Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Occupational Profile for Expedited Labour Market Opinion

Food and Beverage Servers

Section A: Occupational Profile

Job Description:

Food and beverage servers take patrons' food and beverage orders and serve orders to patrons. They are employed in restaurants, hotels, bars, taverns, private clubs, banquet halls and similar establishments.

Main Duties:

Food and beverage servers perform some or all of the following duties:

• Greet patrons, present menus, make recommendations and answer questions regarding food and beverages.
• Take orders and relay to kitchen and bar staff.
• Recommend wines that complement patrons' meals.
• Serve food and beverages.
• Present bill to patrons and accept payment.

Employment Requirements:

• Completion of secondary school may be required.
• Formal waiters/waitresses may require completion of a one- or two-year apprenticeship program -- or College or vocational school courses.
• Apprenticeship training programs for food and beverage servers are available in Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Trade certification is available but voluntary in those provinces.
• On-the-job training is usually provided.

Prevailing Wage Rates By Sub-Region:

Alberta

Geographical Area	Wage (per hour)
Calgary/Banff/Drumheller	$9.97
Edmonton	$9.18
Ft, McMurray	$9.47
St-Paul/Lloydminster	$9.32
Grande Prairie/Slave Lake/Jasper	$9.44
Lethbridge/Medicine Hat/Crowsnest Pass	$9.66
Red Deer/Camrose/Wetaskiwin/Rocky/Olds	$9.66

British Columbia

Geographical Area	Wage (per hour)
Lower Mainland Southwest	$9.80
Northern British Columbia	$9.18
Thompson Okanagan Kootenay	$9.23
Vancouver Island	$9.32

Advertisement and Recruitment:

You will have conducted the minimum recruitment efforts required if you:

• Advertise for a minimum of 14 days on the Job Bank during the 3 months prior to applying for an LMO;
  
• Conduct recruitment activities consistent with the practice in the occupation, during the 3 months prior to applying for an LMO. The employer should advertise for the equivalent of fourteen days/2-3 weeks, choosing one or more of the following options:
  • ads in newspapers, e.g. a weekly ad during two-three weeks on journals, newsletters, national/regional newspapers, ethnic newspapers/newsletters, free local newspapers;
  • ads in the community, e.g., posting ads for 2-3 weeks in local stores, or community resource centres, or churches, local regional employment centres, etc;
  • ads on internet sites, e.g. posting during fourteen days/two weeks on recognized job internet sites; union sites, community resource centres sites, ethnic internet sites.
     
• Demonstrate reasonable ongoing recruitment efforts which include communities that face barriers to employment (e.g. Aboriginals, older workers, other disadvantaged groups etc.). They can use recognized job internet sites, unions, local/regional newspapers, Community Resource Centres (e.g., Aboriginal and New Comers) and local regional employment centres. The ongoing recruitment efforts that are required from the employer are specific to each region. They should be based on the conditions of the labour market in the region and be consistent with the practice in the occupation.
   
• The advertisement must include the employer's name, business address and wages being offered.

Provincial Labour Standards:

In Alberta refer to: Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Employment Standards Programs

In British Columbia refer to: Ministry of Labour and Citizen's Service, Employment Standards Branch

Provincial Certification Requirements:

N/A

Labour Market Opinion Factors:

Refer to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program website to obtain the Labour Market Opinion factors used to assess an employer’s request to hire a temporary foreign worker.

This particular occupation falls under NOC C or D skill level (of the National Occupational Classification matrix), therefore, in order to receive a confirmed expedited labour market opinion, employers must attest that they have met the additional provisions of the Pilot Project for Occupations Requiring Lower Levels of Formal Training, as indicated on the TFWP website.

Back to page: List of Occupations of the Expedited Labour Market Opinion Pilot Project