Newcomer Job Seekers

Employment-related services and support are available for newcomers looking to find work. Explore Jobs at the City to learn of current opportunities to work for the City of Toronto.

City Employment Services & Programs

Province of Ontario

  • Find a job across Ontario.
  • The application process for skilled immigrants who want to settle in Canada permanently and take part in our economy.

Government of Canada

Assessment

Assessment services help people who have been educated outside of Canada. The assessment of international education is called ‘credential assessment’. A credential assessment shows how your education compares with Canadian educational standards.

Credential assessments are important for people who are applying for school programs or looking for jobs that require post-secondary education. The Ontario government funds World Education Services (WES) to provide these services.

Some professions and trades in Ontario require a specialized assessment process. More information is available via the Ontario Immigration site, including regulatory bodies and getting licensed.

While receiving Ontario Works, you may be able to receive help paying the application costs for a credential assessment. For more information talk to your caseworker or go to an Employment and Social Services location.

Translation of International Credentials

It is recommended to get the following work-related documents translated into English:

  • a resume
  • diplomas
  • degrees
  • certificates and other proof of qualifications
  • school records or transcripts
  • letters of recommendations.

There are some professions where you need to be registered or certified in order to work in Toronto or Ontario. This is especially true for professions where you must show proof of experience or aptitude, such as medicine, accounting, engineering, teaching and nursing.

Learn about getting your credentials assessed in Canada and how to work in your profession or trade.

The Province of Ontario’s Office of the Fairness Commissioner ensures the credentials of internationally trained professionals are evaluated fairly and transparently.

Many immigrants arrive in Toronto with plans to attend schools, universities or colleges. If possible, please bring your high school and post secondary transcripts (written documents) with you to Canada to help speed up the application process to Toronto’s School Boards and Ontario’s Colleges and Universities.

In Toronto, there are a variety of schools, universities and colleges that can grant diplomas or degrees and recognize foreign education credentials comparable to Canadian standards through a credential assessment service.

There are other organizations that also deal with professional accreditation:

The City of Toronto along with other corporate partners collaborates with The Mentoring Partnership and a consortium of community agencies to match occupation professionals with internationally-trained professionals living in Toronto who need help finding work in their specialized field or occupation professionals with skilled immigrants to mentor them for a period of four to six months. Mentors provide job search advice and support to help ease newcomers’ transition into the Canadian job market.

If you are interested in being mentored, please contact  to become a mentee.

Benefits of Becoming a Mentee

  • Gain a better understanding of the Canadian workplace and industry trends
  • Develop more effective job search strategies
  • Build a local professional network
  • Identify ways to leverage experience and skills

Eligibility to Become an Mentee

Mentees must:

  • Be eligible to work in Canada
  • Have lived in Canada for less than three years and have limited or no Canadian work experience in their profession OR have re-engaged with their profession through academic training or bridging within the past two years
  • Have the English skills required to perform effectively in the workplace
  • Have at least three years of international work experience in their area of expertise
  • Have achieved at least a bachelor’s degree – or equivalent post-secondary education – from outside of Canada
  • Be currently unemployed or underemployed (i.e. not working in their field of expertise)
  • Actively seeking work in their field