Frequently Asked Questions

OFE connects job seekers and employers to create long-term, sustainable matches. We help people find permanent full-time jobs through employment coaching, resume/cover letter development, workshops in topics such as computer use, digital job search, self-marketing, etc., and assistance in receiving certain certificates that would be beneficial to your job goals like Safe Food Handling, Smart Choices, Lift Truck Theory, and more! We can also introduce you to our Employer Partners that are sourced by our Employer Liaisons. All of our services are free. If this is the type of service that you are looking for, then there are two ways to register:

1. Online Registration
   Click on the "Register With OFE" button on our website. After that, you may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at ofe.ca so we can walk you through the next step in the registration process.
2. In-Person Registration
   Call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at ofe.ca to connect with a staff member who will schedule you for our next group intake session.

OFE works with over 500 employer partners. Many of them represent in-demand sectors like Manufacturing & Labour, Health Services Support, Customer Service/Contact Centres, Retail & Hospitality, Office & Administration, and Child Care. These are the areas where we have the most job positions and employer connections, but we are able to help you apply for any type of position you are looking for.

Wait times vary between programs, but in general, we are currently booking initial appointments within one week.

There are various ways to connect with us. You may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at www.ofe.ca. While we meet with clients by appointment only, we can accommodate in-person inquiries during office hours, which are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Mondays to Thursdays. Our office is at 294 Portage Avenue. Check in at the 4th floor reception desk.

There are two ways to apply to OFE as a Job Seeker.

1. Apply Online
   Click on the "Register With OFE" button on our website. After that, you may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at www.ofe.ca so we can walk you through the next step in the registration process.
2. Apply in Person
   There are several ways you can connect with us to book for your in-person registration. You may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at www.ofe.ca. While we only meet with clients by appointment only, we can accommodate in-person inquiries during office hours, which are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Mondays to Thursdays. Our office is at 294 Portage Avenue.  Check in at the 4th floor reception desk.

OFE is government funded and we are required to ensure that people are eligible to work in Canada. In addition, SIN numbers are the unique identifier that is used to report program engagement to our funder. The data is encrypted and, once entered, our staff do not have access to your SIN. You may provide your SIN in person versus providing it on the online application if you prefer. Your privacy is very important and we take every measure to protect you and your information. If you have any additional questions, you can contact our Privacy Officer at (204) 925-3490.

• Be a resident of the City of Winnipeg
• Be eligible to work in Canada
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number
• Be unemployed or working less than 25 hours per week
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be available to attend programming

Note: Other program-specific eligibility requirements may apply

Due to the eligibility set out by our funders, we are limited to assisting only those who are unemployed or working part-time (less than 25 hours per week) and have the availability to attend programming.

Yes. EIA is one of our funder partners, and we have a referral-based system with them. To get things started, please connect with your EIA Case Worker and ask them to send a referral to OFE. If they approve your plan, your EIA Case Coordinator will schedule you for one of our weekly EIA intake dates.

Due to the eligibility set out by our funders, we can help those with Open Work Permits that are valid for at least 3 months. Please connect with us once you have applied to extend or renew your permit so we can schedule you for intake.

Unfortunately, our services are only available to people currently living in Winnipeg. If you are someone from outside of Canada, here is a link that may help you on how to immigrate to Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/contact-ircc.html

The Community Employment Support Program (CESP) is designed to improve the labour market success of job seekers who have been involved with the justice system and face the barrier to employment of having a criminal record. The program is funded by the United Way and allows most participants with criminal records to access programming, including one-on-one intake assessments, career exploration, motivational interviews, encouragement, and confidence-building. In addition, they address job searching, resumes, cover letters, and interview assistance. Participants are also referred to in-house modules and training.We are here to help! Please reach out through our registration process to get started.

We have a program called the Community Home Services Program (CHSP) where we assist with light housekeeping, yard work, and snow removal. It is a free program, but you do need to meet all eligibility criteria. Kindly email or call Nikki Pledger at Nikkip@ofe.ca or (204) 927-1722 for more information or if you have questions or would like to sign up for the program.

We can definitely help with that. OFE has Employer Liaisons who connect with employers who are looking to get help filling positions. Kindly connect with Chris Milne at chrism@ofe.ca or (204) 926-3101. He will be able to assist you with this request.

Please call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at ofe.ca to find out the name and contact information of your Employment Consultant.

The Job Resource Area hours are 8:00 am to 11:45 am and re-opens from 1:00 pm to 3:45 pm, Monday to Thursday. Changes to the hours will be posted at our reception desks.

For a new OFE nametag, please come to the office and ask a staff member at the 4th Floor Welcome Desk, and they will provide you with a new one.

You may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at ofe.ca to request your OFE file number. If you have your Employment Consultant’s contact information, you can reach out to them directly to ask for your file number.

Please use the “Forgot Password” option on our website https://ofewebintake.istedycloud.com/Account/AccountRecovery. If you are still experiencing issues, you may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at ofe.ca so we can walk you through the steps on how to reset your password.

Please use this link https://www.ofe.ca/job-seekers/modules to get access to our modules page where you can see lists of our Employment Development, Skill Development, and Job Search Preparation classes and workshops.

Please connect with your Employment Consultant (EC) to be recommended for an upcoming class or workshop. If you do not have your EC’s information, you may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at ofe.ca.

If you have missed a class and need to reschedule, please reach out to your assigned Employment Consultant to reschedule. If you are unsure of who to contact, you may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at ofe.ca to speak to one of our staff members.

OFE welcomes the opportunity to listen to our clients' needs and provide better service. You may call us at (204) 925-3490, email us at ofe@ofe.ca, or chat with us through our website at www.ofe.ca for your concern to be directed to the proper Department Manager.

OFE is located at 300 - 294 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0B9.

• Our main reception area is on the 4th floor of 294 Portage Avenue.
• We are in the Somerset Building, which is next door to the Radisson Hotel.
• We are at the Southeast corner of Portage Avenue and Donald Street.
• Google Map: LINK

Many Westbound buses stop at the Canada Life Centre, which is next door to OFE. The closest Eastbound stop is across the street, in front of Mountain Equipment Co-op at Portage Avenue and Donald Street. Most Winnipeg bus routes go through the bus mall on Graham, which is a one to two block walk to 294 Portage Avenue where we are located.

The closest parking lot is in the Radisson Downtown Winnipeg hotel and is accessible off Smith Street. There are some time-limited parking spots on Donald Street (pay by phone), a lot across from The Marlborough Hotel, and one behind the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre. Here is a link to a parking map produced by the Downtown Biz: Parking Downtown.