Canadian resumes are similar to American ones: concise, achievement-focused and free of personal details that are unrelated to the job.
Format basics
- Length: one to two pages. Two pages are common for experienced professionals.
- Paper size: US Letter.
- Spelling: Canadian English (for example colour, centre, but organize is also common).
- Order: reverse chronological is most common.
Leave out
Canadian human-rights law protects candidates from discrimination, so resumes normally exclude:
- Photo
- Date of birth or age
- Marital status, religion, gender or nationality
- Social Insurance Number (SIN) — never include it on a resume
Include
- Contact details — name, phone, email, city and province, LinkedIn.
- Professional summary — two to four lines.
- Experience — achievements with numbers wherever possible.
- Education — include where you studied; if your credentials are from outside Canada, consider noting an equivalency assessment (for example a WES evaluation) if you have one.
- Skills and certifications — including Canadian licences or registrations where relevant.
- Volunteer experience — widely valued in Canada.
Tips for newcomers
- Explain international employers briefly (industry, size) if they will not be familiar to Canadian recruiters.
- Highlight English and French language skills with levels.
- State your work status clearly, for example “Permanent resident — eligible to work in Canada”.
The Clarity template with US Letter paper size is a strong starting point.