For many Nigerians, the flight to Pearson International Airport is the easy part. The real challenge, the one that keeps thousands awake, is the “Canadian Experience” barrier, because the question remains how to get a job without local experience, and how to get experience without a job.
Canada
While the average newcomer spends months navigating this, Chioma Nkem, a physician and medical office assistant who landed a role within just five days of landing in Canada, has spoken about how to have “pre-boarding” success.
In a move that defines the modern ‘Japa’ strategy, Chioma bypassed the international calling barriers by securing a Canadian phone number via an app while still in Nigeria. She revealed that the secret started six months before she even touched down in Canada.
“I positioned myself as if I was already in Canada,” she explains. “You have to put a Canadian number on your CV for them to take you seriously. Most times, the first point of contact isn’t an email; it’s a phone call. If they see a ‘+234’ number, many recruiters simply move on.”
“I also learned very quickly that there is a specific CV format here. I used AI to re-format my resume, ensuring it spoke the language of Canadian recruiters and highlighted the specific province I was heading to, she explained.
The ‘Referral’ economy
Nkem’s success wasn’t just down to technology; it was down to people.
She advised, “A closed mouth won’t get fed, I reached out to everyone. I spoke to friends of friends. I connected with those already on the ground. One day after I arrived, a friend called: ‘A doctor needs a staff member in her clinic. Are you ready?’”
Overcoming the “Canadian Experience” barrier
For those without a direct referral, the road can be rockier. Nkem recalls the frustration of early interviews where the “lack of Canadian experience” was used as a deal-breaker.
“When they say that, you have to sell yourself even harder,” she advises. “I told them that whatever I lacked in local experience, I made up for in work ethic and being a fast learner. You have to be your own biggest advocate.”
“For medical professionals specifically, the transition is a marathon, not a sprint. With licensing exams taking anywhere from one to two years, “survival jobs” that offer professional dignity are essential.
“Be willing to start in roles that build your local social capital while you work toward your final licensing, she says.
(BusinessDay)
