Before moving to a foreign land, it is essential to gather all the available information about the diverse career options. If you are planning on starting your career as a security guard in Canada, you would need to know some rudimentary facts about the country. Let’s get the money-talk first. As an entry-level job, one will get their initial pay close to the minimum wage labeled in Canada, but the salary hugely depends upon the experience, location, and most importantly, the employer.
Pay-scale of a security guard in Canada
In the 2019 wage report of the Government of Canada, the hourly pay of a security guard varies between $11.50 to $24.86. As a result, the median hourly payment for security guards in the country is near about $16. A supplementary benefit of landing a job as a security guard is that, unlike other jobs, there is a steep increase in the wages with experience. Apart from experience, the location of the job application determines the starting salary they will be getting. According to the wage report, the highest per hour wage for security guards in Canada is $44.56 and is found in Nunavut province. Though the lowest wage in the province is only $13.
Another determining factor of your career in the field is employer-dependent compensation. And this includes benefits like promotional opportunities and availing paid training programs. As per Payscale’s research, 47% of the security companies in Canada provide their employees with medical and dental check-up benefits.
Also Read- Your approach plays crucial role in your landing first job in Canada
What is in store for you?
All of us get second thoughts while deciding our careers, and we understand the dilemma is going to be stronger when you are preparing for a career overseas. Here is something you can get on hands-on before packing your bags.
The demand for security guards:
The government of Canada estimates more than 47,000 new job openings are expected between the years 2021-2026 in this particular career field. With an increasing number of MSMEs in Canada, the need for security services is at an all-time high.
The work hours:
Now, this depends upon the type of job one opts for. Security services are needed around the clock. So, if 9-5 is not your style, you can always crash for a night shift or a morning shift.
Job schedule:
A security guard is never bored in their duty. Well, it may be a different story if you are stationed at a quiet location. But most of the time, security services are needed in patrols in high-traffic locations. And if you are up for some adventure, get going for emergency security services.
Advancement opportunities:
You need not be stay fixed on a single job or even the same career field if you do not feel like it. Starting as a security guard will advance you towards a job of a supervisor, manager, or executive in a security service company. And if you are looking for a career change, starting with law enforcement will be a win-win with the experience of a security guard.
Even though, a career in security services is promising in Canada and comes with multiple perks; before you start for journey in the country, research and learn all you can about the pros and cons of being a security guard in Canada.