A general labour job is a good place to start in the job market, as it doesn't require much skill or experience, and there's lots of opportunity to quickly advance. General labour work will also allow you to try different industries and tasks to better define your interests and strengths.
You can graduate into supervisory positions, be trained on a wide range of equipment, or move on to other higher paying roles as you acquire training and experience.
Your work takes place in a shop, warehouse, dock, farm, field or similar job site. You may be required to do a specific job, or fill in wherever you are needed. Though you probably don't wear a uniform, you may be required to wear steel-toe work boots and protective garments. In the course of a work day, you may keep a job site clean, load, unload and deliver materials, work with scaffolding, or support other contractors.
If you work in general labour, you're most likely paid an hourly rate, ranging from minimum wage in your province to as high as $19 per hour, once you have several years of experience under your belt.
General labour salaries tend to be on the low end of the salary spectrum because there's a lot of turnover. Those who gain experience in general labour jobs are likely to move on higher paying supervisor roles, or transition into other more specialized fields.
As a general labourer, you can work in just about any industry or type of business. Some of the industries that require general labour frequently include retail and warehousing, maintenance, construction, and agriculture. Given the nature of your work, you'll have no trouble finding work anywhere in Canada.