MPA/MPP job prospects in Canada without policy experience ?

[NikInd]

Dear All,

My queries are specifically in relation to Canada.

I am a lawyer from India who is in the process of applying for a Canadian PR. If I am able to obtain the PR, I would work towards getting licensed to practice law in Canada but I am really not interested in practicing law. I plan to switch to the public policy/public administration area and preferably work for the public sector or if that doesn't work out then for NGOs or think tanks or private sector consultancy.

I have some concerns about this approach though and I would be grateful if the knowledgeable members here can help me clear some doubts before I embark upon any of these steps.

1. I have 5 years of experience as lawyer in India working primarily in the Supreme Court and as a corporate lawyer. Having no public sector or policy experience, would this reduce my chances of getting a job post the MPP/MPA ? I have heard that most MPP/MPA candidates are people who have prior policy/public sector experience and others struggle to get jobs.

2. Is there a disadvantage to applying for government jobs in Canada as someone who has only foreign experience and is only a PR and not a Canadian citizen ? Is there any unofficial discrimination against such candidates even if they have a Canadian masters ?

3. What is the job market like generally for MPP/MPAs in Canada ? What are the general starting salaries like and how many people end up getting jobs or end up jobless for a long time post the masters ?

4. Anyone who has any advice arising from experience, please feel free to share. It will be very helpful. As you can tell, my decision to get a Masters in Canada is to become attractive to Canadian employers, rather than come across as someone who is fresh off the boat. But my biggest fear is getting the Masters but still not getting a job after that for whatever reason. 

 

Thank you.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2019 by NikInd

[Spiderman]

It's a waste of time and money when you can just apply to government jobs now. Canadian MPP/MPA degrees are dime a dozen and very easy to get into. Getting a government job is also very difficult in today's age.