How to find a survival job as a newcomer to Canada

Leaving your comfort zone, moving to a new country hundreds of miles away and starting your life and career all over again is a huge shift for immigrants. Many newcomers hope for a career progression in their new life in Canada, in fact, for some, it may be the main reason for their move. But among other things, while immigrating, newcomers often have to manage their finances well to ensure sustainability for themselves and their dependents until they find a stable source of livelihood. 

Not everyone is able to find their desired role immediately: in fact, for some it can take a few months or even a year, and during this time, it can be extremely stressful to be eating through your savings with no source of income. In order to preserve their life savings, meet their living expenses, and get some Canadian experience, newcomers often start lower on the corporate ladder or take up “survival jobs.” 

A survival job is a lower-skilled and lower-paid job that what you would normally consider, but which can help cover living expenses on part or in whole in the short term. So, should newcomers take a survival job in Canada?

What is a survival job?

A survival job is a lower-skilled job than you would usually go for, where significant education or extensive professional experience is typically not required.

Survival jobs, like the name suggests, help you survive by covering part or all of your living costs, while still allowing you to continue looking for a role more suitable to your skills and professional experience. A survival job in Canada can also help you earn Canadian experience, practice your language skills, and build your network locally.

Some common examples of survival jobs are working as a driver with a ride-sharing service, warehouse or factory worker, cashier at a grocery store, barista at a coffee shop, food delivery person, sales associate, telemarketing associate, cleaner, or a server at a restaurant.   

Survival jobs can be – 

• Temporary: For a fixed short-term duration (weeks or months) based on the needs of the organization. Temporary positions may be contractual in nature. 

• Part-time: For a limited number of hours per week, that’s usually lesser than a full-time position. 

• Full-time: For approximately 35 to 40 hours per week. The number of hours may vary depending on the employer. Full-time employees are often provided with various benefits which are not offered to part-time employees. 

The pros and cons of taking up a survival job

An ideal survival job is one that provides you with an opportunity to work in your industry or one that allows you to use the skills you would be required to use in your own profession, while also leaving you with enough time and opportunity to network and look for your ideal role, or obtain the certifications you may need to work in your profession in Canada.

The decision on whether or not to take up a survival job as a newcomer in Canada primarily depends on a few factors:

• Your financial circumstances 

• Language skills

• Willingness or need to gain Canadian experience

The decision on whether or not to take up a survival job as a newcomer in Canada primarily depends on a few factors:

To help you decide if it’s the right choice for you, here are some advantages and disadvantages of taking up a survival job in Canada. 

Advantages of taking up a survival job in Canada

1. Pays the bills: A survival job provides a source of income to help you pay your day-to-day living expenses. A survival job can also provide you with a proof of income or an employment letter, which landlords may ask for when renting an apartment. It is worthwhile to note that by law, employers cannot pay less than the minimum wage outlined by the province where you reside. Some survival jobs may provide the opportunity to earn tips from customers, which is generally not accounted for as part of your salary.

   Tip: To calculate the income you could earn from any survival job, refer to the minimum wages set by the Government.

2. Helps you gain Canadian experience: Taking up a survival job can help you learn and understand essential soft skills that are valued by Canadian employers while also providing insights into the local culture, thus gradually helping you gather the much-coveted Canadian experience. If you’re concerned that taking up a survival job may reflect poorly on your career trajectory, you can opt to not add that experience to your resume or LinkedIn profile; don’t feel compelled to disclose it to your future employers.

3. Helps you improve your language skills: For many newcomers to Canada, English is not their first language. Survival jobs offer the opportunity to brush up on your language skills, get more comfortable speaking English, learn Canadian slang, and converse like a local.

4. Good way to network: The networking culture is very popular across Canada – many employment opportunities can be found through networking. Working in a survival job is a good way to meet other people (co-workers, clients, vendors, and partners), grow your network and build relationships that may open doors for your next opportunity.

Disadvantages of taking up a survival job in Canada

The main risk for newcomers taking a survival job is that you may end up “settling” for that job and give up on your plan to obtain a higher-skilled and higher-paying job.

1. Reduced hours for job search: A survival job will require you to put in the hours and effort, which can impact your available time to look up job postings, customize your resume, network, send out job applications, and go on interviews. 

2. Difficulty with scheduling interviews: Depending on your working hours at your survival job, it may be challenging to find a suitable time for scheduling job interviews with a potential employer. 

3. Complacency: Some newcomers get complacent in their survival jobs and gradually lose motivation and stop looking for opportunities that are better suited to their education and past experience.  – this may affect your prospects to earn a higher income or find a position that provides job satisfaction. 

How to find a survival job in Canada?

Finding a survival job in Canada is relatively easier than looking for a full-time position that aligns with your past experience. There are various ways and means to find one; some of them are: 

• Job sites: Just as you search for regular jobs, you can find survival jobs online on various websites such as Canada’s Job Bank, Indeed, Monster, Workopolis, CareerBuilder, or SimplyHired. 

• Approaching local stores or businesses: You can try contacting grocery stores, restaurants, retailers at malls, or other businesses in your neighbourhood and inquire about any opportunities they might have. Usually, if they are hiring, you will see a “help wanted” sign. You can simply walk-in and speak with the manager to know more about the position and the application process.

• Reaching out to newcomer settlement agencies: Most government-funded newcomer settlement organizations offer job search assistance and advice for newcomers. To find leads for open positions, you may try contacting an agency that’s close to where you live.  

  Tip:

  • Use the government of Canada website to find free newcomer service near you.

  •  Learn how to create a Canadian-style resume and be better prepared to apply for various positions.

• Networking: Canada has a hidden job market. The hidden job market refers to positions that are filled without the employer advertising for it publicly. It is said that as much as 65-85 per cent of the jobs are not posted online. Ask people in your network if they know of any businesses that may be hiring, and have them make a warm introduction.

What is the minimum wage in Canada?

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay an employer is legally expected to pay an employee whether they work part-time or full-time. The minimum wage in Canada varies by province and territory – each with its own labour laws that determine the minimum pay, employee rights and working conditions, the minimum age to work, overtime rules, trade unions, etc.

As you settle into your life in Canada, learn the local language, adapt to the culture and local job market, you may find that getting your ideal job can be challenging; it takes patience, hard work, and an awareness of local best practices. You may find you need to take additional courses or get relevant certifications and licenses to be able to work in your field – this takes time. Or you may need to get Canadian experience to showcase that you have the soft skills and understanding of local culture to function well in your field in Canada. As outlined above, a survival job can help keep you financially afloat in the short term, while you enhance your professional profile and continue searching for your dream job in Canada. But if you do decide to go this route, ensure you don’t settle for it: leave yourself time, energy and motivation to search for and find the job you really want.