Most Canadian job boards are built for everyone, which means a welder finishing her apprenticeship and a bank analyst coming back from a three-year caregiving break both start from the same crowded search page. WomenAtWork.ca takes a narrower approach: it is a Canadian job board where employers post specifically to reach women, and where women can search, apply and set alerts for free. This guide covers what women at work in Canada can expect from the site, what employers pay to post, and the federal and provincial rules that explain why so many employers recruit women deliberately.
Key facts
- Job seekers pay nothing. Creating a profile, searching, applying and setting job alerts on WomenAtWork.ca is free.
- Employers buy posting credits. As of October 2026, one credit costs CA$99, and one credit posts one job for 180 days.
- One posting, wider reach. WomenAtWork.ca is part of a network of 25+ niche Canadian job boards, and a single credit works on any of them.
- The pay gap is still real. Statistics Canada reports that in 2025 women earned about 88 cents for every dollar men earned per hour.
- Equity rules shape hiring. The Employment Equity Act names women as a designated group for federally regulated employers with 100 or more employees.
What WomenAtWork.ca is and who uses it
WomenAtWork.ca is a niche board. Employers who post here have chosen to put their roles in front of women candidates, and candidates who search here know that before they open a single listing.
Who posts roles
Recent listings show the range: hospitality shift supervisors in Saskatchewan, oyster processing roles on Vancouver Island, administrative coordinators in Regina, care coordinators and home care aides in Quebec, apprentice electricians in Saskatoon, and brand managers in Sherbrooke. The mix covers hourly frontline work, skilled trades and salaried professional roles across several provinces, not just Toronto and Vancouver.
Pay is visible on listings
Most current postings show a pay range up front. Listings seen on the site in October 2026 ranged from about CA$17 an hour for a shift supervisor to CA$83,000 to CA$115,000 a year for a brand manager. That matters because pay transparency is now a legal requirement in some provinces, and because candidates screen out vague postings quickly.
Who searches
The site serves women at every stage: students and new graduates, experienced professionals, tradespeople moving from apprentice to journeyperson, and women returning after parental leave, caregiving, illness or relocation.
For job seekers: how to use the site
Everything on the candidate side is free. You can browse without an account, but a profile unlocks the faster tools. Start at WomenAtWork.ca for job seekers.
Search and filter
Filter by skills, location and work arrangement. Postings are labelled full-time or part-time and onsite or hybrid, so you can rule out roles that do not fit your schedule before reading the full description.
Apply with a saved profile
Once your profile is complete, you can apply to multiple jobs with one click. Spend your effort on the profile itself: list certifications by their exact names (for example "Red Seal Electrician 309A" or "CPA"), state your apprenticeship level if you are in a trade, and keep your location current.
Set job alerts
Alerts notify you when a new posting matches your interests. Set one per target role rather than one broad alert, for example "apprentice electrician, Saskatchewan" and "administrative coordinator, hybrid". Narrow alerts mean fewer irrelevant emails.
Check the pay range against official data
Before you apply or negotiate, compare the posted range with the Government of Canada Job Bank wage report for that occupation. For example, Job Bank lists construction electricians nationally at CA$20 (low), CA$35 (median) and CA$48 (high) per hour, using 2023-2024 Labour Force Survey data updated in November 2025. If a posting sits well below the local median, ask why before you accept.
For employers: what posting costs and what you get
Employers create an account, buy credits and post. Pricing and packages are listed at WomenAtWork.ca for employers.
Pricing as of October 2026
| Package | Credits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | 1 | CA$99 |
| Grow | 3 | CA$289 |
| Scale | 5 | CA$469 |
| Enterprise | 30 | CA$2,669 |
Each standard posting uses one credit and stays live for 180 days. Credits expire 365 days after purchase. All packages include PDF activity reports and the ability to manage multiple organizations.
One credit, the whole network
A credit can be used on any of the 25+ boards in the network from one dashboard. A construction firm can post an apprentice role on WomenAtWork.ca and use another credit on a trades-focused board without opening a second account.
Built for agencies too
Recruiters and HR agencies can post on behalf of several client companies from one login and track applications for each client separately. The PDF activity reports give you something concrete to show a client or include in recruitment records.
Write postings that convert
- Use the title candidates search for. "Apprentice Electrician" beats "Electrical Team Member II".
- Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. A list of 14 requirements filters out qualified people.
- State the pay range. In British Columbia, the Pay Transparency Act has required wage ranges in public postings since November 1, 2023. Ontario added a similar requirement for public postings from January 1, 2026.
- Name what you actually offer: parental leave top-ups, apprenticeship sponsorship, properly fitted PPE, predictable shifts or hybrid days.
Returning to work after a career break
Career breaks for parenting, caregiving, health or relocation are common, and a gap on a resume is not the obstacle it once was. Some large employers in Canada now run formal returnships.
What a returnship looks like
A returnship is a paid, time-limited role for experienced professionals coming back after a break, with training and mentorship built in and a possible permanent offer at the end. Capgemini Canada, for example, runs a returnship program for experienced technology professionals who have taken a career break. Programs like this open and close on fixed dates, so check employer career pages directly and set alerts for "returnship" and "return to work".
Concrete steps for this week
- Write one line for the gap on your resume, such as "Career break, 2022-2025: family caregiving". Do not over-explain.
- List anything current: a course, a certification renewal, volunteer treasurer work, freelance projects.
- If your licence or designation lapsed, check reinstatement rules with the regulator (for example, your provincial engineering or accounting body) before applying.
- Create a free profile and set alerts for the two or three roles closest to your last position.
For employers hiring returners
A returner often brings years of experience and needs a short ramp, not entry-level training. A named onboarding contact and a 90-day check-in plan cost little and reduce early turnover.
Trades and STEM pipelines
Women remain underrepresented in skilled trades and engineering, and several Canadian organizations exist specifically to change that.
Skilled trades
Trades such as electrician, plumber, welder, carpenter and heavy equipment operator are regulated provincially, with interprovincial mobility through the Red Seal Program. Apprenticeships are run by bodies such as Skilled Trades Ontario, SkilledTradesBC and Alberta's apprenticeship system. For a supported entry point, look at:
- Women Building Futures in Edmonton, which runs pre-employment training for women entering construction and industrial trades.
- BC Centre for Women in the Trades, which supports tradeswomen with networking and workplace resources.
- Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC), a national network with chapters across the country.
Engineering and technology
Engineers Canada leads the 30 by 30 initiative, which aims to raise the share of newly licensed engineers who are women to 30 percent by 2030. Employers in engineering, utilities and technical consulting often recruit with this target in mind. The Canadian Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology (CCWESTT) is another national network worth joining for mentorship.
Next step for trades and STEM candidates
Keep a dated log of apprenticeship hours, certifications and projects. Apprenticeship authorities and employers will ask for it, and listing it precisely in your profile makes you easier to shortlist.
The Employment Equity Act and related rules
This section is general context, not legal advice. Employers should confirm their obligations with official Government of Canada sources or a qualified advisor.
Who is covered
The Employment Equity Act applies to federally regulated private-sector employers with 100 or more employees, Crown corporations and the federal public service. That includes banks such as RBC, TD and Scotiabank, telecoms such as Bell and Telus, and interprovincial transportation employers such as CN, Air Canada and Canada Post. Women are one of the Act's designated groups.
What it requires
Covered employers must identify and remove employment barriers, set plans to improve representation where it falls short, and report annually. The Federal Contractors Program applies similar expectations to provincially regulated employers with 100 or more employees that win federal contracts of CA$1 million or more.
Pay equity
The federal Pay Equity Act, in force since 2021, requires federally regulated employers with 10 or more employees to build pay equity plans. Ontario and Quebec have their own pay equity laws for provincially regulated employers.
What this means for both sides
For employers, a women-focused board is one documented sourcing channel within an equity plan. It does not satisfy any legal obligation on its own. For job seekers, it explains why a bank, railway or telecom may be actively looking for women candidates for technical and leadership roles.
FAQ
Does WomenAtWork.ca cost anything for job seekers?
No. Creating a profile, searching, applying and setting job alerts are free, and the site states that applying is always free.
How much does it cost employers to post a job?
As of October 2026, a single posting credit costs CA$99. Packages run from 3 credits for CA$289 to 30 credits for CA$2,669. Each posting stays live for 180 days.
Can men apply to jobs on WomenAtWork.ca?
Postings are open to qualified applicants under Canadian human rights law. The board exists to help employers reach women candidates, not to restrict who may apply.
Do postings include salary information?
Most current listings show a pay range. Compare it with the Job Bank wage report for that occupation and region before you apply.
Can recruiters post for multiple clients?
Yes. One account can manage several client organizations, and credits can be used on any board in the 25+ site network.
Does posting here meet employment equity requirements?
No single posting does. It can be one recorded part of your recruitment efforts, but obligations under the Employment Equity Act and the Federal Contractors Program are broader.
Get started
Whether you are hiring or job hunting, WomenAtWork.ca serves both sides of the market. Employers can review pricing and post a role at WomenAtWork.ca for employers. Job seekers can browse openings and create a free profile at WomenAtWork.ca for job seekers.