but now I've come to appreciate how important they are.

A lot of job postings will give an outline of what benefits they offer so try to familiarize yourself with the system and look out for them when you're applying to jobs.