Hospitality Recruitment
Hospitality recruitment for Ontario hotels, restaurants, resorts and food service operators — cooks, chefs, supervisors and front-of-house teams.
Roles we recruit for
- Cooks
- Chefs and sous-chefs
- Food service supervisors
- Front desk agents
- Front desk supervisors
- Housekeeping supervisors
- Bakers
- Restaurant and banquet managers
- Servers and bartenders
Who we recruit
We recruit kitchen, front-of-house and supervisory staff for hotels, resorts, restaurants, catering companies and institutional food service, for year-round and seasonal operations.
Certifications in Ontario
Ontario food premises must have a trained food handler on site during every hour of operation, and anyone who serves alcohol in a licensed establishment needs Smart Serve certification. We confirm these certificates — or a plan to get them before the start date — for each candidate.
Canadian and international sourcing
Most hospitality positions pay below Ontario's high-wage threshold, which puts them in the low-wage LMIA stream. ESDC isn't processing low-wage LMIAs for jobs in the Toronto area while unemployment there is 6% or higher, and other cities' rates are reviewed every quarter. For Toronto employers we focus on Canadian recruitment and LMIA-exempt routes such as International Experience Canada and Francophone Mobility; elsewhere we confirm whether an LMIA is viable before you advertise.
Where we recruit
We recruit for hospitality employers across the Greater Toronto Area, Niagara, cottage country and other Ontario tourism destinations.
How we work with employers
- 01
Workforce brief
We learn the roles, headcount, wages, shifts, location and start dates, and the licences or certificates each role requires.
- 02
Sourcing plan
We decide where to look — local talent, other provinces or international candidates — and whether an LMIA or an LMIA-exempt route is realistic for each role.
- 03
Screening
Structured interviews, reference checks and verification of credentials, licences and work eligibility before you meet anyone.
- 04
Shortlist and offer
You interview a shortlist of qualified candidates. We help with the offer and, for international hires, the immigration steps.
- 05
Arrival and onboarding
We coordinate start dates, arrival and onboarding, and check in after the worker starts.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hire foreign cooks for my Toronto restaurant?
Not through a low-wage LMIA at the moment, because the Toronto area's unemployment rate is above 6%. Candidates with open work permits, IEC participants and Francophone Mobility hires may be options, and a position paid at or above the high-wage threshold follows different rules.
Do you recruit seasonal staff?
Yes. Tell us your season dates and we'll plan recruitment early; seasonal positions have their own LMIA conditions.
Which certificates do hospitality workers need in Ontario?
Food handler training for kitchens, where at least one trained person must be on site at all times, and Smart Serve for anyone serving alcohol. We check both.
Last checked against official Government of Canada and Ontario sources in October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.