Internationally Trained IT Students and Experts: A Guide for IT Newcomers in Canada

Getting the chance to immigrate to Canada as an IT professional brings a lot of joy. Still, one thing that doesn’t occur to these professional immigrants is that they may find difficulties obtaining a job with their credentials.

Most IT professionals who come to work in Canada have years of hands-on experience and internationally-recognized certifications. However, things change when they complete their first interview, and they realize that the only hurdle between them and finding a job is Canadian work experience. The enthusiasm you once had when preparing your resume, checking out various job-search platforms, and undergoing a series of interviews dwindles.

That does not indicate the end of the road for you because you can do something to make the situation tilt to your side. This piece provides some useful steps on how to an IT job in Canada.

Step 1: Find Your Specific Field of Specialization

It is critical to understand your specific job title before you start your job search. The title you used in your previous job may have another name in Canada. It would be best to visit your potential employer’s website; check out their Human Resource and Skills Development section to know your occupation, and understand the requirements.

Qualifications for Applying for an IT Job in Canada

If you are an IT professional wishing to immigrate and work in Canada, you must meet the following requirements.
A Bachelor’s degree (BSc.) or college certification in computer science or other related fields.
A Master’s (MSc) or Doctorate (Ph.D.) in management and supervision for those applying for managerial or engineering positions.

Depending on the employer, job applicants may be required to have certifications from specific software providers, such as Microsoft and Oracle. They do that because the job vacancies require a special set of skills, knowledge, and education. Some of these positions include:

  • Systems Auditor
  • IT/Informatics/Systems Consultant
  • Computer Engineers
  • Hardware Technicians
  • Database Administrator (DBA)
  • Database Architect/Analyst
  • Computer/Security/Business/QA/Security/MIS Analyst

Step 2: Learn from the Best

Seek help, support, and mentorship from other IT professionals within your community who have years of experience in your specific field. Such experts are glad to pass on knowledge to their juniors, and their advice might come in handy when you find yourself with a challenging problem that needs solving.

Step 3: Get in Touch with IT Organizations and Professional Associations

It helps to be in fellowship with other IT professionals to help you acquire a job, grow your career, and feel a part of a family of people with the same interests and skills. Establishing contact with professional organizations alleviates the hassle of acquiring Canadian experience, certifications, and credentials.

  • Ontario residents can leverage government-sponsored programs to help them experience a seamless transition from school to employment. For instance, York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts provides a program called “Bridging Internationally-Trained IT professionals into Ontario’s Employment Markets.” Through the program, IT students can learn specific industry jargon, technical training, and cultural interactions.
  • The Accessible Community Counseling and Employment Services (ACCESS), IT Connections, offers occupation-centric communication training and mentoring programs to internationally-educated IT professionals.
  • .NET Solutions is a program meant for internationally-trained IT specialists, providing them with computer programming training to gain enough experience to help them find a job. The program is offered by Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.
  • In Ottawa, internationally-educated IT experts can take advantage of the “Navigating the Canadian IT Workplace: Career Bridge Training” program. It helps them make easy transitions to other related IT fields. In this program, learners receive job-specific communication training, job placements, referrals, and the chance to meet potential employers.

You may meet the credentials to come and work in Canada as an IT professional, but the tech companies have varied criteria when recruiting the best talents. They use unique talent-search requirements because they need to find a specific skill set. In most cases, employers will place internationally-educated IT professionals in entry-level positions to advance their careers as they gain experience. Such a strategy works for the employer and employee.