Let Innovation Be Your Ticket
Canada’s Start-up Visa Program is designed to attract immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada that are innovative, can create jobs for Canadians and can compete on a global scale.
To be eligible for the Start-up Visa Program, you must have a qualifying business, get a letter of support from a designated organization, meet the language requirements and bring enough money to settle.
Your business idea or venture must get the support of one or more of the designated organizations listed below to apply for the Start-up Visa Program:
- Venture capital funds
- Angel investor groups
- Business incubators
Designated organizations are business groups that are approved to invest in or support possible start-ups through the Start-up Visa Program. These organizations choose which business proposals to review and each organization has its own intake process for proposals and criteria used to assess them. If an organization decides to review your business idea, it’ll assess the potential of your proposal and whether or not it’ll succeed.
If you reach an agreement with a designated organization, it’ll give you a Letter of Support.
The Government of Canada does not give financial support to new start-up visa immigrants, so you will need to bring enough money to settle. When you apply, you’ll need to give proof that you have the money to support yourself and your dependants after you arrive in Canada. You can’t borrow this money from another person. The amount of money you need depends on how many family members will be coming with you.
The Start-up Visa Program is a pathway to permanent residency. If your business fails, it doesn’t affect your permanent resident status. The Canadian Government recognizes that not every business will succeed and this program is designed so that the risk is shared between the public and private sector.
If you believe this program may be right for you, contact one of our RCICs to get your application started.
Dress to Impress and Ace That Interview
You receive an email that you have a job interview, but you don’t know what to wear? These tips will help you go in looking professional and polished.
Stay away from Scents
Many companies have scents free policies; this is because some people have allergies or reactions to certain odours.
Dress in comfortable, professional clothing
There is a common saying “dress for the job that you want, not the job you have”. This means if you are interviewing for an office position, you should dress in business wear, while if you are applying for a labour position, then clean casual clothing may be appropriate. It is important that you look presentable and comfortable because this way you can present yourself properly and are likely to be more successful.
Get ready the night before your interview
- Try on everything that you want to wear one day before your interview. This will keep you from scrambling the day of the interview to find items that fit nicely and will ensure you have the perfect outfit ready to go.
- Polish your shoes.
- Get a haircut.
- Once you have picked out your outfit, press your clothes for a crisp, clean appearance.
Hopefully, these tips help you feel confident and prepared for your interview. Good Luck!
Kicking-Off Your Resume: Three Common Types
It’s time to kick-off your Canadian job search and you need to update your resume for success. There are several basic resume types you can use to apply for job openings; a chronological, functional or hybrid. Each type has its own benefits, so how do you decide which is best? Here we will explain each type to help you make this decision and get started on your resume writing process.
Chronological Resume
This format is based on your professional timeline and is organized by the positions you have held listed from the most recent position to the oldest. Under each position listed, you would include the duties you performed as well as any major accomplishments that occurred while you were in each position. A chronological resume is great for someone who has had a career in a single field and is looking to get a position in the same field.
Functional Resume
This format is skill-based. It is organized by skills that you gained in your previous work relevant to the position you are currently applying for. Functional is best if you recently graduated, have any major time gaps in employment, or are changing careers.
Hybrid (Combination) Resume
This format is a combination of chronological and functional. The chronological is maintained, but this format highlights skills and accomplishments just as much as it highlights professional experience.
Now, with the knowledge you have gained you are ready to choose the best resume type for the job opening and your experience, skills, and achievements!
Learn How to Write a Canadian Style Resume
You might be wondering why, after sending so many resumes, you have not received a ton of responses yet. As a new immigrant to Canada there are a number of potential differences between the way you are used to writing a resume and the Canadian expectations. Learn these Canadian resume tips to strengthen your job search and improve upon your most important marketing tool in the interview process.
- Keep it short and concise. In Canada, most people have a resume that is a maximum of two pages long. Keep it to one page if are a recent graduate or do not have a lot of experience.
- Include your contact information for the potential employer to reach you. Provide information such as a phone number, email address and mailing address. Don’t attach a photo or any personal information including gender, marital status, or religion.
- Change your resume for each job you apply for. It is important to only include skills and experience relevant to the position such as the proper name of previous companies, where the business was located, and the title of the job that you had and a brief description of the position. Also, include any volunteer work you have done. Do not include personal interest and hobbies unless they are relevant to the position
- Ensure your resume format style is consistent. You should avoid long paragraphs and small fonts, 12 point font is standard. Use an easily readable font and make sure that only one font is used throughout. Ensure your resume format style is consistent.
- Have an up-to-date online resume. LinkedIn is a professional online platform that is frequently used in Canada for networking and the job search process. Many employers’ look-up job applicants on LinkedIn as well as other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter so make sure they are up-to-date and match the professional image you would like to portray.
- Finally, it is always a good idea to have your resume proofread by another person who is fluent in the language for typos, proper grammar, and completeness.
Once you apply these tips, you can start to focus on the interview preparation process. Happy job hunting!
