There are two types of jobs in Canada: non-regulated occupations and regulated occupations.

Visit the Working in Canada Tool to learn if your occupation is regulated or non-regulated.

Non-Regulated Occupations

About 80 per cent of Canadian workers are employed in non-regulated occupations. Non-regulated jobs do not require a licence.

Tip: The non-regulated job market is an excellent place to begin your career in Canada. If you are a foreign trained professional, you can work in a non-regulated job while you become licensed in a regulated profession, or to gain Canadian work experience.

Non-regulated jobs range from those that require years of education and training—such as computer analysts or biologists—to those that require little formal training—such as food and beverage servers or housekeepers. Non-regulated jobs range from entry level to management level.

For non-regulated occupations, employers will be interested in learning about your education and work experience. This information can be summarized in a resume.

In addition, employers may be interested in the Canadian equivalency to your educational credentials that were obtained outside of Canada. Refer to the How do I get my Skills Recognized? section for more information.

Regulated Occupations

About 20 per cent of jobs in Canada require you to have a licence before you can begin work for public safety reasons. Jobs that require a licence are called regulated occupations. Regulated occupations include nurses, doctors, engineers, teachers, accountants and electricians. You need special education and experience before you can get your licence to work in most regulated occupations.

Generally, two main types of occupations are regulated in Canada:

• Regulated professions (for example, doctors, nurses and lawyers); and
• Apprenticeable (Skilled) trades (for example, plumbers and electricians).

Note: Some organizations accept the credentials of workers from other countries. The provincial or territorial regulatory agency that regulates your occupation can tell you whether there is a special agreement with your home country.

In order to work in a regulated occupation, you usually need to have:

• taken a university or college program;
• completed practical (hands-on) experience under the supervision of licensed workers in the occupation; and
• passed examinations.

You often need Canadian work experience before you get your licence.

Within each province and territory, a regulatory body exists for each regulated occupation. A regulatory body is a non-governmental organization that regulates an occupation for the government.

The names and contact information for regulatory bodies can be found in the Working in Canada Tool. Most regulatory bodies have their own Web sites that describe their licensing requirements including information on eligibility requirements, foreign credential recognition, and registration fees.

Note: To get a licence, you may need to go back to school, work under supervision, or pass exams. You may also need to take a language test. Getting a licence after you immigrate may take a long time and can be expensive.

Regulated Professions

Credential assessment in regulated professions is usually completed by a regulatory body.

If your occupation is regulated it is important to know:

• What licence is needed.
• How long it takes to get a licence.
• How much it costs to get a licence.
• If the licensing process can start overseas.
• If there are bridging or specialized training programs available.

Discuss these questions with the regulating body that is responsible for your occupation. The names and contact information for regulatory bodies can be found in the Working in Canada Tool.

Apprenticeable Trades

In Canada, many skilled trades are learned through provincial or territorial apprenticeship programs. These are often called apprenticeable trades.

An apprenticeship is a period of supervised training leading to certification in a specific trade. Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training and in-school instruction.

Some apprenticeable trades require licences and others do not. Contact the provincial or territorial apprenticeship office to learn more about particular standards and qualifications in each province or territory.

If you want to work in a regulated apprenticeable trade, you must apply to the apprenticeship authority in the province or territory where you will settle. They will assess your credentials, training and experience to see if you meet their standards.

Useful Resources:

• The Foreign Credentials Referral Office provides information, path-finding and referral services to help foreign-trained workers succeed and put their skills to work in Canada more quickly.
• The TradesInfo.ca Web site provides comprehensive information for workers who are interested in the trades.
• The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) is responsible for the management of the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program among other things.
• The Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada provincially mandated credential assessment services from across Canada.