Spouse/Partner Employment

Getting to Know the Job Market

Canada’s Labour Market (external link) : offers occupation specific data, job trends, job prospects and salaries.
Ontario’s Labour Market (external link) : offers 500 job profiles with a future outlook, education and training requirements and average annual income in relevant industries.
Industries in Toronto (external link) : discover the major companies and availability of jobs within Toronto for the following sectors: aerospace, design, education, events, fashion, film, financial services, food & beverage, green, life sciences, music, technology and tourism.
Canada’s Top Employers (external link) : this annual competition identifies the top 100 employers from different industries based on a range of factors that include physical workplace, work atmosphere and social, health, financial and family benefits, vacation and time off, employee communications, performance management, training and skills development; and community involvement.
GTA Top Employers (external link) : this annual competition focuses on employers within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) based on the same 8 factors noted above for the Canada wide competition of employers.
Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (external link) : top employers are selected based on innovative and progressive initiatives that create an inclusive and respectful workplace for all employees regardless of race, gender, disability, country of origin or sexual orientation.
Canada’s Top Family Friendly Employers (external link) : employers that do the most to help their employees balance work and family obligations are recognized here. A range factors include maternity and parental leave; daycare assistance; paid personal- and earned-days-off (EDO) programs; flexible work arrangements; compassionate leave and elder care assistance; adoption assistance; reproductive assistance, including fertility drugs and IVF; and even academic bursaries for employees' children.

Regulated Professions

If a profession or trade is regulated, it means that to work and use your job title, you must:

have a license or certificate
be registered with the proper regulatory body

There are regulatory bodies that oversee regulated professions and trades with respect to standards, including qualifications and credentials that all workers must meet, assessment of applicants, registration of qualified applicants and undertaking disciplinary measures as necessary.

Prior to being able to work in the profession, an application must be made to the appropriate regulatory body. Professions that are not regulated by law may have professional associations that one can join on a voluntary basis (i.e. they are not mandatory).

Professional Associations

Professional associations are organizations that provide networking and professional development opportunities to people within specific professions. The networking opportunities through such associations can lead to informational interviews and allow you to tap into the “hidden job market” (external link) . Many associations also have job boards with listings available only to members.

Lists of professional associations in Canada and Ontario:

Professional Associations (external link)

You may also research associations by profession.

Work in your profession or trade

Learn about the services available in Ontario to help you continue working in your profession or trade (external link) if you’ve been trained in another country.

Community Resources

Employment and Social Services (external link)

Assists newcomers with career planning, education, training and job-hunting. Visit the Employment Opportunities System (external link) to search and apply for jobs, or stop by one of their many employment centres (external link) .

ACCES Employment (external link)

Provides a wide range of services to job seekers including job search workshops, access to mentorship programs, bridging and sector specific programs for newcomers and information on starting a business in Canada.

Culture Link (external link)

Offers employment counselling and up-to-date labour market information on specific employment opportunities.

Times Change (external link)

Women’s employment services including job search workshops, educational counselling, access to a resource centre and job-matching and placement.

TRIEC Mentoring Partnership (external link)

Offers mentoring program for internationally trained professionals. Mentees are matched with a seasoned mentor who works in their field.

Career Edge (external link)

Offers 4 months to 1 year of paid internship programs to seasoned professionals who have been in Canada less than 3 years, in large private sector organizations as well as public sector.

Ontario Bridge Training Program (external link)

Provides access to programs for newcomers that allow them to bridge their international qualifications with access to supports required to obtain a license or a certificate to work in the profession or trade (external link) within Ontario. The programs provide access to mentorship, experience and the required education and training.

Jobscan (external link)

Allows you to upload your resume and have it compared to the job description of the vacancy you are applying for so that it can highlight for you what you are missing from the requirements noted in the vacancy.

Resources at TMU

Employee & Family Assistance Program

Job search assistance is available through TMU’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider to dependents of TMU employees. Career counsellors assist with helping to focus on a clear career direction, helping to access the mysterious ‘hidden job market’, ABC’s of networking within and outside of one’s organization, including:

best practices for e-networking
assistance with researching the organization
general guidelines
what to wear
4 parts of an interview
employer questions
applicant questions

dealing with illegal questions
follow-ups
references
negotiation
closing the deal
accepting/declining, etc.

Continuing Education Programs

As Canada’s largest and most successful continuing education school, The Chang School of Continuing Education, offers a large selection of courses, programs and professional development opportunities for newcomers and professionals from a wide range of industries and occupations.

It’s Gateway for International Professionals is especially geared towards newcomers who are internationally trained and are seeking to pursue their occupations in Canada.

Dependents of TMU employees may be eligible for a tuition waiver.