Employability Program Serving Racialized

Newcomer Women

Helping you make a plan for employment in Canada

We help newcomer women to Canada who identify as a visible minority develop skills and gain experience for a variety of employment. We have work placement opportunities with a number of our amazing program partners in hospitality, sewing and food industries. We offer workshops to help participates learn new skills and help with resume and employment portfolio building. We welcome anyone with low English levels and provide interpretation support for all.

What you will gain

  • Create a plan for securing employment

  • Attend workshops to develop new skills

  • Access one on one interpretation and navigation supports

  • Work placements opportunities

  • New connections for the workplace

  • Build an employment portfolio and resume

Program eligibility

  • Identify as a visible minority newcomer woman

  • Have a permanent resident number

  • Available to attend programming in person or online Monday to Friday

  • Seeking Canadian work experience and employment

Program Background

MetroWorks established the Employability Program for Racialized Newcomer Women in 2019 with funding support from the Department of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship.

All women participating in the program are Permanent Residents with limited English language skills and limited or no previous access to formal education. Most women journeyed from refugee camps and support large families bringing languages as diverse as Somali, Swahili, French, Arabic, Farsi and Spanish.

The greatest challenge for many women is building their English vocabulary, knowledge and confidence required to receive their Canadian Citizenship, voting privileges and access to employment opportunities. In support of these challenges, the program offers employability workshops, volunteer work placements and industry specific training opportunities which are structured to support language and confidence building opportunities.

For women who are ready to work, the program has been very successful connecting women to full time and part time jobs in the hospitality, sewing and food industries. This success is attributed to the strong relationships, interpretation supports and newcomer expertise the program staff provide to newcomer women. The success is also attributed to champion employers who provide a period of on job training and who proactively access job and communication support offered by the program staff.

All women served remain determined to build a better life for their families in a peaceful country where there is access to education for their children. The women are very aware that securing a job is key to building a hope filled life in Canada for their families.

Reach out Today

If you are unsure about your eligibility or want to discuss your situation and options, our team would love to hear from you!
Email: newcomerwomen@mymetroworks.ca

Hear from our participants from #WeclomingWeek2022

It's #WelcomeWeek2022 and we want you to meet Albertine! Hear her story of coming to Canada and being part of our Newcomer Women Program.

Meet Sahro! She was part of our Newcomer Women Program and now works at Stone Hearth Bakery! Hear her story about coming to Canada and how the program helped her live in her new community. #WelcomingWeek2022 Canadian Immigration and Citizenship

Meet Shukri! She’s from Kenya and moved to Canada in September 2021. She continues to volunteer with the Newcomer Women Program and now works at Stone Hearth Bakery. Happy #WelcomingWeek2022!

We’re excited for you to meet Eveline who came to Canada when she was in high school. Eveline came to the Newcomer Women Program after having some hardships with her studies at Nova Scotia Community College, specifically with high-level English. After some time in the program, and a lot of dedication, Eveline is graduating from her Medial Office Administration program in October! #WelcomingWeek2022 Canadian Immigration and Citizenship

We're wrapping up #WelcomingWeek2022 with Imelde's story. Find out how she was able to bring her passion for gardening to her new home in #novascotia with the help of the Newcomer Women Program. Canadian Immigration and Citizenship

We have another story for you! Meet Specioza and discover her journey in the Newcomer Women Program. Find out how she learned new skills, got support and found employment in her new home. It's Canadian Immigration and Citizenship's #WelcomingWeek2022 and we want to welcome you to our community!