Many people around the world are trying to find the answer to the question: “How do I find a sponsored job in Canada?”.
Finding a Canadian employer to sponsor you can be the most difficult part in immigration to Canada. Most people search for a sponsor by applying to adverts on job search websites or in newspapers, but did you know that only an estimated 30% of all jobs are advertised here? There are theories that around 70% of all jobs in Canada are found in the ‘hidden job market’, meaning they are not advertised through the usual media channels.
This article will give you a plan, using several steps, of how to tap into the hidden job market in Canada, and to help to make your dream of emigrating to Canada become a reality.
1. Research.
You will not often find Canadian employers advertising that they are looking for someone to sponsor from overseas. The main reason being, if there is someone with the required skill set in Canada, it is easier for the Canadian employer to offer a job to someone who is already established in Canada and can start work immediately – in comparison with employing a foreign national and going through the sponsorship process, the cost involved and the time delay for the sponsored individual to commence employment in Canada.
The vast majority of
Hineni Media efforts are spent researching and updating jobs so that our subscribers find the best Canadian employers and places to work.
and that way can have access to virtually every job op
ening out there. All openings are kept current. Content is King. We are a
research-driven organization whose primary aim is to locate as many job opportunities as possible for our members. We organize the products of our research and eliminate a good portion of the cumbersome process of finding a job. Not only do we locate jobs not listed anywhere else but we do so on such a massive scale that it would be impossible for any individual to even come close to duplicating our research efforts. We work hard for you and provide our members with the advantage of having a personal army of researchers tirelessly locating new and exciting
job opportunities. We offer an exclusive,
members-only subscription to weed out stray job searchers.
You are also unlikely to find a Canadian employer to sponsor you through the use of a recruitment agency,unless that recruitment agency specifically mentions in their job advertisement that the Canadian employer is willing to sponsor the right candidate. Through our listings you can search out companies in Canada whom you would like to work for. In general, larger companies in Canada are more likely to sponsor people from overseas than the smaller companies (due to budgets and business scope), however you should not strike out the smaller companies, as some are still willing to sponsor the right person. Hineni Media provides a list of Canadian employers willing to get you a work permit for certain fields . We publish helpful material on Minority, career development and placement.
If you don’t want to save time, and get convenience, through
a Canadian Employers for international professionals database, you can also research the Yahoo Companies Directory to find companies in Canadian to approach for sponsorship on your own. Contact these companies that interest you, sending them your resume / CV and enquire as to whether they have any opportunities available. Many of the larger companies tend to have a “Careers” section on their website, where they enable job seekers to search for their current vacancies, and also to submit their resume and cover letter into their database. This way, if they do not have a current vacancy that is suitable to your experience, they can call upon their database when a position does become available, and contact you.
2. Global Companies
Search out global companies who are based in both your home country and in Canada, and find out whether they offer transfer opportunities – quite often global companies do. Even though it might mean working in your home country for a period of time before an opportunity arises in Canada, it is worth it in the long run, if it means you can immigrate to Canada through that company. Global organisations also tend to look impressive on your CV / resume.
3. Keep a Record
Keep a list of the companies that interest you, and contact them all. I recommend phoning to speak to the manager of the department you would like to work in. If that fails, speak with the Human Resources department. Find out whether they are a company who are willing to sponsor someone from another country with the right skillset. Find out how often they destroy applications /resumes / CVs as well – most companies in Canada hang on to applications for 3-6 months, so to be safe, you should follow up your applications every three months. Keep a record of all of the dates you apply for jobs and speak with the company, for ease of keeping on top of your Canada job applications.
4. Plan a Trip to Canada
Once you have quite a healthy list of companies you would like to work for (no list is too long), and have applied and spoken to all of them, you should plan a trip to Canada where you can meet with each of the employers. If you are unable to set an appointment with every employer, make a plan to visit the company anyway, dropping off your updated resume, and try to get in front of either the department manager, or a Human Resources Manager.
Through making this vital connection with the Canadian employers, you reach them on a personal level, and if they like you, they are more inclined to consider sponsorship than if they had not met you at all. We can help you with
Travel and Tours to Canada
5. Volunteer Work Experience
If you are able to, when you visit Canada, try to line up some volunteering work with some organisations in Canada. Companies that are most likely to accept volunteers are charitable and non-profit organisations. Approach them and set it up before arriving in Canada so you can build it into your plan for your trip to Canada. Also ensure that you are volunteering in the area of your profession. It will be to your advantage if you have experience working in Canada when you are looking for a sponsor, even if it is volunteer employment.
Volunteer placement info here.
6. Build your Networks
Use social media, join industry groups, make friends in all the right places and put yourself out there. Use your networks and use other people’s networks – especially if you already know people in Canada. The more you put yourself out there, the more success you will have in finding a Canadian employer who is willing to sponsor you. If you think of it this way: most people have at least 100 people in their networks. Therefore if each of those 100 people also have 100 people in their networks, you potentially have access to a network of 1000 people! The more people you are connected to, the more likely you are to find someone who has connections in Canada.
Make everyone that you know, aware of your search for sponsored employment in Canada, and ask them to reach out to anyone that they know, who may be able to help. You should also try and be wise when building your networks and be selective with you you are connecting with. It would be wise, for example, to strive to make as many connections with Canadian as possible, especially if they are working in the profession of your choice.
7. Study in Canada
Are there any courses or further education in Canada in your industry you can enroll in? If you can get a student visa and go to Canada to study, you are normally entitled to a certain amount of hours per week that you can work. This is an awesome opportunity for you to network, get your foot in the door and gain valuable Canadian experience and qualifications. Quite often, foreign nationals who study in Canada, are able to stay on in Canada afterward, by transferring their visa status and/or through finding sponsored employment in Canada. There is certainly an advantage for applying for jobs when you are already in Canada, as you are immediately available for job interviews. Again – it is making that personal connection with Canadian employers. Our affiliated English School can help you with that .
Contact us for details.
8. Successful Self-Marketing
Prepare your marketing materials for success. Buy research to ensure that you will be competitive in the Canadian job market – that means ensuring your resume / CV is in a successful Canadian format, and ensuring you have a high-impact cover letter that will entice the Canada employer to review your resume / CV.
If you are serious about increasing your chances of finding an employer sponsor in Canada, you should consider having your resume professionally rewritten specifically for the Canadian job market. Contracting us for Canadian professional to rewrite your resume to a successful Canada CV template, means that you will be in the hands of a specialist who works on a daily basis with foreign nationals, assisting them to find employment in Canada.
In Summary
Remember: an estimated 70% of jobs in Canada are not advertised, and are found in the Canadian ‘hidden job market’. It is essential to your success that you access this enormous resource of job opportunities in Canada.
By following the steps above, and consistently working towards your goal on a long-term basis through thorough research, keeping track of your applications, utilising the hidden job market, building your networks, ensuring your marketing materials are of high quality and competitive in the Canadian job market, planning a trip to Canada, considering volunteer work in Canada and/or furthering your studies in Canada; you are guaranteed to increase your likelihood of finding a sponsored job in Canada.
Marisol Diaz – Settlement & Integration Resources Publisher
Cross Cultural Consultancy Services
Get a job in Canada!
Foreign Worker Employee’s Handbook