Use Job Bank as a job seeker in Canada: search without an account, choose a Standard or Plus account, set up Job Alerts and Job Match, build a resume with the Resume Builder, and apply the way each posting asks.
Applies in: CA
Job Bank is the Government of Canada's job site, run by Employment and Social Development Canada. It is free, it lists postings across Canada in both official languages, and you can browse those postings without registering, as set out in Job Bank – Job Search and How do I search for jobs?. Beyond the listings, it carries the tools this guide walks through: Job Search, Job Alerts, Job Match, the Resume Builder, and career planning and labour market information. This guide covers the job seeker side only. It does not cover posting a job as an employer.
You need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada, according to How do I search for jobs?. Searching and researching occupations does not need one. If you do not have a SIN yet, sort that out through the newcomer guide in Related guides below; it is also the credential a Plus account asks for, in step 3.
Work through the steps in order. Searching and researching come first because they tell you whether the jobs you want exist, where they are, and what they pay, before you spend time on an account and a profile.
Start at Job Bank and enter a job title and a location. You do not need an account to browse. How do I search for jobs? describes Job Bank as Canada's one-stop job listing website, with all postings displayed in both official languages, and lists Job Search as the tool for browsing thousands of jobs across Canada at any time.
Narrow the results before you read them. Find a job states that you can narrow search results with filters such as hours of work, benefits, and salary, and Job Bank – Job Search adds adjusting the search distance radius, using filters to find exactly the jobs you are looking for, and toggling between French and English. Use the advanced search to enter a job title, an employer name, and a location together, and then refine from the filters beside the results.
Use the occupation title Job Bank suggests rather than a company's internal title. Job Bank organizes postings by the National Occupational Classification, so a posting may carry a different title from the same job on the employer's website. If a search returns too little, try a broader title: a general title returns more than a narrow variant. Note the work location on each posting. Employers publish four types on Job Bank: Remote, where the work must be completed remotely from a location of the worker's choice; Hybrid, where the work is done partly in person and partly remotely; On-site, where the work must be done at the employer's location; and On the road. Remote postings from across the country can appear in a search for one city, so use the work-location filter rather than the location box alone when the location of the work matters to you.
A posting tells you about one job. The occupation tools tell you whether that kind of job is a sensible target at all. Explore an occupation lists wage reports, which compare typical wages for an occupation across regions, and outlook reports, which compare job prospects for an occupation across regions, alongside sectoral profiles, job market snapshots, economic scans, and labour market news. Read the wage report and the outlook report for your occupation before you apply widely, and check the same reports for the region you will actually live in: pay and prospects differ by place.
Then use the career planning tools. Choose a career offers six quizzes and tests to help you discover professional interests, abilities, and preferences and find occupations that fit, a Skills for Success section for the key skills work and daily life require, and occupation research covering what the job involves, what you could make, what skills and education you need, and whether jobs will exist in the field over the next few years. The same page offers a tool for finding jobs you could transition to, showing occupations with similar education and skill requirements and how long a transition could take, and a field-of-study section reporting how graduates are doing after school, including whether they are employed in their field of study. Do this research when you are unsure between two occupations, changing careers, or deciding whether further training is worth it. It costs nothing and it stops a long search aimed at the wrong target.
Searching is free and needs no account. Saving a search, saving favourite jobs, and receiving Job Alerts need an account, and matching and direct application need the Plus tier. Find a job states that a Standard account needs only an email address, and lists a customized search, Job Alerts by email, and preparing a resume from templates as what it covers. A Plus account, on the same page, adds matching with employers from your profile, invitations to apply from employers who can see your profile and qualifications, and submitting an application directly from the posting with a pre-existing resume or one created with the Resume Builder.
Plus has eligibility rules. Terms of Use - Job seekers states that anyone with an email address may create a Standard account, while creating a Plus account requires being a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, a temporary resident of Canada, or an Express Entry candidate, and providing your Social Insurance Number, or your Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code if you are an Express Entry candidate. Your last name, Social Insurance Number, date of birth, and mother's maiden name or parent's last name at birth are matched against the Social Insurance Registry to authenticate you for Job Match, and the number is not used, retained, or shared for any other purpose. Keeping a valid Social Insurance Number is a condition of keeping Plus access, so if you recently obtained a SIN, update your account information.
Start with Standard if you are only browsing and setting alerts. Upgrade to Plus when you want Job Match or Direct Apply: the Direct Apply page lists creating or upgrading to a Plus account as the first step before applying directly. Read the Privacy Statement and Terms of Use before you agree to them, and never share your sign-in information, including your password and security questions and answers, with anyone, as the Terms of Use require.
Job Alerts brings new postings to you instead of making you repeat the same search. What is Job Alerts? describes it as a free service that notifies you by email when new jobs matching your interests are posted, with each email listing postings that match the criteria you selected when you set up the subscription. You can create multiple alerts with different criteria and choose daily or weekly delivery. To subscribe, run a search, narrow it with filters, select Create alert at the top right of the results, and enter your email address. Create one alert per search you would otherwise repeat, for example one per job title or one per city, and keep each alert narrow enough that the email stays readable. You can modify or pause alerts and unsubscribe at any time from the Job Alerts emails themselves.
Favourite the postings worth a second look. Job Bank – Job Search describes saving favourite jobs in one place, going back to saved postings even when offline, marking the jobs you have applied for, and receiving reminders to apply before favourite jobs expire. Your dashboard keeps the search itself in view: with a Standard or Plus account you can view your ongoing job search activities from your dashboard, favourite jobs, and create job alerts, and that record can serve as proof of your job search efforts. If you use the Job Bank mobile app, connect the device to your account so alerts and favourites stay in one place whether you use the website or the app; disconnecting a device erases the alerts, favourites, and recent searches saved on the app. If you recently applied for Employment Insurance and find Job Alerts arriving without subscribing, Job Bank subscribed you to help you look for work. The service is free, and you can modify or stop the alerts the same way as any other subscription.
A resume built for one generic job undersells you for every job. Build the base version in the Resume Builder, then tailor a copy for each posting. Resume Builder states that after you create a Standard or Plus account and sign in, you pick one of two templates, fill in the blanks, and need no formatting: the builder produces a professional-looking resume from your goals and qualifications. Pick the template that reflects your situation. Use the traditional template if you have several years of experience in your field, are looking for a job in your field, and your career progression has been stable with no major gaps. Use the youth and recent graduates template if you are a first-time job seeker, have just completed your education and want an entry-level job in your field of study, or have limited paid work experience.
Filling it in is mostly selection, not writing from scratch. Resume Builder states that you can select skills and job duties from thousands of pre-defined options, and import the duties for any job title in one click, so the resume uses the same words employers use. If you have a Plus account, you can import your profile details into the Resume Builder to fill the blanks automatically. Then customize: add free text descriptions and new sections, and use the expert tips shown as you fill each section. Find a job adds the standard to aim for: a good resume shows your background, skills, and qualifications, is tailored to the job by highlighting relevant accomplishments, and is accompanied by a cover letter explaining how your skills can contribute to the organization. Build multiple resumes for different types of jobs and save them all in your account, download and print them at any time, in PDF format or Rich Text Format, and keep the resume you send current: when you apply directly through Job Bank, employers see only the information in the resume you submit. If you already have a resume of your own, a Plus account lets you upload it and use it to apply where sharing a resume on Job Bank is offered; a Standard account must upgrade to Plus first.
Job Match is the reverse direction: instead of you searching, your profile is matched to postings and employers invite you. What is Job Match? states that when you sign up, your work experience, skills, education, and credentials are matched to job postings requiring similar criteria, and employers can access your profile and invite you to apply. The same page states that employers cannot see your name or contact information, that all job seeker profiles are anonymous, and that an invitation leaves the choice to you. When an employer invites you to apply, you receive a unique invitation code you can choose to include in your application so the employer recognizes you.
To use it, create a Plus account and complete and activate your job seeker profile from the Matches section of your dashboard. A profile missing experience, skills, education, or credentials will not match well, so fill in every section that applies to you and keep it current as your experience changes. You can adjust your matching mode in your profile settings if the matches feel wrong, and you can deactivate your Job Match profile at any time if you want to stop being matched. Job Match and Job Alerts are distinct services: alerts follow the search criteria you set, while matching follows your profile. Use both, since an alert catches a posting you searched for and a match can surface one you would not have searched for.
Read the whole posting before you apply. Check the job title as listed, the employer name, the duties, the work location and hours, the period of employment, the language at work, and the start date and any closing date shown. Check the Who can apply section first if you are outside Canada or do not hold Canadian work authorization, and apply only if you fall in the group listed. Check how to apply, because the route differs by posting and the posting's route is the application.
Employers choose the application method. The options are by mail, in person, by telephone, by email, online, or by Direct Apply using an uploaded resume or one created with the Resume Builder. Direct Apply is available only on postings that offer it, and only from a Plus account with a completed profile and a resume ready. What is Direct Apply? sets out the steps: create or upgrade to a Plus account, complete your job seeker profile, and create a resume with the Resume Builder or upload your own; then look for postings with the blue Direct Apply flag, open the posting, and apply from the Direct Apply button or from Show how to apply, following the instructions to add your resume and answer screening questions. You agree to share your email address and the documents you uploaded directly with that employer. Your profile information is not shared when you apply directly: the employer sees only the resume you submitted, and contacts you using the contact details on that resume, so keep those details current. A resume made with the Resume Builder also shows the employer your match score when previewed.
For every other posting, follow the route given: the employer's website, an email address, or one of the other methods listed. Keep a record of each application: the employer, the job title as listed on Job Bank, the date you applied, and the route you used. With a Plus account your dashboard tracks this activity; without one, your own record is the tracker. If a posting looks wrong, use the Report a problem with this job posting button at the bottom of the posting so Job Bank can locate and review it. If you reach an interview, prepare as Find a job advises: research the company, think of questions interviewers could ask, prepare answers from examples of your work experience or education using the STAR method of situation, task, action, and result, and practise with friends or family.
No account is needed to search. [Job Bank – Job Search](https://www.canada.ca/en/mobile/job-bank-job-search.html) states that Job Bank is free and that no registration is required, and [How do I search for jobs?](https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob/resources/search-for-jobs) lists Job Search, Job Match, Job Alerts, and the Resume Builder as the tools that simplify the search. An account is what lets you save searches, favourite jobs, and receive Job Alerts, and a Plus account is what lets you apply directly on Job Bank. Some postings also direct you to apply on the employer's own site or by email, and those routes do not need a Job Bank account at all.
A Standard account needs only an email address, and it covers a customized search, Job Alerts, and preparing a resume from templates, according to [Find a job](https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob). A Plus account adds matching with employers, invitations to apply, and submitting an application directly from the posting. For Plus eligibility, [Terms of Use - Job seekers](https://www.yt.jobbank.gc.ca/termsofuseseeker) states that you must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada, a temporary resident of Canada, or an Express Entry candidate, and that you must provide your Social Insurance Number, or your Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code if you are an Express Entry candidate. The same page states that your Social Insurance Number is matched against the Social Insurance Registry to authenticate you for Job Match and is not used, retained, or shared for any other purpose, and that keeping a valid Social Insurance Number is a condition of keeping a Plus account.
Job Match matches your work experience, skills, education, and credentials to job postings asking for similar criteria, and employers can access your profile and invite you to apply, according to [What is Job Match?](https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/support/question?qaid=25&tid=8). The same page states that employers will not be able to see your name or contact information, that all job seeker profiles are anonymous, and that when you receive an invitation to apply you can choose whether to apply. To use Job Match you need a Plus account and a completed, activated job seeker profile, and you can deactivate the profile if you want to stop being matched. Keep the profile current: a profile missing experience, skills, education, or credentials will not match well.
Job Alerts is a free service that emails you new postings matching the search criteria you set, and you can create multiple alerts with different criteria and receive them daily or weekly, according to [What is Job Alerts?](https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/support/question?qaid=19&tid=9). The same page states that you can modify or pause your alerts and unsubscribe at any time, directly from the Job Alerts emails you receive. To create one, run a search, narrow it with filters, and select Create alert at the top right of the results. If few alerts arrive, widen the search area or use a broader job title. If you recently applied for Employment Insurance and find yourself subscribed, that is Job Bank helping you look for work: the alerts are still free, and you can modify or stop them the same way.
Yes, to search and to research occupations. [Find a job](https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob) lists resources for foreign candidates from outside Canada, and [How do I search for jobs?](https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob/resources/search-for-jobs) notes that you need a Social Insurance Number to work in Canada. Applying is narrower: check the Who can apply section on each posting and apply only if you fall in the group listed, because employers will not respond to applications outside that group. If you do not hold a valid Canadian work permit, apply only to postings open to international candidates or temporary foreign workers. Express Entry candidates can create a Plus account with their Express Entry profile number and job seeker validation code instead of a Social Insurance Number, according to [Terms of Use - Job seekers](https://www.yt.jobbank.gc.ca/termsofuseseeker). Work permits and visas are decided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, not by Job Bank.
Stop, do not pay, and do not send banking details or identity documents as part of an application. A genuine posting describes the job, the employer, and how to apply; a request for payment to secure a job is a reason to stop. Use the Report a problem with this job posting button at the bottom of the posting so Job Bank can locate and review it. [Find a job](https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/findajob) describes the legitimate routes on the site: searching, Job Alerts, Job Match, the Resume Builder, and applying directly from a posting with a Plus account. None of those routes asks you to pay to apply. If an employer contacts you only outside the route stated in the posting, treat that the same way and report it.
No wage figure, benefit amount, or posting count is stated in this guide, because none was needed to explain the portal and none was carried from a secondary source. Where a number appears, it is a portal rule from an opened official page named beside it, such as the two Resume Builder templates or the six career quizzes. Check the Job Bank page linked beside any rule before relying on it, since Job Bank updates its tools and pages over time.