Guide · applying in another country
Resume format for Canada
What employers in Canada usually expect on a resume, what they usually don't, and where that guidance comes from.
These notes are about what employers may ask or require, and what Canadian job advice recommends, not about what you must do. The Ontario Human Rights Commission page covers what employers may do when they recruit. Job Bank's advice is written for job seekers, and it is advice, not a law. Guidance, not legal advice.
Usually or often left out in Canada
- Birthdate or age
- Civil status
- Religion
- Height and weight
- Sex or gender
- Place of birth
- Nationality
- Photo
- Full home address
- Government ID numbers (national ID, tax or social security)
- Parents, spouse or children
Detail by detail
| Detail | In Canada | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Birthdate or age | Usually left out | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume |
| Civil status | Usually left out | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume |
| Religion | Usually left out | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume |
| Height and weight | Usually left out | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume |
| Sex or gender | Usually left out | Ontario Human Rights Commission — Human rights at work Ontario guidance for employers (2008 third edition), not a rule for what you write on a resume. |
| Place of birth | Often left out | Ontario Human Rights Commission — Human rights at work Ontario guidance for employers (2008 third edition), not a rule for what you write on a resume. |
| Nationality | Often left out | Ontario Human Rights Commission — Human rights at work Ontario guidance for employers (2008 third edition), not a rule for what you write on a resume. |
| Photo | Usually left out | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume |
| Full home address | Often left out | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume Job Bank says to list your name, address, email and phone number at the top of the first page. Our check only suggests swapping a full street address for your city, a privacy choice that is recruiter convention, not a rule. |
| Government ID numbers (national ID, tax or social security) | Usually left out | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume Says never to include your Social Insurance Number in your resume. |
| Parents, spouse or children | Usually left out | Ontario Human Rights Commission — Human rights at work Ontario guidance for employers (2008 third edition), not a rule for what you write on a resume. |
| Objective statement | Worth a look | Recruiter convention No official source; this is common recruiter practice. |
| Character references with phone numbers | Worth a look | Job Bank (Government of Canada) — How to write a good resume Says to keep references on a separate sheet and give them only when asked. |
Everywhere
Leave government ID numbers off your resume: national ID, tax and social security numbers. Most employers don't need them to decide whether to interview you, and they can be misused. Share a passport number only when an employer asks for it.
Other countries: United States · Singapore · Japan · Philippines. See all resume guides.
Guidance, not legal advice. When an employer asks for something specific, follow their instructions.
Check your own resume for Canada with the Country check: we flag each item with the reason and let you remove it in one click.
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