How is your pre-arrival work experience viewed by Canadian employers?

Credit to Author: Wanda Kusumajuda| Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:47:44 +0000

A common misconception among newcomers to Canada is that their previous work experience overseas is not valued by Canadian employers, and they must start from scratch when they immigrate. As someone who has helped skilled immigrants find work in their pre-arrival field in Canada for over 10 years and has spoken to many employers, I can confidently say that this is not true. In this article, I aim to correct this misconception.

Work experience is a crucial real-world experience that provides a person with a deeper understanding of the work environment and the opportunity to develop work-related competencies and skills. This applies to any work experience obtained anywhere around the world.

Canadian employers understand this concept. That said, for overseas work experience to be thoroughly recognized by Canadian employers during the job search process, and especially during an interview, the applicant needs to demonstrate that they understand the job’s key similarities and differences from their past overseas experience to that of their future job in Canada. Key differences can include knowing that there could be a need for licensing within the province or territory, possibly different types of legal regulations that apply, the use of different materials or software, the work process, etc.

Please do not mistake what I am describing as ‘soft skills’, this is not that. Soft skills include transferable skills such as communications and problem-solving abilities. What I am referring to is actual work-specific experience and duties (hard skills). Just because work experience is obtained in another country, perhaps using a different language other than English, does not make it unrecognized or unappreciated.

Here are a few tips on how to help Canadian employers recognize your overseas experience:

1. Conduct thorough research

Before applying for jobs, make sure you know exactly how your job and industry operates in Canada. How is it different from the country you worked in? What are the similarities? What are the differences? Review local job posting descriptions for research. Do you understand all the terminology or work processes that they are referring to in the description? Did certain work processes have different names or terminology when you worked overseas? Aside from this, ensure you take note of any licensing, certifications, regulations, materials, software, or skill differences.

2. Compile and analyze your research

From your research, you may discover your job requires re-licensing or certification before you can work in your field in Canada. If this is the case, then you will have to complete that before you can work in that position in Canada. What many of my clients have done in the meantime, is they have applied for similar positions within the field that did not require any licensing and certifications.

If, from your research, you discover that there are no differences or just some minor differences that only require minor upgrading that you can complete immediately, such as software training or short courses on Canadian practice, then you can start preparing to apply for jobs in your field.

3. Practice explaining your relevant overseas experience

Knowing the differences and similarities of the job between the countries isn’t enough. You now must know how to explain it succinctly to a Canadian employer during an interview. You also need to make sure you are only talking about experience and skills that you obtained from your overseas experience that is relevant to the environment you would be working in Canada. For example, if you were a civil engineer overseas with Oil & Gas industry experience, but you are applying for a position in British Columbia looking at working on different types of projects, you will want to omit to talk about that oil & gas industry experience during the interview because it is not relevant to the current job you are applying for.

It’s very important for newcomers to know that Canadian employers value their overseas work experience. Remember, your international experience is an asset that can propel your career forward. Best of luck on your journey to professional success in Canada!

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