Canadian Resume Guide: How to Write a Resume That Gets Interviews in Canada

Targeting Canadian jobs from abroad? Or maybe you've just arrived in Canada and need to update your resume for the local market. Either way, your American, European, or international resume needs adjustments.

Canada has its own conventions, and Quebec adds another layer with bilingual expectations. This guide covers everything you need to know about the Canadian resume format.

Resume vs CV in Canada: What's the Difference?

Before you start writing, understand the terminology. In Canada:

Resume refers to a 1-2 page document used for most jobs in business, tech, healthcare, and other industries. This is what 95% of Canadian employers expect.

CV (Curriculum Vitae) is reserved for academic positions, research roles, medical positions, and some government jobs. CVs can be 3+ pages and include detailed publication lists, research projects, and academic achievements.

When a Canadian job posting asks for a "resume," they mean the short version. Don't submit your 5-page academic CV for a marketing manager position.

Canadian Resume vs US Resume: Key Differences

If you're coming from the United States, the good news is that Canadian and American resumes are quite similar. But there are notable differences:

The most noticeable difference is length. While American hiring managers often expect one-page resumes (especially for early career), Canadian employers are comfortable with two pages for experienced candidates. In fact, squeezing 10 years of experience onto one page might look incomplete to Canadian recruiters.

The Standard Canadian Resume Structure

A Canadian resume follows this structure:

1. Contact Information
2. Professional Summary (or Career Objective)
3. Work Experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Additional Sections (languages, certifications, volunteer work)

Let's break down each section.

Contact Information

Keep your contact details professional and concise:

SARAH JOHNSON
Toronto, ON | (416) 555-0123 | sarah.johnson@email.com
linkedin.com/in/sarahjohnson

Include:

• Full name
• City and province (full address not necessary)
• Canadian phone number with area code
• Professional email address
• LinkedIn profile URL

Do NOT include:

• Photo (never on a Canadian resume)
• Date of birth or age
• Marital status
• Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Nationality or citizenship status (unless relevant to work authorization)

Never include a photo, age, marital status, or Social Insurance Number on a Canadian resume. These are considered inappropriate and could introduce bias into the hiring process.

Professional Summary

Start with a 2-4 sentence summary that highlights your qualifications and value proposition.

Strong example:

Results-driven project manager with 8 years of experience leading cross-functional teams in the financial services sector. Delivered 15+ projects on time and under budget, saving organizations over $2M in operational costs. Seeking a senior PM role to drive digital transformation initiatives.

Weak example:

I am looking for an opportunity to grow my career. I am a hard worker and team player who is passionate about project management.

Tips for your summary:

• Include years of experience and industry focus
• Mention a quantified achievement
• State what you're looking for (helps with relevance)
• Keep it to 50-80 words

For new immigrants without Canadian experience, focus on transferable skills and international experience:

Supply chain professional with 6 years of experience managing logistics operations across Southeast Asia. Reduced inventory costs by 25% while maintaining 99.5% order fulfillment rates. Eager to bring international supply chain expertise to the Canadian market.

Work Experience

List your employment history in reverse chronological order. Use this format:

WORK EXPERIENCE

Senior Marketing Manager
TechCorp Inc., Vancouver, BC                    January 2021 - Present

- Led a team of 6 marketing specialists, achieving 180% of annual lead
  generation targets
- Managed $750,000 annual marketing budget across digital and traditional
  channels
- Launched company rebrand resulting in 45% increase in brand awareness
  (measured by survey)
- Implemented marketing automation platform, reducing manual work by 25
  hours per week

Marketing Coordinator
StartupXYZ, Toronto, ON                         June 2018 - December 2020

- Created and executed email campaigns with 32% open rates (industry
  average: 21%)
- Managed company social media achieving 150% follower growth year-over-year
- Coordinated with external agencies for website redesign project

Canadian formatting tips:

• Use Canadian date format: January 2021 or Jan 2021, not 01/2021
• Include city and province (Vancouver, BC not just Vancouver)
• Use Canadian spelling throughout
• Start every bullet with an action verb
• Quantify achievements whenever possible

For more on powerful verbs, see our guide to resume action verbs.

Education Section

List your education in reverse chronological order:

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration (MBA)
University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management             2018
Concentration: Finance and Strategy

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
McGill University, Montreal, QC                                2014
Dean's List (3 semesters)

For Canadian education:

• Include full degree name and any concentrations
• Honours and awards are worth mentioning
• GPA is optional (include if 3.5+ or if recently graduated)

For international credentials: If you earned your degree outside Canada, consider having it evaluated by an organization like World Education Services (WES) or International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS). You can then list it as:

Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng)
Mumbai University, India                                       2015
Evaluated by WES as equivalent to a Canadian 4-year bachelor's degree

This helps Canadian employers understand your qualifications in local terms.

Skills Section

Create a dedicated skills section that's easy to scan:

SKILLS

Technical: Microsoft Project, Jira, Asana, Salesforce, HubSpot,
          Google Analytics, Tableau, Advanced Excel
Languages: English (Native), French (Professional Working Proficiency),
          Spanish (Conversational)
Certifications: PMP (Project Management Professional), Certified
               ScrumMaster (CSM)

Tips:

• List technical skills relevant to your target role
• Include language proficiencies (especially French)
• Add relevant certifications with acronyms spelled out
• Tailor this section for each application

Canadian Spelling and Conventions

Using American spelling signals that you haven't adapted your resume for Canada. Key differences:

Tip: Set your spell checker to Canadian English (en-CA) before writing. In Microsoft Word, go to Review > Language > Set Proofing Language.

Note that Canadian English is closer to British English but has some exceptions. "Program" (for computer software) uses the American spelling, while "programme" (for an event) uses the British spelling.

Quebec Resume Considerations

If you're applying for jobs in Quebec, language requirements become critical:

French-language requirements:

• Many Quebec employers expect French-language resumes
• Provincial government jobs often require French
• Customer-facing roles almost always need French

Bilingual formatting options:

Option 1: Submit a French-language resume for Quebec jobs Option 2: Create a bilingual resume with sections in both languages Option 3: Submit an English resume with a cover letter explaining your French proficiency

Language proficiency levels:

When listing French skills, be specific:

• Native/Fluent
• Professional working proficiency (can conduct business meetings)
• Intermediate (can hold conversations, read documents)
• Basic (can understand simple written French)

Quebec employers appreciate honesty about language abilities. Overstating your French and then struggling in an interview is worse than being upfront.

Tips for Immigrants and Newcomers

If you're new to Canada, you may face the "Canadian experience" challenge, where employers prefer candidates with local work history. Here's how to address it:

On your resume:

1. Lead with transferable skills. Focus your summary on skills that apply regardless of location: project management, data analysis, team leadership, customer service.

2. Translate company names. If your previous employer is unknown in Canada, add context: "Samsung Electronics (Global Fortune 500 technology company)"

3. Use Canadian equivalents. Instead of role-specific titles that may not translate, use industry-standard titles.

4. Include Canadian activities. Even if you're newly arrived, include:

   • Canadian certifications or courses
   • Volunteer work with Canadian organizations
   • Professional association memberships (like CPA Canada, PMP)

Before/after example:

Before (unclear to Canadian employers):

Senior Manager at XYZ Corporation, responsible for overseeing operations in the APAC region.

After (Canadian context added):

Senior Operations Manager at XYZ Corporation (Fortune 500 logistics company), leading a team of 25 across 6 countries. Implemented process improvements that reduced costs by $1.5M annually.

Additional tips for newcomers:

• Get your credentials evaluated through WES, IQAS, or a relevant professional body
• Join professional associations in your field (shows commitment to the Canadian market)
• Consider bridging programs offered by colleges and universities
• Network actively through LinkedIn, industry events, and immigrant professional networks
• Use job boards like Indeed Canada, LinkedIn, and Workopolis

ATS Considerations for Canadian Jobs

Canadian companies use the same Applicant Tracking Systems as American ones: Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, iCIMS, Taleo. The same optimization principles apply:

• Use standard section headers (Experience, Education, Skills)
• Avoid tables, text boxes, and multi-column layouts
• Include keywords from the job posting naturally
• Submit as PDF or .docx (check application instructions)
• Use a clean, professional font (Arial, Calibri)

For more details on ATS optimization, see our guide on how ATS systems actually work.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using American spelling. "Organized" instead of "organised" stands out to Canadian recruiters.

2. Forcing everything onto one page. Two pages is perfectly acceptable for experienced candidates.

3. Including a photo. This is inappropriate in Canada and could hurt your application.

4. Adding personal details. Age, marital status, and nationality should not appear on your resume.

5. Ignoring French for Quebec jobs. At minimum, mention your French proficiency level.

6. Not mentioning work authorization. If you're a permanent resident or have a work permit, consider a brief mention in your cover letter.

7. Using non-Canadian contact information. Get a Canadian phone number and use a professional email address.

Final Checklist

Before sending your Canadian resume:

• Canadian spelling throughout (colour, centre, organised)
• No photo or personal details (age, marital status, SIN)
• City and province included in contact info
• Language skills listed (especially French if applicable)
• Dates in Canadian format (Month YYYY)
• 2 pages maximum for most roles
• International credentials explained or evaluated
• Keywords from job posting included naturally
• Saved as PDF with professional filename (FirstName-LastName-Resume.pdf)
• Cover letter prepared (often expected)

Key Takeaways

The Canadian resume format is closer to the American style than European CVs, but attention to local details matters. Canadian spelling, appropriate length (2 pages is fine), and bilingual considerations for Quebec roles all signal that you understand the local market.

For newcomers, focus on translating your international experience into Canadian context. Get credentials evaluated, join professional networks, and don't apologize for lacking "Canadian experience." Your international perspective is valuable.

Ready to build your Canadian-format resume? Start with ResumeFast's templates designed for ATS compatibility and professional presentation.