Resume and Cover Letter Guide for Newcomers to Canada: Format, ATS Tips, and Templates

Why Canadian Resumes Are Different

If you are a newcomer to Canada, one of the first things you will notice about the job search process is that the resume format may be very different from what you used in your home country. In many countries, resumes (sometimes called CVs) include personal details like your date of birth, marital status, religion, a photograph, and sometimes even your parents' names. In Canada, including any of this information is not only unnecessary but is considered inappropriate and can actually hurt your chances of getting an interview.

Canadian employers expect a clean, concise document that focuses entirely on your skills, experience, and qualifications. The standard Canadian resume is typically one to two pages long, uses a reverse chronological format (most recent experience first), and does not include a photo. Understanding these expectations is critical to your success in the Canadian job market. For more on finding employment in Canada, visit our work permit guide for newcomers.

The Standard Canadian Resume Format

A Canadian resume typically includes the following sections, in this order:

Contact Information

At the top of your resume, include your full name, phone number, email address, city and province (you do not need your full street address), and optionally a link to your LinkedIn profile. Do not include your date of birth, marital status, gender, nationality, or a photograph. Your email address should be professional. If your current email is something informal, create a new one using a combination of your first and last name.

Professional Summary or Objective

Below your contact information, include a brief professional summary of three to four sentences. This section should highlight your most relevant experience, key skills, and what you bring to the role you are applying for. Tailor this section for each job application. Avoid generic statements like "hard-working team player" and instead focus on specific, measurable achievements.

Work Experience

List your work experience in reverse chronological order. For each position, include your job title, the company name, the city and country, and the dates of employment. Below each position, include three to five bullet points describing your key responsibilities and achievements. Use strong action verbs to begin each bullet point, and whenever possible, include quantifiable results.

Education

List your educational credentials in reverse chronological order. Include the degree or diploma name, the institution, the city and country, and the year of completion. If you have had your credentials assessed through a Canadian credential evaluation service, mention this. Organizations like World Education Services (WES) provide credential assessments that Canadian employers recognize. For more on credential recognition, see our credential recognition guide.

Skills

Include a skills section that lists your technical skills, language abilities, software proficiencies, and any other relevant competencies. Be specific. Instead of listing "computer skills," specify the programs you know, such as Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, AutoCAD, or Python. If you speak multiple languages, list them along with your proficiency level.

Certifications and Professional Development

If you have Canadian certifications, completed training programs, or taken professional development courses, list them here. Canadian certifications and training are particularly valuable because they demonstrate that your knowledge is up to date with Canadian standards and practices.

Writing a Compelling Cover Letter

A cover letter is a one-page letter that accompanies your resume when you apply for a job. While some job postings may not explicitly require a cover letter, including one is generally recommended in Canada. A good cover letter allows you to explain why you are interested in the specific role, how your experience makes you a strong candidate, and what you can contribute to the organization.

Cover Letter Structure

A standard Canadian cover letter follows this structure:

Header: Your contact information and the date, followed by the employer's name, title, company, and address. If you do not know the hiring manager's name, try to find it on the company website or LinkedIn.

Opening paragraph: State the position you are applying for, where you found the job posting, and a brief statement about why you are interested in the role.

Body paragraphs (one to two): Highlight your most relevant experience and skills. Use specific examples from your work history that demonstrate your qualifications. Connect your experience to the requirements listed in the job posting. This is where you show the employer that you have read the job description carefully and understand what they need.

Closing paragraph: Express your enthusiasm for the opportunity, mention that you have attached your resume, and indicate your availability for an interview. Thank the reader for their time and consideration.

Action Verbs That Strengthen Your Resume

Starting your resume bullet points with strong action verbs makes your experience sound more dynamic and impressive. Here are some powerful action verbs organized by category:

Leadership: Directed, managed, supervised, coordinated, led, oversaw, established, launched, mentored, guided.

Achievement: Achieved, exceeded, improved, increased, reduced, streamlined, optimized, delivered, generated, transformed.

Communication: Presented, negotiated, authored, facilitated, collaborated, advocated, persuaded, translated, mediated, briefed.

Technical: Designed, developed, engineered, programmed, implemented, configured, analyzed, integrated, tested, maintained.

Problem-solving: Resolved, diagnosed, identified, investigated, restructured, revamped, simplified, troubleshot, innovated, addressed.

Optimizing Your Resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Many Canadian employers, particularly larger companies, use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes before a human ever reads them. An ATS scans your resume for keywords that match the job description. If your resume does not contain enough relevant keywords, it may be automatically rejected, even if you are qualified for the position.

How to Beat the ATS

To optimize your resume for ATS, follow these guidelines:

Use keywords from the job posting: Carefully read the job description and identify the key skills, qualifications, and terms used. Incorporate these exact words into your resume where they genuinely apply to your experience. For example, if the job posting asks for "project management" experience, use that exact phrase rather than a synonym like "project coordination."

Use a simple format: ATS software can struggle with complex formatting. Avoid tables, text boxes, headers and footers, graphics, and unusual fonts. Use standard section headings like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills." Save your resume as a .docx or .pdf file, as these are the most commonly accepted formats.

Do not put critical information in headers or footers: Some ATS systems cannot read content in headers or footers. Place your contact information in the main body of the document.

Spell out acronyms: If you have certifications or skills that are commonly abbreviated, include both the full name and the acronym. For example, write "Certified Public Accountant (CPA)" rather than just "CPA." The Government of Canada credential assessment page can help you understand how your credentials translate to the Canadian context.

Common Resume Mistakes Newcomers Should Avoid

Based on our experience helping newcomers with their job applications, here are the most common mistakes to avoid:

Including personal information: Do not include your photo, date of birth, marital status, religion, nationality, or Social Insurance Number on your resume. Canadian human rights legislation prohibits employers from making hiring decisions based on these factors, and including them can make your application look unprofessional.

Using a "one-size-fits-all" resume: Sending the same resume to every job is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Tailor your resume for each application by emphasizing the experience and skills most relevant to that specific position.

Listing duties instead of achievements: Instead of writing "Responsible for managing a team," write "Managed a team of 12 staff members, increasing department productivity by 25% over six months." Achievements with measurable results are far more impressive than lists of duties.

Making it too long: For most professionals, a two-page resume is the maximum. Entry-level candidates should aim for one page. Executives or academics may have longer documents, but for most newcomers, keeping it concise is best.

Ignoring Canadian experience: If you have any Canadian experience, even volunteer work or a short-term contract, highlight it prominently. Canadian employers often look for local experience, so make it easy for them to find. For volunteer opportunities, check out our volunteering guide for newcomers.

Getting Professional Help With Your Resume

Many settlement organizations across Canada offer free resume review and job search support services for newcomers. The Government of Canada employment page for newcomers lists programs and services available to help you find work. Local libraries also frequently offer resume workshops and career resources at no cost.

WelcomeAide is here to help you with every step of your job search. Our AI Newcomer Navigator can review your resume, suggest improvements, and answer your questions about working in Canada. Explore our blog for more employment guides, learn about our mission, or find out how to get involved in supporting other newcomers.