Many of these companies have long-standing relationships with Canada’s top business schools © iStock / BalkansCat
Canada is one of the world’s largest economies, offering a healthy number of job opportunities for MBA and business master's graduates.
In 2023, employment rates in almost all Canadian provinces were above the OECD benchmark; high-skill jobs comprise over half of the overall share in regions such as Ontario. Additionally, 11 Canadian companies are on the Fortune Global 500 list.
Many of these companies have long-standing relationships with Canada’s top business schools and hire MBA and master's graduates annually.
So, where can you expect to end up after business school in Canada?
Top Canadian companies to work for
Abbott Medical Canada Co
Given the scale of Abbott Medical’s operations across product development, marketing, sales, and scientific research, it’s understandable that the company would hire from the MBA classroom, where students acquire a varied skillset.
Since 2020, Abbott Medical Canada Co has partnered with McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business to hire students from its MBA with Co-op program into workplace experiences in marketing, sales excellence, and finance throughout their studies.
“Students highlight their work terms as providing them with opportunities to support strategic initiatives and multiple projects, as well as stakeholder engagement,” explains Cynthia Bishop, manager, career and professional development at DeGroote.
“The diversity of our MBA class, including a strong representation of individuals with science undergraduate degrees as well as students with previous marketing experience, makes DeGroote a strong fit for organizations such as Abbott,” she adds.
Bain & Company
As one of the Big Three consulting firms, Bain & Company has long been a major recruiter of business graduates, and this is also true for Canadian schools.
For the last three years, the company has been among the top recruiters of MBA graduates from Ivey Business School, Western University. Bain’s ‘One Team’ philosophy—which prioritizes inclusive and collaborative working practices—aligns with Ivey’s core values, making its graduates an ideal fit for the consulting group.
Plus, in 2023, the annually published Vault Consulting Ranking named Bain & Company the best consulting firm in the world to work for.
Ivey graduates often land roles such as associate consultant or consultant at Bain.
“Imagine a role that builds on your academic and personal capabilities, providing the most interesting business challenges and the opportunity to tackle them with the brightest and most supportive peer group,” says Kim Miller, executive director, career management and corporate recruiting, at Ivey Business School.
“Ivey’s career centres do a fantastic job preparing students for the recruiting process and we are consistently impressed by student’s professionalism and polish—valuable traits in a client-services industry.”
CIBC
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) is one of Canada’s Big Five banks, with global operations spanning Canada, the US, the UK, and Asia. CIBC is one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and Greater Toronto’s Top Employers and operates a successful graduate recruitment program for MBA graduates in Canada.
One of those schools is the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. Its campus is in the heart of downtown Toronto, just a few blocks from the city’s financial district, where CIBC is headquartered.
“CIBC provides structured programs like rotational leadership roles, internships, and fast-track development opportunities,” notes Arfa Dar, manager of graduate careers and engagement at Ted Rogers School.
“They [programs] are specifically designed to help young professionals grow their careers quickly and effectively while they learn on the job through rigorous training.”
With careers in finance being the second-most popular route for Gen Z business school students, pursuing a degree in a hub like Toronto can significantly enhance grads’ prospects.
Deloitte
It’s no surprise that Deloitte, a global professional services firm, is on the list of top companies to work for after business school in Canada. Deloitte provides audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax, and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries and is consistently ranked among the Best Workplaces in Canada.
The firm has more offices in Canada than the UK, so there are plenty of opportunities for business school graduates, no matter which province you’re studying in.
For example, Deloitte is a key hiring partner of UBC Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
“Students’ diverse educational backgrounds and professional experience in areas such as engineering, data analytics, supply chain and healthcare are well aligned with the skills and industry knowledge for Deloitte’s client base,” says Martina Valkovicova, assistant dean of the Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre at UBC Sauder.
Deloitte's career development pathways, including internship and mentorship, also appeal to students.
JD Irving
JD Irving is a Canadian success story. The conglomerate now has 20,000 full-time employees in the US and Canada but traces its origins back to Saint John, New Brunswick, where it still has its headquarters.
JD Irving represents a fantastic graduate opportunity for business students from the University of New Brunswick Saint John. Recent MBA students have been hired as project managers and account executives, helping to steer JDI across operations in agriculture, construction, forestry, and transportation.
“We have strong partnerships with JD Irving and have developed programming to specifically meet their workforce needs,” says Sarah Craig, manager of student experience and engagement, at UNB Saint John.
Image: aiisha5 / iStock
Kenvue
You might know Kenvue by its former identity as the Consumer Healthcare division of Johnson & Johnson. This multinational company, which operates a large manufacturing site in Guelph, Ontario, is known for producing household brands like Tylenol®, Neutrogena®, and Band-Aid®. Given its reputation, the company is a top destination for Canadian business graduates.
Business school graduates are recruited for roles including brand managers and account managers. Ivey Business School has a strong partnership with Johnson & Johnson and, subsequently, Kenvue, which has been among the top recruiters of MBA students in the last three years.
“Students appreciate that Kenvue is a global leader in consumer health products that combines the agility of a startup with the resources of an established organization, giving it the ability to provide career growth, leadership development, and cross-functional opportunities,” says Kim from Ivey Business School.
Lululemon
Now one of the world’s largest athletic apparel and lifestyle brands, Lululemon began in 1998 in Vancouver, Canada, and still has its headquarters there.
For MBA and Master's graduates in Vancouver and the surrounding area—who may also have been attracted to the province’s outdoor attractions—the company offers varied graduate opportunities in product management, finance, HR, data and analytics.
Lululemon’s connections with the city extend to Vancouver’s local business schools. The company has a longstanding partnership with UBC Sauder, for example, hosting mentoring programs, organizing campus recruitment sessions, and hiring summer interns.
“UBC Sauder Graduate students are also a great fit for Lululemon because they are very values-oriented—focusing on personal development, meaningful work and work-life balance which match Lululemon’s values, work culture and commitment to create a positive change for its people and the planet,” says Martina at UBC Sauder.
Scotiabank
Scotiabank is the third largest of Canada’s Big Five financial institutions and has its headquarters in Toronto’s financial district. The bank’s position within Canada’s finance sector makes it a top destination for MBA and Master in Finance graduates.
For example, 28% of MBA graduates from DeGroote School of Business entered the finance industry in 2023, with Scotiabank being one of the school’s top recruiters. Students and graduates have been hired into various business lines across the organization, from strategy to sales and trading to retail banking.
In addition to hiring business school graduates, Scotiabank participates in co-curricular and extra-curricular learning opportunities at business schools, including at DeGroote.
Cynthia from DeGroote explains that the DeGroote MBA program is “proud of its diverse community including its gender diversity”, with more than 55% of MBA students identifying as female.
“DeGroote’s talent pipeline is ideal for sectors seeking to create more inclusive workplaces and to bridge the gender gap,” she says.
Wealthsimple
Wealthsimple was founded just 10 years ago, and in that time, it has firmly established itself as an innovative wealth management and investment company. Based in Toronto, the company is also a leading business school recruiter in the local area, hiring graduates from schools such as Ted Rogers School.
MBA graduates at Ted Rogers School follow an innovative curriculum that prioritizes financial innovation, meaning they’ve got the skills to thrive at a fintech like Wealthsimple.
Dr. Laleh Samarbakhsh, program director, Ted Rogers MBA, says: “In our MBA curriculum, students get trained on timely finance and technology topics. This training usually involves hands-on skills in financial modelling with a global business perspective, and training in investments.
“This combination strongly aligns with the financial industry, making our graduates a great fit for such positions within Wealthsimple.”
Xerox
Fortune 500 company Xerox operates offices across Canada, including a Canadian headquarters in Toronto, a research center in Mississauga, regional offices, and TeleWeb call centers in Nova Scotia.
“They [Xerox] offer incredible training opportunities, a fun work environment, and international prestige,” says Sarah from UNB Saint John.
The scale of Xerox’s operations in Canada means plenty of opportunities for business school graduates. The company is one of the top hirers of the UNB Saint John MBA program graduates—previous grads have accepted roles as project managers and account executives.
