Build a Canadian Resume With North American Best Practices
Create a professional Canadian resume with ATS-friendly formatting, bilingual considerations, and recruiter-approved structure for the Canadian job market.
Canada resume conventions
| Document type | Resume (1-2 pages) |
| Photo | Never include |
| Date of birth | Never include (Human Rights Code) |
| Date format | Month Year (Jan 2024) |
| Paper size | US Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) |
| Language | Canadian English or French (depends on province) |
| Bilingual | Mention French/English fluency if applicable |
What you need to know
Canadian resume conventions closely follow American norms: no photo, no personal details, action verbs, quantified achievements, and 1-2 page length. The key difference is bilingualism — if you speak both English and French, this is a major asset, especially for federal government and Quebec roles. List language proficiency clearly. For Quebec-based roles, consider a French-language resume. Canadian employers use ATS widely.
Do
- Use US Letter paper size
- Highlight English/French bilingualism if applicable
- Include SIN-free contact information
- Follow Canadian spelling conventions (honour, analyse)
- Target 1-2 pages
- Tailor keywords to Canadian job descriptions
Don't
- Include a photo, age, or marital status
- Include Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Forget to mention bilingual skills for government roles
- Use overly American terminology if applying to Canadian companies
- Exceed 2 pages for most roles
Frequently asked questions
Yes, always. Bilingualism is a major advantage in Canada, especially for federal government, national companies, and Quebec-based roles. List your language proficiency level clearly.
Very similar. Both use 'resume' (not CV), US Letter paper, no photo, and the same ATS-friendly formatting principles. The main differences are bilingual considerations and occasional spelling variations.