Jobs by role
General labour jobs in the GTA
Warehouse, production, packaging and loading roles that start within days, need no formal qualifications and lead to forklift, shipping and machine-operator work. Weekly pay, never a fee.
Open now
Current openings
Nothing posted right now
Roles like this open regularly, and many are filled from registered candidates before they are posted. Register once and a recruiter will call when something suitable comes in.
Or call the office
647-627-9754
Mon–Fri 7am–8pm · Sat–Sun 8am–6pm
About the role
The work
General labour is the fastest way into steady work in the GTA. Distribution centres, food and consumer-goods plants, packaging operations and container transload sites all need people who can lift, sort, pack, load and keep a line moving, and they need them quickly. Many of these roles start within a few days of registering with us.
The work is physical and it is honest about that. What employers care about is that you show up on time every shift, follow the safety rules and keep pace. Do that for a few months and doors open: forklift training, shipping and receiving, machine operation and lead roles are usually filled from the general labour pool.
We place general labour on temporary and temp-to-perm terms, with weekly direct deposit, vacation pay and WSIB coverage, and we tell you plainly what each site involves before you accept it.
Pay
Typical pay in the GTA
Typical range across our GTA general labour placements. Pay is set by each employer and varies with the site, shift and physical demands.
$18 to $21 an hour
- Container unloading (lumping) and heavy lifting pay at the top of the range
- Nights and weekends usually carry a $1 to $2 premium
- Food plants with cold rooms or sanitation duties pay more than dry packaging
- Weekly direct deposit, vacation and statutory-holiday pay on every assignment
Requirements
What you need to start
Legal eligibility to work in Canada
A SIN and valid status, verified once at registration.
CSA-approved safety footwear
Steel or composite toe, green triangle, before your first shift.
Physical readiness
Standing for a full shift, repetitive lifting up to about 50 lb (23 kg), bending and reaching. Sites vary and we describe each one.
WHMIS
Required at most sites. We can arrange it if you do not have a certificate.
Reliability
Attendance is the single thing employers ask about. Two references who can speak to it help you get the better sites.
A typical shift
What a general labour shift looks like
Shifts are usually 8 hours on days (about 7am to 3:30pm), afternoons (3pm to 11:30pm) or nights (11pm to 7:30am), with some plants on 12-hour continental rotations. You clock in, get a short start-up briefing and are assigned to a task: unloading trailers, packing at a station, feeding a line, palletising finished goods or sanitation.
In a warehouse the day is on your feet, moving product by hand or pallet jack, and building or breaking down pallets. In a food or packaging plant it is at a line or station, keeping pace with the belt, checking quality and rotating tasks with your crew. Container unloading is the heaviest work and pays accordingly.
Two paid 15-minute breaks and an unpaid 30-minute meal are standard. Dress for the environment: cold rooms, warm plants and outdoor docks all exist.
Questions
Frequently asked
How fast can I start a general labour job?
Often within two or three days of registering, once your documents are verified. General labour is where we have the most openings at any given time.
Do I need experience?
No. Reliability and safety footwear are what employers require. We explain the physical demands of each site so you can choose one that suits you.
Is general labour a dead end?
It should not be. Most of our forklift operators, shippers and machine operators started in general labour. Tell your recruiter what you want to move into and we will place you where that path exists.
Is there a fee?
Never. Job seekers do not pay for our service.
What if a site is not right for me?
Tell your recruiter. We would rather move you than lose you, and honest feedback about a site helps the next person we place there.
More
By city and related roles
- General labour jobs in BramptonBrampton's distribution centres and transload warehouses hire general labour year-round, with the biggest need from September to December.
- General labour jobs in MississaugaFreight terminals, distribution centres and manufacturers across Mississauga hire general labour on all three shifts.
- General labour jobs in ScarboroughScarborough's food plants and distribution centres hire general labour on every shift, and almost all of them are reachable by TTC.
- Warehouse jobsOrder picking, packing, shipping and receiving, material handling and inventory roles in distribution centres across the GTA.
- Forklift operator jobsCounterbalance, reach truck, order picker and walkie roles in warehouses, distribution centres and plants across the GTA.
- Shipper / receiver jobsDock control, inbound verification, WMS transactions and outbound staging in warehouses and plants across the GTA.
- For employers: manufacturing staffingProduction-line staff, machine operators, packaging, quality inspectors and sanitation for food, automotive-supply, plastics and consumer-goods plants.
Not seeing the right role?
Register your resume once and a recruiter will call when something suitable opens up, often before it is posted. There is never a fee to job seekers.