The Canadian résumé, and its bilingual version
Last reviewed: September 16, 2026
The Canadian résumé follows specific conventions. If you're arriving from another country, some habits that are perfectly normal elsewhere will work against you here.
What you never include
No photo, no date of birth, no marital status, no religion or nationality, no social insurance number.
This isn't only a matter of taste: Canadian employers are bound by rules on hiring discrimination, and many will set aside a résumé containing that information to avoid any risk.
The expected structure
One to two pages, starting with your contact details, then a short profile summary, experience in reverse chronological order, education, and finally skills and certifications.
Describe each role by what you accomplished, with an action verb and a measurable result where possible: “cut processing time by 30%” beats “responsible for processing files”.
References don't go on the résumé. “References available on request” is filler — you'll be asked at the right moment.
Tailor it to each posting
Many employers filter applications with software before any human reads them. Reuse the posting's exact wording where it genuinely describes what you did.
Avoid columns, tables, graphic headers and images: applicant tracking systems read them poorly. A clean, linear document goes through anywhere.
The federal public service exception
GC Jobs asks for an even plainer résumé, with no bullets or formatting, and most of the screening comes from your answers to the screening questions rather than the résumé itself.
Presenting a bilingual profile honestly
In this region, claiming “bilingual” means you may be tested, sometimes right in the phone screen. Be specific: separate what you can do speaking, reading and writing.
A useful phrasing: “Native French; fluent English spoken and written, experience writing professional documents.” If you hold public service Second Language Evaluation results, state the profile and the year.
Do you need two versions? Yes, if you apply on both sides of the river. Send each version in the language of the posting.
Experience earned abroad
Name the country and, for employers not known here, add a short line of context about the organization's size or sector.
For foreign credentials, an educational credential assessment helps a recruiter place your training. Some employers, including the federal government, ask for one explicitly.