Job interview questions in Canada and how to answer them

How do you prepare for a job interview in Canada?

Research the employer, reread the posting and prepare answers grounded in your own experience. Ask ahead of time whether there will be a test and how many people will interview you. Job Bank also suggests bringing copies of your resume, your list of references, something to write with and any letters of recommendation.

Job Bank’s advice on how to prepare for an interview (opens in a new tab) follows four stages: planning, what to bring, the interview itself and following up. Rehearse your answers to likely questions, confirm the time and do a trial run of the route if the interview is in person. During the interview, feel free to ask for clarification when a question is unclear; that comes across well.

In Canada, hiring often happens in several rounds: a short screening call, then one or more meetings with the hiring manager, sometimes with a practical test. Each round deserves its own preparation. If your resume shows time out of work, prepare a short answer as well: our guide to explaining a gap in your resume offers wording for each situation.

If the interview is by phone or video, add the technical preparation: our guide to video and phone interviews includes a full checklist.

Which questions come up most often?

Some questions appear in almost every interview: tell me about yourself, why this role, why us, your strengths and areas for improvement, a difficult situation you handled, your salary expectations and your questions for the employer. Each one tests something specific, so understand what before you answer.

For questions that start with "Tell me about a time when", our guide to the STAR method for behavioural interviews offers annotated examples and a preparation table. For the salary question, see how to research and negotiate salary in Canada.

How do you answer "Tell me about yourself"?

Give a professional summary of about two minutes, aimed at the role: what you do today, two achievements tied to the posting and what draws you to this role. For the detailed structure and examples for your situation, see our guide to answering "Tell me about yourself".

Which questions should an employer not ask?

An employer should not ask about a prohibited ground of discrimination unless the information is genuinely needed for the job. Federally regulated employers are covered by the Canadian Human Rights Act; each province and territory has its own human rights law. In Quebec, section 18.1 of the Charter of human rights and freedoms covers job application forms and interviews.

Section 3 of the Canadian Human Rights Act (opens in a new tab) lists the federal grounds: race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability, and a conviction for which a pardon has been granted or a record suspension ordered. It applies to federally regulated employers such as banks, telecommunications companies and interprovincial transportation.

In Quebec, the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ) states that discrimination in job interviews and employment applications is prohibited (opens in a new tab). The Quebec Charter’s grounds include pregnancy, political convictions, language and social condition. The Commission has also reminded employers that questions about candidates’ health (opens in a new tab) have no place in hiring unless they relate to what the job actually requires.

Examples of questions that touch on these grounds:

• "How old are you?" or "What year did you finish high school?"
• "Are you pregnant? Are you planning to have children?"
• "What is your religion? Do you practise?"
• "Where are your parents from? What is your mother tongue?"
• "Have you ever been treated for depression?"

A question linked to a real job requirement can still be legitimate: whether you can work the advertised schedule, the languages the tasks require, or whether you are legally entitled to work in Canada, for example.

This article provides general information, not legal advice.

How do you respond politely to an inappropriate question?

Stay calm and bring the conversation back to the job’s requirements. You can address the concern behind the question without sharing the personal information requested. For example, to "Do you have children?", you might answer: "I am available for the schedule described in the posting, including the travel it mentions."

Three ways to respond, depending on your comfort level:

1. Redirect: answer the job’s need rather than the question ("My French and English allow me to serve clients in both languages").
2. Ask how it relates to the role: "Could you tell me how this relates to the position?"
3. Decline courteously: "I’d prefer to focus on my skills and experience for this role."

After the interview, write down the question, the date and the name of the person who asked it. In Quebec, the CDPDJ accepts complaints of discrimination, including in hiring; elsewhere, contact your provincial or territorial human rights body, or the Canadian Human Rights Commission for federally regulated employers.

What should you ask at the end of the interview?

Prepare two or three questions about the role’s priorities, the team or the next steps, and keep benefits questions for when you have an offer. Our list of questions to ask at the end of an interview sorts them by goal, with the ones to avoid.

The same day, send a thank-you note; Job Bank recommends writing to the interviewers to thank them and restate your interest. Our guide to the thank-you email after an interview will help you write it.

How can Postulio help?

Postulio’s job posting analysis extracts the skills and requirements from a posting and compares them with your profile, so you know which strengths to highlight and which gaps to prepare for before the interview. To practise under realistic conditions, the Premium plan includes one human support session each month, including a mock interview option, with feedback on your answers. You stay in charge of your preparation and your answers; Postulio does not guarantee an interview or a job.

Sources

• Job Bank, How to prepare for an interview (opens in a new tab) — planning, what to bring, questions to prepare and a thank-you letter.
• Canadian Human Rights Act, section 3 (opens in a new tab) — federal prohibited grounds of discrimination.
• CDPDJ, Hiring and pre-hiring process (opens in a new tab) — discrimination in interviews and applications is prohibited in Quebec, and how to file a complaint.
• CDPDJ, Discriminatory interview questions (opens in a new tab) — unjustified medical questions have no place in hiring.