Country guides / Canada
Canadian Resume Format Guide 2026
Canadian resumes follow the North American model: no photo, no personal data, achievement-driven bullets. Canadian spelling and a languages section (English/French) set it apart from the US version.
The rules at a glance
Length
1–2 pages (2 accepted for senior roles)
Photo
No; it raises discrimination concerns
Personal details
City + province only, no full address or DOB
Dates
Mar 2020 – Present
Language
Canadian English (behaviour, centre); French for Québec
ATS
Widely used; keyword-match the posting
✓ Do
- Reverse-chronological format; recruiters expect it
- List English/French proficiency; bilingualism is an asset
- Include volunteer work; it's valued in Canadian hiring culture
- Use Canadian spelling throughout
- Tailor the resume to each posting
✕ Don't
- Photo, SIN, age, marital status or full street address
- US spelling if you can avoid it
- One generic resume for every application
- Long paragraphs instead of bullets
- Salary information unless requested
💡 Applying in Québec? Prepare a French version; many employers there expect a CV en français.
Quick answers
- How long should a Canada resume be?
- 1–2 pages (2 accepted for senior roles)
- Should it include a photo?
- No; it raises discrimination concerns
- Can I build one for free?
- Yes. The GlobeResume builder applies every rule on this page automatically, previews your resume live, and exports to PDF and Word. It runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
Build my Canada Resume free
No sign-up. The builder pre-loads every Canada convention from this guide.