In Canada, the restaurant and food-service sector is one of the main contributors to the economy, offering many jobs to international workers, particularly if the work is located in small-town areas and the local labor force may be insufficient. But such a high salary of $67,000 would not be typical for all restaurant posts. It will be quite reasonable for experienced restaurant managers, chefs, supervisors and food service professionals who have particular skills to demand this figure, rather than for the untrained restaurant kitchen or counter staff.
A potential way to get such employment is available for foreign workers through Canada’s government Job Bank website, an employer’s career portal or a legitimate recruitment platform. On one side, some Canadian employers bring in foreign nationals for work through the LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) program, while on the other, some may find immigration pathways that differ from each other. This article is about explaining the restaurant positions offering salaries approaching or surpassing $67k, as well as where immigrants can get jobs, the requirements that employers look for in their candidates and ways to obtain a work permit after a successful application at the work permit level.
Can Restaurant Workers Earn $67,000 in Canada?
Yes, but the salary depends heavily on the position and experience. The calculation of a $67,000 per year salary, based on a 40-hour week, results in an hourly wage of around $32.21. That is really higher than the pay for many of the entry-level restaurant jobs.
In fact, the current Canadian Job Bank’s posting clearly highlights the difference. For instance, a restaurant manager at Eddy Lee’s Chinese Food in Thunder Bay was recently advertising for a candidate at a rate of $37.50 per hour, whereas restaurant managers with Burger King would be earning annual salaries of approx $57,138 per year. Newest advertisements show listings for cook jobs paying $33-39/hr and restaurant manager positions paying $35-38/hr. So while $67,000 is possible, job seekers should look for senior restaurant roles and not assume every restaurant service job pays that much.
Restaurant Jobs That Can Reach $67K+
- Restaurant Manager
Restaurant managers are responsible for daily operations, supervision of employees, scheduling shifts, inventory control, maintaining good quality of service to the customers and overall financial performance of the restaurant.
A highly experienced person can earn more than $67,000 a year, mostly in very busy places like restaurants in hotels or major food service establishments. This is definitely one of the top roles in the restaurant sector, when it comes to getting the job with the best money for a foreign worker with the relevant experience.
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- Executive Chef
Executive chefs supervise kitchen operations, develop menus, manage food costs and lead kitchen teams. Large hotels, resorts, restaurants and catering companies may offer significantly higher salaries to experienced chefs with strong culinary backgrounds.
- Head Chef
Among the many responsibilities, head chefs have to make sure the kitchen is running smoothly while also ensuring food is prepared to the standards, supervising the staff and keeping track of the inventory. As for their compensation, it mainly depends on how big the restaurant is, if it’s downtown or somewhere else, and what kind of food or dining experience it offers.
International chefs who possess a significant amount of time in their professional work and are the holders of some of the world’s most esteemed culinary qualifications can easily find themselves in a competitive scenario.
- Food Service Supervisor
Food service supervisors coordinate restaurant employees, monitor service quality and help manage daily operations.
Some positions pay below $67,000, but experienced supervisors working full-time, with overtime or in higher-paying markets can potentially approach the figure.
- Restaurant Assistant Manager
Assistant managers support restaurant managers with staffing, customer service, inventory and the running of the day-to-day operations. Different current Job Bank postings show that compensation is quite varied. A restaurant assistant manager vacancy recently at Thunder Bay had an hourly pay rate of $27.47 to $28.50.
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- Specialized Cook
If a specialty cook has considerable professional experience, he/she will be compensated way higher than an entry-level kitchen employee. Job Bank has recently posted a cook’s job offer in Alberta which advertised the pay at $33 to $39 per hour. If one works 40 hours per week, it would result in approximately $67,000 per year for a cook.
Where Can Immigrants Find These Jobs?
This is one of the most important parts of the job search.
- Canada Job Bank
- Restaurant Company Websites
- Indeed Canada
What Is LMIA Sponsorship?
The Labour Market Impact Assessment forms part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
A business may be required to obtain an LMIA before employing a foreign worker. The purpose of the assessment is to see how hiring a temporary foreign worker aligns with the program’s objectives and what kind of effect it has on the labour market.
Once the LMIA is favourable, it is usually the case that the foreign worker can use the necessary paperwork obtained through the LMIA process to obtain work permits from the Canadian Immigration Department. Only when a position has an LMIA is an automatic work permit granted. Even then, you should satisfy the immigration requirements of Canada.
What Qualifications Do You Need?
Requirements depend on the position.
For restaurant managers, employers may want:
- Several years of restaurant experience
- Supervisory experience
- Staff management skills
- Inventory management experience
- Customer service skills
- Strong communication
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Chefs and cooks may need:
- Culinary training
- Professional kitchen experience
- Knowledge of food safety
- Menu preparation experience
- Ability to manage kitchen operations
Can Restaurant Jobs Lead to Permanent Residence?
Potentially. The nature of the work, location in a particular province, and personal situation of the individuals may determine whether a job in a food establishment can count as Canadian work experience or help secure a path to immigration.
But merely working at a restaurant won’t grant you residency. It will ultimately be up to the regulations of the particular immigration program to which your eligibility hinges. Besides that, some provinces have Provincial Nominee Programs which focus on workers who are necessary for filling vacancies in their job markets at the local level.
Which Provinces Should You Consider?
Don’t limit your search to Toronto or Vancouver. Working in Gulf Countries: How to Apply for Jobs and Start Your Career
Restaurant opportunities can also be found in:
- Alberta
- Manitoba
- Saskatchewan
- British Columbia
- Ontario
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
In some cases, the employers in smaller communities will also search for new workforce members due to an insufficient number of local labour force members. To give you an idea, among the current Job Bank postings, one finds positions in the restaurant and Food Service Sector in provinces like Alberta, BC Ontario, and even down to Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec.
Avoid Restaurant Job Scams
Foreign workers should be particularly careful with social media advertisements promising Canadian restaurant jobs.
Warning signs include:
- Guaranteed visa approval
- Guaranteed LMIA
- Requests for large upfront payments
- Fake employment contracts
- Unusually high salaries for entry-level work
- Recruiters using personal email accounts
- Requests to pay for a “job slot”
Cook Jobs for Foreigners in Canada with Visa Sponsorship
Conclusion
Restaurant jobs can actually be a channel for immigrants to get jobs in Canada. Yet, a salary of $67,000 should be considered more as an achievable target for a very experienced manager chef, a chef specialist and other senior food-service staff instead of being taken for the regular low-skill jobs. Search for openings at Canada’s Job Bank and check out restaurant career sections as well as reliable job websites. Verify whether the position really allows for sponsorship or a request for a Labour Market Impact Assessment is being made. Keep your documents ready to prove you have the skills and experience. Never hand over money to someone who claims to get you a job or approval for a visa in Canada easily