Finding work...impact to answering NO on legally entitled to work in Canada

[chilkootcee]

Hi all,

I'm just curious....when applying for jobs in Canada, especially online, one is usually asked, "Are you legally entitled to work in Canada?".

I assume that if you are not a citizen or PR or do not have a work permit (i.e. you are looking for work in Canada so that you can immigrate to Canada and establish a life there)...you would have to answer "NO".

I'm just wondering, by answering "NO" is your application automatically rejected??? Does anyone have any experience in finding work through online sites and was successful after answering no to this question?

Any HR professionals that can shed some light on this from their company perspective???

C.

 

[Lammawitch]

Hi all,

I'm just curious....when applying for jobs in Canada, especially online, one is usually asked, "Are you legally entitled to work in Canada?".

I assume that if you are not a citizen or PR or do not have a work permit (i.e. you are looking for work in Canada so that you can immigrate to Canada and establish a life there)...you would have to answer "NO".

I'm just wondering, by answering "NO" is your application automatically rejected??? Does anyone have any experience in finding work through online sites and was successful after answering no to this question?

Any HR professionals that can shed some light on this from their company perspective???

C.

It would depend on the job (& area) to some extent, but in general, and ime (filtering applications & hiring), yes, a "no" answer would get your application automatically binned.

Also be aware that many large companies (& online sites?) now use software to sort/filter applications at the preliminary stage. It may well be that a human being never gets to see your application...

 

[scylla]

Agreed. It unfortunately means you're automatically binned by most employers. But make sure you do answer truthfully. It's a bad idea to lie. If you lie and it's discovered you aren't legally entitled to work later on in the process, for large organizations you'll be flagged in their HR database as someone they should automatically refuse in the future. Then even once you're a PR, you still find it problematic to apply to these same organizations since they will have flagged you as someone who is untruthfully and should be auto rejected.

 

[Lammawitch]

+1 - forgot to add that rider

 

[dobes]

Hi all,

I'm just curious....when applying for jobs in Canada, especially online, one is usually asked, "Are you legally entitled to work in Canada?".

I assume that if you are not a citizen or PR or do not have a work permit (i.e. you are looking for work in Canada so that you can immigrate to Canada and establish a life there)...you would have to answer "NO".

I'm just wondering, by answering "NO" is your application automatically rejected??? Does anyone have any experience in finding work through online sites and was successful after answering no to this question?

Any HR professionals that can shed some light on this from their company perspective???

C.

Before I came to Canada, I contacted prospective employers in my intended geographical and employment area to let them know I was planning to come, and to ask general questions about my employment prospects when I arrived. I sent my resume and a letter, but did not specifically ask for a job, since I was not yet legally entitled to work in Canada. They were helpful and encouraging in response, and many told me to contact them when I arrived. I did, met even those who didn't have an opening, and eventually got my job through the network I started building about a year before I came to Canada.

 

[chilkootcee]

yes...I would always encourage people to be truthful.....don't worry...just wanted to know if people had any positive experience with answering "no"..

I have been encouraging my brother in law to do as you suggest as well...network with people online in similar fields (in a productive way)...

Again just wanted to see what the prospective immigrant experience was (I'm a Canadian citizen)

C.

 

[dobes]

yes...I would always encourage people to be truthful.....don't worry...just wanted to know if people had any positive experience with answering "no"..

I have been encouraging my brother in law to do as you suggest as well...network with people online in similar fields (in a productive way)...

Again just wanted to see what the prospective immigrant experience was (I'm a Canadian citizen)

C.

I am from the US, and lived for 10 years after college in Slovakia before coming to Canada almost 3 years ago. I would say that in Canada, more than in either of the other countries I lived in, resumes count for very little and networking counts for absolutely everything. You have to be able to present yourself in a way that shows you understand Canadian culture and values, or you won't get hired for any type of competitive job. During my job search, it became clear that the normal route of resume and interview wasn't going to result in a job I wanted. Most of the regular interviews I attended were pro forma - they had already decided to hire from within, and were just going through the legally required motions. But as I built my network in my industry, presenting myself and my qualifications in person and sussing out the job situation in my area, people started to know my name and think of me. I first got a part-time freelance job through those contacts, and that gave me access to many more people. Within months, two people I had networked with let me know of a job that was about to become available, but which had not yet been advertised. I contacted the firm and was hired.

Canadians are a very friendly, helpful people. But in my experience, in the job market they hire "their own". It's not that hard to become one of them - they let new people into the club all the time - but you have to make the effort before you can get anywhere real.

I suspect that if you want just any paying job - if you will work at McDonald's or Tim Horton's, for instance - or if you are in a very in-demand profession, things will be different and easier. But if you are looking for a professional job in a competitive area, your experience is likely to be like mine. Patience and effort win out, but it takes a while.

 

[Lammawitch]

I just wanted to add a HUGE +1 to what Dobes says:

I've been here many years, and 4/5 jobs I've had were obtained through my network; 3 of them were never advertised - I was referred before they got to that stage.