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Researching Your Occupation in Canada

The Canada Job Bank is an essential tool to research your profession or trade in Canada. It is a service provided by the government of Canada that allows you to search for jobs in your field and apply for them online. Canada Job Bank is a great tool for newcomers both before and after they arrive. Researching your profession before you arrive will help you understand job requirements so you can resume your career in Canada with greater ease. Canada Job Bank will help you do just that. It provides detailed information for each career in Canada to help you develop job search strategies.

Canada Job Bank can provide insightful information about your career in Canada based on your:


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  • Profession
  • Skillset
  • Education, and
  • Experience.

With this in mind, let’s discover how to use Canada Job Bank and kickstart your dream career in Canada!

Researching Your Profession is an Essential First Step


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Moving to a new country is a major life decision. While it can be a thrilling and exciting experience, you may also feel uncertain at times. The following questions will likely run through your head before you arrive in Canada:

  • Will I find a job in my field?
  • Will I make a good living?
  • What locations are best for my profession?

These are very important questions that you should look into before you move to Canada. The answer to these questions for your field will help make your transition into Canadian life much easier. By researching your career in Canada, you can determine how and where you can successfully continue your professional journey in Canada. 

Because the labour market in Canada varies, you need to know how your job skills align with the labour market needs. For example, locating in the Atlantic region of Canada when you have experience in the oil and gas sector wouldn’t be wise. Instead, you would want to consider Alberta where there is a strong oil and gas sector. Ideally, you want to identify the provinces and cities that have a demand for your profession, skills, and experience.

Fortunately, the Canada Job Bank can provide you with the information you need to make your important career decisions.

What is the Canada Job Bank?

The Canada Job Bank is a useful tool to conduct research related to your profession or trade in Canada and apply for jobs for which you are qualified. This portal provides vital labour market information that allows you to: 


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  • Research market trends for occupations, wages, and job prospects
  • Learn about different occupations using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code
  • Access career planning tools
  • Browse jobs in Canada 
  • Identify what skills and experience Canadian employers want.
  • Directly apply to jobs by submitting your resume
  • Get a better understanding of specific industries as well as the entire labour market in general.

Canada Job Bank is a free resource that the Canadian government manages in partnership with provinces and territories. You’ll discover that both the website and mobile app are simple to use, convenient, and provide information that you can trust. Canada Job Bank can help you find jobs in your field and plan your career by making use of its thorough research tool. As someone looking to continue their professional journey in Canada, Canada Job Bank is the perfect place to start.

Learn all about how to find a job in Canada

The trend analysis section of the Canada job bank is filled with useful information about job prospects all across Canada. You can also find a 10-year analysis for your occupation. So if you’re researching the Canadian job market, this is a helpful resource to learn about your occupation. With this information, you can:

  • Identify the job prospects for your industry (good, fair, limited, undetermined)
  • Assess how your occupation is performing throughout Canada
  • Identify growth at the provincial and community (city) level
  • Compare how much you can make in different parts of Canada
  • Find labour market news in your industry

Obtain other statistics regarding your profession as well as the general labour market in Canada.

Questions to Consider:

When researching the trends, consider these questions:

  • Is the outlook strong for my occupation?
  • What changes are happening that will impact my career decisions?
  • Are there growth areas?
  • Which provinces have the greatest job prospects?
  • What cities have the greatest job prospects?
  • Considering the trends, what skills, knowledge and experience are in high demand?

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Using Canada Job Bank Wage Information

A man is standing in front of a vertical salary scale from 20,000 to 100,000. The Canada Job Bank provides current salary ranges for many occupations in Canada.
Consider average wages against the cost of living and housing affordability in the cities you are considering.

Another useful section of the Canada Job Bank is the information you can find about wages. You can find the average wages per hour for your occupation including the following:

  • The national median wage in Canada 
  • Provincial wages per hour, ranging from low, median, and high 
  • Community/area wages (i.e. city level).

This information can help you identify what you can expect to earn in Canada. For example, some sectors such as technology generate strong incomes. It’s a high-wage sector that also attracts highly skilled immigrants. However, when considering average wages it’s also important to consider the cost of living and housing affordability versus salaries.

For example, British Columbia has a strong technology sector. And while technology wages are high, so is the cost of living and housing in Vancouver, BC. So when choosing a city to locate it’s helpful to consider the cost of living versus average wages. Or, you may want to explore job prospects in a small or medium-sized city. Because while the average wages may be lower, you’ll likely discover it’s also more affordable than a larger city such as Vancouver or Toronto. Our Rentals for Newcomers site is a practical and easy-to-navigate site to help you find housing and make an easier transition to life in Canada! And you can even determine the average cost of renting in each city. This is helpful since rental prices change often.

Questions to Consider

  • How do wages compare across Canada for my occupation? 
  • What are the job prospects?
  • What is the cost of living versus salary in the region that I want to locate?

Answering these questions can help you decide how you want to move forward. Many newcomers decide to get extra certifications or take a new course. This will help you transition better into the Canadian labour market. And if you strategically get the correct certifications, you will ultimately get paid more as well.

By understanding the trends in your profession and accounting for wages, you can make an informed decision about your next step.

Using the Job Search Tool

With more than 80,000 jobs listed on the job bank, you can browse jobs based on: 

  • Job title 
  • Job category (management, finance, health, sales and service, and more)
  • Location (province and city)
  • In-demand jobs 
  • Employment groups including newcomers to Canada.

The Canada job bank search tool is quite helpful if you are currently located in Canada and ready to work. This is because employers want to fill job vacancies as quickly as possible.

Can I Apply for Canada Job Bank Jobs Before I Arrive?

If you are still in your home country, you can apply for Canada Job Bank jobs before you arrive. The Job Bank services and tools are available to help job seekers find employment opportunities Canada-wide, regardless of citizenship or immigration status. However, some jobs will require Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, or a work permit visa. You must carefully review the job description to ensure you meet any of the immigration requirements before you apply.

In any case, the job bank search tool can give you an idea of the types of jobs available, job duties, and requirements including:   

  • Language 
  • Education (University, College, job-specific training)
  • Experience

This information can help you assess if you have the skills that employers require.

A checkbox listing required skills for a job including training, experience, knowledge, learning, and competence.
Carefully review the job description to ensure you meet the requirements before you apply.

You can also browse online job boards and read the job postings for your profession. Make a note of the types of skills and experiences that Canadian employers seek. Assess whether or not you possess similar skills and experience. If you have any skills gaps, make a plan to close or narrow the gap if possible.

Questions to Consider When Using the Job Bank Search Tool

  • Do I have the skills and experience that Canadian employers are seeking?
  • What skill gaps do I have? How can I close the gaps? (i.e.; more training, licensing, etc)

Researching the Canadian job market is an essential first step to ensuring that there is a strong job market for your profession, skillset, education, and experience. A good place to start is with the Canada job bank to help you research your profession in and apply for jobs where you meet the requirements.

For more information, tools, webinars, and more visit our finding a job in Canada resource page. Get the help you need to achieve your career goals in Canada!