Administrative assistant is a non-regulated profession in Canada and you don’t need a licence to practice your profession. The economy is currently booming in Canada and new companies are coming up all the time.
The Association of Administrative Assistants is the professional association which you can become a member of. The association assists its members in “the continuing development of administrative skill, underlying knowledge and professional growth, thus enhancing employment opportunities and contributions to both work place and community.”
There are many steps that you can take before immigrating to Canada to improve your chances of success to practice your profession in your future country.
- It is important for you to have a general overview of how your international qualifications may be viewed in Canada and have a general sense of the Canadian labour market and workplace culture.
- Contact the local (or nearest) branch of the Association of Administrative Assistants in the city where you will settle in Canada and enquire about the employment process in Canada for your profession.
- You need to have strong English or French (depending on your destination province) language competency and you may be tested. Even if you’re a good speaker of English or French, it’s helpful to improve your language skills and enroll in language classes while you are in your home country and continue them after moving to Canada. You can assess your language skills by taking an online self-assessment test on the Canadian Language Benchmarks website.
- It is easier for you to gather and organize your official education, work and identity documents while still in your home country. Enquire about the documents you need to bring for employment purposes or to continue education and about verifying the translation of these documents. You might need to use a professional translation service in Canada.
- Understand how the profession of administrative assistant is practiced in Canada and familiarize yourself with the procedures, laws, and legislation that govern the business sector in the province where you will settle.
- Know the name of your job in Canada and make a list of potential employers.
- Enquire about the procedure to get a driver’s license in Canada and apply for it right after you land, as it would be very useful when you get a job or even to get a job.
Another helpful thing you can do is to attend and a Know Before You Go webinar to know more about life in Canada.
