Finding steady work after arriving in Canada as a Government-Assisted Refugee takes time, but you do not have to figure it out on your own. The Resettlement Assistance Program connects you with service providers who offer structured employment support from your first weeks in the country. Understanding what is available, and when, gives you a clear roadmap as you work toward financial independence.
Quick Takeaways
- GAR employment support begins through your RAP service provider within your first year of arrival.
- Employment Ontario offices offer free resume help, job coaching, and skills training referrals.
- RAP income support covers up to 12 months; planning around that timeline helps you set realistic goals.
- PSR refugees access similar employment programs but through different support channels.
- The RefugeeEmployment.ca job seekers page lists openings from employers actively looking to hire refugees in Canada.
Understanding GAR Status and What It Means for Your Job Search
Who Is a Government-Assisted Refugee?
Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) are people resettled directly to Canada through a partnership between the Canadian government and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The government funds your travel to Canada and provides initial settlement support through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP). If you arrived through this pathway, you are a GAR, and a specific set of employment supports is available to you from the moment you land.
Your RAP Service Provider: Your First Point of Contact
When you arrive in Canada as a GAR, you are assigned to a RAP service provider in your city or community. These are non-profit organizations funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to deliver immediate and essential services to newly arrived GARs. Your service provider meets you at the airport, helps you find housing, and connects you with settlement programs including employment support.
Your RAP service provider is the most important contact in your first months in Canada. Build a relationship with your caseworker and ask questions early about what employment programs are running in your area.
What Employment Support Does RAP Provide?
Job-Search Workshops Through Your Service Provider
RAP-funded job-search workshops cover the practical skills you need to begin looking for work in Canada. Topics typically include:
- Writing a Canadian-style resume and cover letter
- Searching for jobs using Canadian job boards and employment resources
- Preparing for a Canadian job interview
- Understanding workplace rights and norms in Canada
These workshops are designed for newcomers, so they directly address common barriers like credential recognition gaps, unfamiliarity with Canadian employer expectations, and limited local references. Attend as many sessions as you can during your first months. The skills you build will carry through your entire job search.
Language Training and Employment Readiness
Many RAP service providers also connect GARs to Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs. Strong English or French communication skills make a real difference when you apply for jobs and during your interview. Ask your service provider whether integrated programs are available in your community, which combine language training with employment readiness in a single schedule. Some cities run these programs in the morning so you can attend both in the same day.
Pre-Employment Programs and Employer Connections
Beyond standard workshops, some RAP service providers run pre-employment programs that go further. These may include mock interview sessions, employer panels where you can meet hiring managers directly, and job placement support that helps you land your first Canadian position. Ask your caseworker what is currently running and how to register. Spots in these programs can fill quickly, especially in larger cities.
Employment Ontario: Free Job Search Support
What Is Employment Ontario?
Employment Ontario is a provincial network of employment service centres funded by the Ontario government. If you live in Ontario, your RAP service provider will likely refer you to an Employment Ontario office, sometimes also called an employment resource centre or newcomer employment centre depending on where you are. If you live outside Ontario, every province and territory has a comparable program. Ask your RAP service provider for the name of the employment service in your location.
Services Available to You
At an Employment Ontario office, you can access all of the following at no cost:
- One-on-one help writing and improving your resume and cover letter
- Job search coaching and matching support
- Skills assessments that identify which roles your experience qualifies you for
- Referrals to skills upgrading programs and trades training
- Interview preparation and practice
- Connections to employers actively hiring in your area
These services are free. You do not pay anything to use them. If English or French is not your strongest language, ask when you call or walk in whether language support workers or interpretation services are available.
How to Get a Referral
Your RAP service provider can refer you directly to Employment Ontario or the equivalent program in your province. In most locations, you can also walk into an employment centre without a referral. When you go, bring any documents that describe your work history and education, even if they are in another language. Employment counsellors are experienced in working with newcomers who have international credentials and experience, and they can help you identify how your background translates into Canadian job titles and requirements.
Building Your Job Search Profile in Canada
Translating Your International Experience
One of the most common challenges GARs face when looking for work in Canada is explaining international experience on your resume. Canadian employers may not recognize job titles, organization names, or educational institutions from your home country. Your RAP service provider and Employment Ontario counsellor can help you rephrase your experience in a way that connects with Canadian employers.
For regulated professions including nursing, engineering, and teaching, formal credential recognition is required before you can work in those fields in Canada. Recognition processes vary by profession and province. Your employment counsellor can point you toward the relevant regulatory body for your field.
Using RefugeeEmployment.ca to Find Openings
While you prepare your application materials and attend workshops, you can also browse job listings directly at the RefugeeEmployment.ca job seekers page. RefugeeEmployment.ca focuses on employers who are open to hiring refugees in Canada, so the opportunities listed there are directly relevant to your situation. You can also create a candidate profile so that employers can find you.
Networking in Your Community
Workshops and employment centres also create opportunities to meet other newcomers, employment counsellors, and sometimes employers directly. Building a local network takes time, but it is one of the most effective ways to find work in Canada. Settlement agencies, community organizations, and newcomer groups in your area often host events where you can meet people who may know about job openings or who can introduce you to employers.
The 12-Month RAP Income Support Timeline
How RAP Income Support Works
As a GAR, you receive RAP income support for up to 12 months after your arrival in Canada. This support is intended to cover your basic living costs while you settle, build language skills, and begin your job search. The amount you receive is based on provincial social assistance rates and your household size.
This support is time-limited, and the 12-month period starts from your arrival date, not from when you begin your job search. Understanding the timeline helps you set realistic goals and make a plan.
Planning Your First Year
A structured approach to your first 12 months helps you make the most of the RAP period:
- Months 1 to 3: Focus on orientation, housing stability, language training, and attending job-search workshops through your service provider.
- Months 3 to 6: Begin actively searching for work, attend Employment Ontario appointments, and start applying for roles that match your current skills and language level.
- Months 6 to 12: Increase the pace of your applications, consider entry-level roles to start building Canadian work experience, and explore skills upgrading programs available in your city.
Your RAP service provider can help you create an individualized employment plan based on your background, skills, language level, and the local job market.
What Happens After 12 Months
When your RAP income support ends, you may be eligible to transition to provincial social assistance if you have not yet found employment. Your RAP service provider should talk with you about this transition before the 12-month mark arrives. This is also a good time to confirm that you are actively using Employment Ontario services, since provincial employment programs remain available to you beyond the RAP period.
Many GARs find employment before or around the 12-month mark, often starting in roles that let them build local references while continuing to develop language skills. Part-time roles, contract positions, and paid volunteer placements all count as Canadian work experience and can strengthen your resume for your next application.
PSR Refugees: A Note on Employment Support
What Is a Privately Sponsored Refugee?
Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs) arrive in Canada through sponsorship by a group of Canadian citizens or permanent residents, such as a church group, community organization, or Refugee Assistance Program group. Unlike GARs, PSRs receive financial support from their sponsors rather than from the federal government, so the RAP program does not apply to them directly.
Employment Support for PSRs
PSRs do not receive RAP services directly, but they can still access Employment Ontario and other provincially funded employment programs in their area. Sponsoring groups are also expected to assist PSRs in finding employment as part of the sponsorship commitment.
If you are a PSR and your sponsor is not actively supporting your job search, reach out to a local settlement agency. Many settlement organizations serve both GARs and PSRs and can connect you with employment workshops, resume help, and job coaching. You can also browse listings and resources at RefugeeEmployment.ca regardless of how you arrived in Canada.
After RAP: Staying Supported in Your Job Search
Settlement Agencies Beyond the First Year
Settlement services in Canada are generally available to permanent residents and refugees for several years after arrival. Local settlement agencies, newcomer centres, and immigrant-serving organizations continue to offer employment workshops, resume assistance, and job placement support after your RAP period ends. Ask your RAP service provider which organizations in your area provide longer-term support before the 12-month mark so you know where to go next.
Upgrading Your Skills Over Time
As you gain Canadian work experience, you may want to pursue additional certifications or skills training to qualify for better-paying roles. Employment Ontario and similar provincial programs often fund skills upgrading and apprenticeships for eligible newcomers. This can open pathways into skilled trades, healthcare support roles, information technology, logistics, and other sectors with strong demand across Canada. Talk with your employment counsellor about what training options are available and what the eligibility requirements are.
FAQ
Q: How soon after arriving in Canada can I start looking for work as a GAR?
You can begin your job search at any point after arrival. Most GARs spend the first few weeks on orientation, housing, and language assessment, and then connect with employment support within the first two to three months. There is no requirement to wait before you start applying for jobs, and your RAP service provider can help you start the process whenever you are ready.
Q: Do I need a Social Insurance Number before applying for jobs?
Yes. You need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to legally work in Canada. Your RAP service provider will help you apply for your SIN shortly after arrival. Most GARs receive their SIN within the first few weeks. Do not accept a job offer that asks you to work before your SIN is in hand.
Q: Can I work while receiving RAP income support?
Yes. If you find employment while receiving RAP income support, you are required to report your earnings. Your support may be adjusted based on your income, but finding work is always encouraged. Your RAP service provider can explain exactly how employment income affects your support payments and what you need to report.
Q: What if my credentials from my home country are not recognized in Canada?
Credential recognition depends on your profession. Regulated professions such as medicine, nursing, engineering, and teaching require formal assessments by provincial regulatory bodies before you can practice in Canada. Unregulated professions generally do not require formal credential recognition. Your Employment Ontario counsellor or settlement agency can direct you to the right body for your field and explain the steps involved.
Q: Are employment services available in languages other than English or French?
Many RAP service providers and settlement agencies employ multilingual staff and have access to interpretation services. When you contact an employment centre or settlement organization, ask whether staff can communicate in your language or whether an interpreter can be arranged for your appointment. Language differences should not prevent you from accessing employment support.
Q: How do I find job listings that welcome refugees in Canada?
You can browse current openings specifically relevant to refugees in Canada at the RefugeeEmployment.ca job seekers page. The platform focuses on employers who are open to hiring newcomers and refugees, so the listings are relevant to your situation. You can also create a free candidate profile so employers can find you directly.
The path from arrival to employment as a GAR takes effort, but the support system around you is real and accessible. Your RAP service provider, Employment Ontario, and the broader network of settlement agencies are all there to help you move forward. Ready to take the next step? Visit RefugeeEmployment.ca at https://refugeeemployment.ca/job-seekers to browse current openings and create a candidate profile.
