If you are looking forward to attaining a human resources job in Canada as a newcomer, you must first understand the job market scenario. With the rising need for the country to welcome more skilled and talented workers, HR professionals will certainly be in high demand in Canada.

Attaining a Human Resources job in Canada as a newcomer through Express Entry

The Express Entry pathway is a prominent pathway for the Permanent Residence program that enables skilled individuals to work and reside in Canada. These people essentially fulfill the language criteria, education qualifications, and experience requirements. One must first create a profile if one needs to apply via this pathway. Next, they must provide all the essential details related to educational credentials. These include language test results, age, work experience, etc.

Your profile will receive a score under the Comprehensive Ranking System, depending on your responses. In addition, if your CRS score matches the score cut-off, you will obtain an invitation for permanent residence.

As an HR professional, one may qualify under this pathway through two programs:

  • Federal Skilled Worker Program – This program targets individuals with a minimum work experience of one year in a managerial, technical, or professional job. The skill type will be under the TEER 0,1, 2, and 3 in the previous three years. A majority of the HR jobs fall under the category (NOC) TEER 0, 1, or 2. Also, to qualify under this program, an HR professional must hold a higher education degree. They must attain a score of 7 under the Canadian Language Benchmark in an approved French or English language exam.
  • Canadian Experience Class – The Canadian Experience Class program’s objective is to target individuals with Canadian work experience in NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. Additionally, as an HR professional, you will qualify for the CEC program if you have work experience for a minimum of one year on a valid work permit. The position at their workplace must be paid. Moreover, a CLB score level of 7 will be essential in all language aspects. These must be French or English language outcomes.

Provincial Nominee Programs

PNPs are crucial in Canadian immigration as these help provinces or territories to receive new immigrants with work experience, education, and skills required to fulfill labor market needs. Each province or territory in this country works through its distinct Provincial Nominee Program streams. All these PNP streams have their separate eligibility parameters. Furthermore, in specific cases, some applicants receive NOC job offer invitations to apply for Canadian PR.

Atlantic Immigration Program

This is a federal immigration program through which new immigrants can move to the four Atlantic provinces on a permanent basis. These provinces include New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Apart from fulfilling the basic requirements of education, work experience, and language skills, they must hold a full-time job offer from an Atlantic employer.

Attaining a Human Resources job in Canada as a newcomer – Work Permit requirement

A majority of foreign nationals, including non-Canadian citizens or non-permanent Resident holders, will need a work permit if they seek to work in this country. Also, you must know the types of work permits available:

  • Employer-specific work permit – An individual must hold a Canadian job offer to qualify for this type of work permit. This type of work permit enables them to work for only one employer and at a specific job location for a scheduled period. 
  • Open Work Permit – An Open Work Permit enables an individual to work for any Canadian employer. In addition, there is no prior requirement of having a job offer to apply for this type of permit. However, there are certain eligibility conditions under which one can qualify for an OWP. These include recently graduating from a qualifying study program in Canada, related to a foreign skilled workers as a spouse or common-law partner or Canada’s international student.

Those seeking a permanent move to Canada but don’t qualify for any PR programs can apply for a work permit as this would be the ideal solution. In addition, possessing a few years of Canadian work experience will prove beneficial to qualify for CEC, the Federal Skilled Worker Program, and PNP.

Exploring the high-demand HR jobs in Canada

Human resource professionals are in high demand in most Canadian provinces. For HR managers, employment prospects are great in Yukon, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Overall, HR Recruitment officers have great prospects in provinces including Nova Scotia, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Fair job opportunities are also available in other provinces like British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Labrador, and Ontario.

Besides this, HR Generalists can access a wide range of job options in Alberta, New Brunswick, and British Columbia. They can also access a fair amount of job prospects in provinces like Ontario, Manitoba, Yukon, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Labrador.

Salary range of Human Resources professionals in Canada

Typically, the Canadian government’s Job Bank states that HR managers and directors earn between $28.85 and $70.51 per hour in Canada. In addition, according to the statistics, HR managers are bound to make $87,657 each year.

HR professionals including HR Generalists, Consultants, and Supervisors will usually earn between $23.08, and $56.73 per hour in this country.

Furthermore, HR and Recruitment Officers have hourly wages between $18.00 and $48.08. On the other hand, HR professionals, including HR Generalists, Supervisors, or Consultants, may earn between $23.08 and $56.73 per hour in Canada.

The process for attaining a Human Resources job in Canada as a newcomer

It is essential to prepare properly for your job search as a newcomer in Canada and you can comply with the following steps to get success:

Analyze the overall job market

Human Resources professionals specifically target the manufacturing, healthcare, and education services industries. Overall, newcomers must look into the local job markets in detail, especially the provinces in which they seek to settle in the future. Urban cities like Vancouver and Toronto, along with the neighboring areas, have vast job openings. However, the competition level is relatively higher than in smaller cities. Try to seek jobs in smaller cities or areas with a small population because they will provide more job opportunities.

Focus on skills that are crucial for Canadian employers

You might have already acquired a set of skills in your home country, but despite their relevance in Canada, you must stay updated with the latest trends. It will be crucial to acquire new skills that will be fruitful for the new job positions you seek to pursue in Canada. The best way to understand the job requirements will be to carefully read the job postings and also speak to various HR professionals.

Several HR roles need proficiency in platforms such as the following:

  • Human Resource Information Systems
  • Ceridian or Workday
  • Application Tracking Systems
  • Talent Management Software

You may also access valuable resources like Coursera, Udemy, Edx, and LinkedIn to learn about HR-related skills.

Learn about the platforms for better job HR jobs

Search online job portals and platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, and Grabjobs. It is highly recommended to follow the companies you desire to join and the various career pages. You might as well get in touch with employment agencies that are popular for HR recruitment.
Lastly, your professional network is something you can’t do without during your job search phase. The idea is to learn about even those job openings that are not visible in job portals, as there is a hidden job market. So, focus on establishing meaningful relationships with those in your network. They will not only help you figure out more opportunities but also provide job referrals on request.

Work on language proficiency

HR jobs in Canada will have a greater demand for those with strong fluency in English, or French. The best way to brush up your language skills will be to engage with your friends and family, practicing the language. You might even take up online ESL classes for English as these are part of most Canadian provinces or territories. A local public library might also be of some help to you.

Create an excellent Canadian-style CV

You can’t have the same resume you use in your home country, as Canada has a distinctive style for resumes. Therefore, you must comply with Canadian standards while sending your resume for jobs in Canada. Keep the following points in mind while drafting your resume for Canadian jobs:

  • Create a professional summary in the beginning, targeting your strengths, skills, and accomplishments. 
  • Showcase some kind of Canadian work experience, including paid or non-paid volunteering experiences. 
  • Focus more on Canadian achievements than your previous job duties or roles. 
  • Include your transferable skills in the key skills section. 
  • Make your resume ATS-friendly (Application Tracking System) and include the relevant keywords after reading the job descriptions properly. 

In conclusion, securing a Human Resources position in Canada as a newcomer requires perseverance, adaptability, and a proactive approach to networking and skill-building. While challenges may arise, the opportunity to contribute to a diverse workforce and thriving economy is abundant. Embracing cultural diversity, continuous learning, and leveraging available resources will be key to navigating the Canadian job market successfully. With determination and a commitment to growth, newcomers can carve a path toward professional fulfillment and make meaningful contributions to organizations across the country. Welcome to the journey of integrating into Canada’s dynamic HR landscape.

Do you have any queries on Canadian immigration? Get in touch with our immigration representatives at NavaImmigration by writing to us at [email protected].