How to Ease Your Seasonal Business Labour Shortage - Hire Temporary Foreign Workers

From ski hills to farming operations, there are hundreds of businesses within Canada where the work is considered seasonal. The main activity time of these businesses occurs only within specific times of the year, when a lot of labour is needed in order to maximize profits or haul in a harvest.

While these businesses can indeed prove lucrative, the problem posed by labour costs can eat into profits if not managed carefully. Canadian labour laws and unions mean that businesses looking to hire have to be careful about who they take on and the costs that may be incurred; layoffs, for example, may mean a business has to commit to wages for which no work was done. This can really eat into a budget, particularly if there are many employees who need to be paid out.

One solution to the issue of seasonal labour shortages is the hiring of temporary foreign workers. Businesses can make use of agencies that represent workers holding a Canadian work visa to bring in the labour they need on a temporary basis. While these workers do receive certain protections that are only reasonable, they do not qualify for some of the same benefits as Canadian employees would. Employers are not required to pay CPP or EI contributions on behalf of these workers, and it is agreed beforehand and understood that the work is temporary.

Agencies representing foreign, temporary workers can also be of great benefit when it comes to unforeseen labour shortages, the other risk of the seasonal business. A sudden upturn in the economy, or a competing business, may mean that a once sure labour pool suddenly dries up. Agencies representing foreign workers, however, almost always have a labour supply available to businesses in need, and may prove life saving in the event of an unexpected shortage of domestic workers.

If you do operate a seasonal business, foreign workers may be just the solution for your labour needs. Using the services of a foreign worker agency will allow you to find workers quickly and at less cost than would be incurred by hiring domestic workers.