Job opportunities in non-profit sector for new immigrants in Canada

You have decided to relocate to Canada as an immigrant. That’s great. Canada is a lovely country with friendly people, a welcoming economy, and many work opportunities. There are many work opportunities in Canada in a variety of sectors such as health care, construction, and natural resources and over the last few years, economists have seen the steady growth of the non-profit sector which is now responsible for the employment of over 2 million Canadians.

The non-profit sector is now offering opportunities for new immigrants, helping them to find a way into the job market. Canada’s non-profit sector comprises of many fields such as health, arts, and human services just to mention a few. Positions range from administrative to executive, ensuring that there is something available for every skill set and interest. In addition to being dynamic and very vibrant, Canada’s non-profit sector is also one of the most rewarding industries to work in.

If you are someone who is socially driven and want to be part of an organisation that wants to make the world a better place, then a career in Canada’s non-profit sector is definitely for you.

What are the opportunities available?

group of young people doing charity work

Canada is one of the safest and most beautiful countries in the world with friendly and welcoming residents, and Canadian pride is based on modesty and gratitude. For the fourth consecutive year in a survey of 27,000 people conducted by the world Reputation Institute, Canada has the world’s best reputation internationally as a country to work and live in.

Charity village is the number one non-profit job search site in Canada and over the last 6 months of 2016, the site has seen an average of 1,000 new job listings every month, which is an incredible amount by any standard. Some of the most common positions include fundraising, marketing and communication. There has also been an increase in positions relating to social media, as the non-profit sector in Canada has realised the value of these communication channels as a better way of reaching their donors more effectively. However, the highest number of job opportunities are in health care, community and social services, ensuring that the non-profit sector in Canada offers a good opportunity for immigrants who are otherwise struggling to find employment in other sectors.

Skills and Education

The education and skill set required in the non-profit sector in Canada varies depending on the position, however, the majority of the job opportunities require at least a post-secondary school education. The non-profit sector is flexible enough that skills from other industries are very transferable to the industry, while experience in the profit sector is an asset, the non-profit sector also values volunteer experience.

Volunteering for non-profit organizations is a great way to gain job experience and affords the opportunity to make contacts and improve resumes. A number of Universities and colleges in Canada offer certificate and diploma programs in non-profit management, although it is not a requirement for one to have studied this program to work in it. However, it is important for new immigrants who have work experience in non-profit organizations from their home countries to study through the program to have an understanding of how the non-profit sector works in Canada. Enrollment in such courses is also a great opportunity to make key contacts as many of the instructors are in the sector and have links with various organisations and help connect students with these organisations.

Salary expectations

Although many non-profit organisations try to offer competitive salaries to attract top talent, salaries are mostly in the low to medium range. Salaries depend mostly on the type of position and they are typically lower than those in other business industries.

Salaries are also dependent on location, with the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa and Alberta seeing the highest salaries in Canada. The average salaries for the CEO or executive director can be around $90,315, for senior management you can expect $78,832, for management and supervisory staff it is $54,409 and for the support staff, the average salary is $38,914.

Canada is a diverse and multicultural country with many nationalities from around the world, making this one of the most appealing countries in the world for people from all backgrounds. Even though the job market is as competitive as any, Canada is the new land of opportunity.