Job Search Abroad for Immigrants

How job hunting abroad differs from home

Finding work in another country depends less on job boards than on immigration status: the permit decides whether a person may work at all, for which employer and in which occupation. Ukrainians under EU temporary protection, granted under Directive 2001/55/EC, have direct access to the labour market, while most other foreigners need a permit backed by an employer. Under EU Directive 2016/801, international graduates of EU universities may stay for at least nine months after their studies to look for work or start a business.

In Canada, many employer-specific work permits require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), issued by Employment and Social Development Canada once the employer shows that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available for the role. Canadian resumes usually leave out the photo, date of birth and marital status, and recruiters often screen them through applicant tracking systems before a person reads them.

In Germany, people receiving Bürgergeld, the benefit that replaced Hartz IV in 2023, are expected to cooperate with the Jobcenter on finding employment, and missed obligations can lead to benefit reductions.