Hiring & Recruiting in Canada
Capital
Ottawa
Official Language
English, French
Currency
Canadian Dollar
Payroll cycle
Bi-Monthly
Quick facts about Canada
Canada is one of the United States' most important economic partners. Home to one of the best public education systems in the world, Canada is a booming talent hub across all industries, including tech, financial services, healthcare, and agriculture. Despite being a relatively small country by population, Canada's GDP is approaching $2 trillion. Companies looking to expand globally can hire top Canadian talent by partnering with an EOR service like Via.
Hiring in Canada presents employers with an opportunity to recruit new talent, especially across borders. Employers can handle the hiring process themselves by opening an entity, or work with an Employer-of-Record (EOR) service like Via to build out their team in Canada.
Whichever path you choose, there’s a lot to know about hiring in Canada.
Getting hired in Canada What employees need to know
Finding a job in Canada is easier than you might imagine. Job seekers have access to numerous websites and recruiting agencies catered to hiring in Canada.
Some sites and pages are specific to government positions, while others focus on students looking for jobs. One excellent resource for any individual seeking employment is Canada’s Job Bank.
Canada’s Job Bank
The Government of Canada’s Job Bank offers tools for prospective employees, as well as employers looking to hire in Canada. You can search the 100,000+ job listings based on specific job titles, types, or locations.
Not sure what type of job may best suit you? The Job Bank offers a career quiz, a skills checklist, and a resume builder to check out. You can also explore the job market through various trend analyses.
With two account options (Standard and Plus), job-seekers can pay to access additional tools. But even without an account, the site is an excellent resource.
Job Bank also offers a hiring section devoted to employers. Here, employers can post a job listing, review advice and recruitment tips, and find resources for promoting diversity in the workplace.
How is recruitment done in Canada?
Most employers recruit in Canada using job boards such as Indeed, Glassdoor, or LinkedIn.
However, most employers and recruiters don’t have to spend time scouring bulletin boards to find promising prospects. Instead, many job seekers reach out through recruiting websites or even a company’s “careers” page. Some job seekers also upload their resumes to databases, where employers can find talent for hire.
Employers looking to hire in Canada should keep in mind the country’s unique recruiting laws and regulations. For example, advertisements, job postings, and interview questions must refrain from using language that may be construed as discriminatory.
Keep in mind that each one of Canada’s provinces has unique recruiting laws and regulations.
Getting hired in Canada as a foreigner
If you are a foreigner looking to get hired in Canada, you will need to apply for a Canadian Work Permit. A Canadian Work Permit is ideal for business people, permanent and temporary employees, and students looking for experience abroad.
Once you have received your work permit, you’ll able to do the following:
Work for the employer indicated on your permit application
Apply for Dependent Visas
Earn in dollars
Travel throughout Canada
Apply for a Permanent Resident (PR) Visa
To be eligible for a Canada Work Permit, you must meet certain requirements:
Provide proof that you will leave Canada upon the expiration of your visa/permit
Possess documentation that proves financial stability
Retain a record free of criminal activity and present a police clearance certificate
Affirm that you are no threat to Canada’s security
Be in good health
Refuse to work for an employer hiring in Canada who does not comply with established policies
Prepare to show documentation to qualify your entry into Canada
Show proof of eligibility to accept the specified job offer
In order to apply for a Canada Work Permit, you must also provide a valid passport, two recent passport-sized photos, qualifying certification of educational level, proof of professional qualifications, work experience, and financial stability, and a medical examination from a registered hospital. You will also need to pay the appropriate application fee.
Types of work visas in Canada
There are two types of Canadian work permits: an open work permit and an employer-specific work permit.
The open work permit is not job-specific—you can accept employment from any business or company hiring in Canada. However, this type of permit sometimes has conditions attached to it, such as the type of work you can accept, where you can work, and how long you can work there. The open work permit also has two additional contingencies: you will adhere to all policies attached to your work permit, and you must meet the ascribed language skills, biometric data, and insurance conditions.
The employer-specific work permit only allows you to work for the specified employer that you have included on your application.
Hiring in Canada: What employers need to know
If companies are looking to establish a presence in Canada, they need to decide whether to open a foreign entity, partner with an EOR/PEO service, hire contractors, or some combination of these approaches.
Outsourcing hiring and recruiting in Canada
At the province and federal level, Canada has enacted strict legislation to safeguard employees’ rights and privacy. To remain compliant throughout the onboarding and hiring process, employers must decide whether to hire a local HR team in Canada or partner with an EOR service like Via.
Either way, you will need to build a local HR team or partner with an employment service to keep up-to-date on all local legislation related to hiring in Canada.
Setting up a foreign entity in Canada: Is it necessary?
If you decide to set up a subsidiary or foreign entity in Canada, be aware that this process takes months. You won’t be able to hire an employee compliantly until the entity is up and running.
However, if you choose to partner with an EOR service like Via, they can hire employees on your behalf in a matter of days. Your EOR partner maintains full responsibility for remaining compliant with all local HR processes so that you can focus on what matters: building your team and running your business. With Via, you choose your talent; we simply take care of the paperwork.
Employing contractors vs. employees in Canada
If you’re looking to hire Canadian-based employees for short-term or projected-based work, hiring contractors might be a good alternative.
Hiring a contractor in Canada requires much less paperwork. In addition, contractors don’t qualify for benefit packages or pensions, so the employer has fewer expenses. For employers and employees alike, this arrangement allows for more flexibility.
Why companies partner with Via when hiring in Canada
Companies of all sizes want to hire employees in Canada, but don’t know how to navigate the country’s local labor laws. Via makes hiring Canadian talent and building your global team seamless. With our easy-to-use platform, Via helps you manage local HR processes for direct employment such as benefits, payroll, background checks, and more. Our team of local labor lawyers and on-the-ground experts ensure that your company remains compliant while expanding abroad. As your employer-of-record/entity in Canada, Via assumes responsibility for employment liability, so that you can focus on what matters: recruiting and managing your team.
With Via’s transparent pricing, you can pay full-time employees or contractors in Canada with no hidden set-up fees, no foreign exchange or transaction fees, and no minimums–start with 1 employee and scale up at your own pace.
