Finding a job and working in Canada

Identify the right job title for your job search
Your occupation may be called something different in Canada—job titles and descriptions aren’t universal! This is why you need to know the right job title for your search.

Canada uses the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system to classify millions of job titles in its definition of the labour market. When you completed the “work history” section of your Working Holiday application, you were asked to specify your job description, so you may have already referred to the NOC code for the best match.

It pays to use the right terminology when looking for a job and when creating your Canadian-style resume.

To find your job title, use the tools on the NOC page:

• Search by job title keyword: simply enter one or several keywords matching your job description, for instance “web developer.” The tool will return several job titles (“e-business [electronic business] Web site developer,” “Web site developer,” etc.) and one or several NOC codes (“21234 Web developers and programmers”).
• Search the NOC page: you can select different search types from the provided icons, such as Occupational and Skills Information System, NOC Hierarchy and Structure, Taxonomy and Complex search.
• Search occupational structure by skill type: for instance, if you select “Search by NOC code,” you can see all the main NOC codes in a dropdown list. Click on the one you think fits best and see if the job titles listed underneath match what you were looking for.

When you find a job title that seems to match yours, click on it to read the lead statement, example titles, main duties and employment requirements. Pay attention to the “classified elsewhere” section, if applicable—it clarifies the boundaries of the unit group by identifying related unit groups and similar occupations that are classified elsewhere.

Once you have found your job title, write down the five-digit NOC code. You may want to check the French version of your position if you’re applying for bilingual positions or if you’re looking for a job in Quebec—just click on “Français” at the top of the page.

Most employers don’t use the exact NOC terminology but these keywords can still be useful for your job search.

Alright, now that you know your NOC code, your job title and basic employment requirements, it’s time to find work opportunities in your field!

Find opportunities in your field or sector
To find labour market information, you can try the Explore an occupation tool developed by Job Bank. Use the resources available to find out about wages, skills required, etc. for a given occupation.

Enter your occupation and a city or postal code in the search boxes provided. If you don’t know where you’ll be staying yet, just pick any city and fine-tune your search later. If you know your NOC code, enter it directly.

Select the applicable job title and click on the blue search button. You’ll be directed to a “Job Market Report” page for the given occupation in the given city.

Review all the tabs of the report:

• Jobs: If available, a list of current job postings in the city, the province and in Canada.
• Wages: The average wage per hour and before tax for the occupation with low, median and high estimates. Remember this information when negotiating your salary!
• Outlook: The number of stars indicates the local employment potential (one star = limited, two stars = fair, three stars = good). A short report provides more information about employment growth and positions available.
• Education and job requirements: This section is mostly for students looking for related post-secondary education programs, but you can also find out if the occupation is regulated and if professional associations exist for this occupation. Click on the “Canada” tab to read a list of employment requirements that you could use to create your Canadian-style resume or to draft your cover letter.