6. Volunteer
Virtually every new arrival to Canada will experience a period of time during which they have not yet started working in their new career. In order to help minimize this time by gaining some local experience and demonstrating your commitment to your occupation, seek out opportunities by which you can volunteer to work for a Canadian company.
In addition to the experience that can be gained by volunteering, you will also gain new contacts, and learn the current state of the art in your field. This can provide dramatic advantages in seeking out work, and in strengthening those aspects of your skills that may need it to be competitive here. Of course, there is always the potential that a volunteer position could turn into the paid position that you are looking for in Canada.
Canadian employers will generally want to be provided with professional references who can attest as to the quality of your work. Although a foreign reference speaks equally well about your skills and abilities, a Canadian reference can prove to be very valuable in impressing a hiring manager. A volunteer position can also help you by making such a reference available to prospective employers.
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