George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
What is Occupation-specific Language Training?
The Occupation-specific Language Training (OSLT) Program at George Brown Polytechnic helps prepare newcomers for the workplace by focusing on the language and communication expectations of specific occupations in Canada. Many newcomers have considerable background and experience from their home country but have not worked in their field in Canada. OSLT builds cultural awareness to support communication in a professional Canadian work environment. Learning materials and activities reflect common workplace-based situations. The college's instructors are experienced in teaching ESL to adults and draw upon the participants' knowledge and experience of the subject matter. George Brown Polytechnic, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada's largest city, offers newcomers the resources and the network to succeed in the Canadian job market.
As of September 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will no longer be funding the delivery of OSLT/FLAP.
Course Outcomes
Participants will develop the language and communication skills needed to:
- Understand workplace culture in their occupation and sector
- Interact effectively with their colleagues, clients and supervisors
- Give and receive information by email and telephone
- Interview and network effectively
- Develop soft skills
Course Content
Depending on the sector, OSLT courses may include the following:
Unit 1. Working in the Sector
Participants learn about the resources they can use to identify the general requirements, qualifications and processes for working in their field in Ontario. Participants gain insight into Canadian workplace culture and practice introducing themselves professionally.
Unit 2. Gathering and Sharing Information
Participants practice asking questions clearly and appropriately to obtain information as well as develop skills needed to share and present information accurately.
Unit 3. Communicating Using Technology
Participants practice using technology to communicate, including by telephone, email and other Internet-based communication media.
Unit 4. Managing Interactions
Participants practice strategies for managing interactions including formal and informal interactions, strategies for negotiating workplace issues, managing situations that require assertiveness or conflict resolution.
Unit 5. Moving Forward
Participants prepare for employment searches, including asking for references and researching networking opportunities. Participants also practice decoding job ads, presenting their accomplishments and practice their in-person and telephone interview skills.
Eligibility
Participants must be permanent residents, convention refugees/protected persons, or temporary residents affected by the crisis in Gaza (showing “MOME2023” in status documentation until March 31, 2027) and have:
- Training or experience in a specified occupation or sector but need to improve their occupation-specific communication skills
- Language proficiency at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels 6 to 8* in at least one language skill area or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 5/6 to 8 for courses taught in French
*Inter-professional Health Care Teams and Professional Managers courses require CLB levels 7-8.
Current Schedule
Business – Accounting/Finance (May 19 – August 27, 2026)
- Workplace Communication Skills for Accounting and Finance: This practical and innovative course helps participants with training or experience in accounting or finance understand business workplaces in Ontario; effectively interact with customers, colleagues, suppliers, financial officers and government officials; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in a variety of business and financial settings.
Business – Entrepreneur/Sales & Marketing (May 19 – August 27, 2026)
- Workplace Communication Skills for Entrepreneurship and Sales and Marketing: This practical and innovative course helps participants with training or experience in running a business or sales and marketing; understand business workplaces in Ontario; effectively interact with customers, colleagues, employees, suppliers, financial officers and government officials; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve your occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in a variety of business settings.
Business – Professional Managers (May 26 – August 27, 2026)
- Workplace Communications Skills for Professional Managers: This course focuses on the language and socio-cultural communication requirements of professional managers at CLB 7 to 8. The course addresses the language and communication skills needed to gather and share information with staff, colleagues and upper levels of management; communicate in one-on-one interactions, in meetings and through email; manage challenging interactions with staff, colleagues and upper levels of management; give presentations appropriate for managers. Sector background knowledge and culture relevant to the workplace context in Ontario are explicitly addressed in communication practice tasks.
Business - Writing Professionally (ONLINE)¹ (April 2 – May 21, 2026)
- This online course focuses on professional writing skills. Participants will practice writing in a variety of professional contexts as well as develop strategies for effective writing. ¹Must have successfully completed:
- OSLT Business; or
- OSLT Technology; or
- OSLT Project Management; or
- OSLT Professional Managers; or o OSLT Communicating in the Business/Technology Sector (40-hour online)
Business (ONLINE) – 40-hour per module
- This practical and innovative course consists of 3 – online modules will help participants with experience or training in accounting, finance, entrepreneur, project management, sales & marketing and technology understand business, financial and IT workplaces in Ontario; clearly and effectively interact with colleagues, clients and supervisors; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in business, financial and IT.
Module 1: Accessing the Business Job Market in Ontario (April 16 – May 14, 2026) - This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to introduce yourself professionally in the job search context, describe requirements for working in your chosen occupation in Ontario and develop a Job Action Plan for securing employment in your chosen occupation.
Module 2: Communicating in the Business Sector (April 14 – May 19, 2026) - This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to improve communication skills within the context of your field, preparing presentations, gathering and sharing information in the workplace.
Module 3: Managing Workplace Interactions (April 7 – May 12, 2026) - This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to deal with challenging interactions, negotiate and solve problems, participate in meetings, explore workplace structures and cultural concepts.
Health Care (May 19 – August 27, 2026)
- This practical and innovative course will help participants with experience or training in dental hygiene, medical laboratory technology, medical radiation technology, nursing, personal support work (PSW) and sleep technology address the language and socio-communication skills needed to collect and share information with others; communicate using technology such as telephone and email; manage interactions with colleagues, clients and clients’ family members; introduce oneself in work-related situations; undertake employment and work-related interviews; and network effectively. Sector background knowledge and culture relevant to the health sciences workplace context in Ontario are explicitly addressed in communication practice tasks.
Health Sciences (ONLINE) – 40-hour per module
- This practical and innovative course consists of 3 – online modules will help participants with experience or training in dental hygiene, dietetics, medical laboratory technology, medical radiation technology, nursing, occupational therapy, personal support work, physiotherapy, sleep technology or social work understand health care workplaces in Ontario such as hospitals, clinics and nursing homes; clearly and effectively interact with colleagues, clients and supervisors; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in health care settings such as clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, community agencies, medical offices and residences.
Module 1: Accessing the Health Care Job Market in Ontario (April 7 – May 12, 2026) - This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to introduce yourself professionally in the job search context, describe requirements for working in your chosen occupation in Ontario and develop a Job Action Plan for securing employment in your chosen occupation.
Module 2: Communicating in the Health Care Sector (April 9 – May 14, 2026) - This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to ask common questions in a data collection interview, document data collection findings and conduct telephone calls appropriately.
How to Apply
To be considered, please submit the following documents by email to: oslt@georgebrown.ca
- a copy of your resume; &
- a valid Canadian Language Benchmark* (CLB) score (must be taken within 24 months of the start date of the OSLT course).
To book a CLB assessment, please contact the YMCA Language Assessment and Referral Services: Language Assessment and Referral Services | YMCA GTA
George Brown Polytechnic
200 King Street East, Room 524A,
Toronto, Ontario, M5A 3W8
Toronto ON M5A 1L1
Email: oslt@georgebrown.ca
Phone: 416-415-5000 ext. 6980
Success Stories
Regulatory Bodies, Networks & Associations
Education & Training
Regulatory Bodies/Network & Associations
Business
- Chartered Accountants of Canada
- Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario
- Chartered Financial Analyst Institute
- CFA Society Toronto
- Canadian Bookkeepers Association
- Canadian Payroll Association
- Canadian Securities Institute
- Financial Services Commission of Ontario
- Canadian Marketing Association
Health
- College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario
- College of Dietitians of Ontario
- College of Medical Radiation Technologists of Ontario
- College of Nurses of Ontario
- College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
- Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
- College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
- Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario
- Registered Practical Nurses Associations of Ontario
- Personal Support Network of Ontario
- Ontario Physiotherapy Association
- Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists
- Ontario Association of Social Workers
- CARE Centre for Internationally Educated Nurses
- Health Force Ontario
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