Working in Toronto — job market, salaries, professions, how to search (2026)

Toronto job market — overview

Toronto is Canada's largest city and financial-business center:

• ~3 million people in the city, 6.5M in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
• Center of Canadian banking (Bay Street)
• Tech hub (Microsoft, Google, Amazon offices)
• Educational hub (University of Toronto, York, Ryerson)
• Healthcare, education, government — large employers

Polonia in Toronto

• ~250,000 people of Polish descent in the GTA
• Center: Roncesvalles Avenue (Polish district)
• Mississauga, Brampton, Etobicoke — suburban Polish presence
• Active Polish American Congress, Polish churches, shops

Salaries 2026 (CAD)

Sector	Entry-level	Average	Senior
Minimum wage (ON)	$17.20/h	—	—
Construction (skilled)	$25-35/h	$40-55/h	$55-75/h
Truck driver (AZ class)	$22-28/h	$28-35/h	$35-45/h
Healthcare (PSW)	$20-25/h	$25-30/h	$30-35/h
Healthcare (RN nurse)	$33-40/h	$40-50/h	$50-65/h
IT entry / dev	$50-70k	$80-110k	$120-180k
IT senior dev	$80-100k	$110-150k	$160-250k
Finance analyst	$55-75k	$75-110k	$120-200k
Marketing manager	$55-75k	$75-105k	$105-140k
Teacher	$50-65k	$70-95k	$95-110k
Restaurant cook	$17-22/h	$22-28/h	$28-40/h
Cleaner	$17-22/h	$22-28/h	—

SIN — Social Insurance Number

CRUCIAL first step upon arrival.

Who can apply

• Canadian citizens
• Permanent residents (PR)
• Temporary workers (with work permit)
• International students (with work-eligible study permit)

Procedure

1. Go to Service Canada within 30 days of arrival
2. Documents:
   • Polish passport
   • Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) or work permit
   • Proof of address in Canada
3. SIN will be issued on the spot (same day)
4. FREE

SIN starting with "9"

Temporary workers receive a SIN starting with "9" — temporary status. Convert to permanent SIN after PR.

Most popular sectors for Poles

Construction

Toronto's construction boom is ongoing. Poles are very popular:

• Framers, drywallers, painters
• Plumbers, electricians (need licensing)
• HVAC technicians
• General contractors
• Construction managers

Many Polish construction firms in the GTA. Average $30-50/h for experienced workers.

Transport / trucking

Truck driver shortage = good opportunities. Polish drivers are respected.

• AZ class license needed (heavy combination)
• Local: $50-75k/year
• Long-haul: $75-110k+ (including over the US)
• Owner-operator: $90k-150k+ potential
• Polish trucking companies in Brampton, Mississauga

Healthcare

• PSW (Personal Support Worker) — entry-level, $20-30/h
• RPN (Registered Practical Nurse) — $25-40/h
• RN (Registered Nurse) — $35-55/h
• Physicians, specialists — pension salaries

Polish nurses sometimes need re-licensing (College of Nurses of Ontario).

IT

• Junior dev: $60-80k
• Mid: $85-120k
• Senior: $120-180k
• Staff/Principal: $180-250k
• FAANG +30-50% premium
• Growing Polish-Canadian community in tech

Finance / banking

• Bay Street (financial district)
• Big 5 banks (RBC, TD, Scotia, BMO, CIBC)
• Analyst $60-85k entry
• Manager $100-150k
• Director $150-250k

Restaurants, gastronomy

• Cook: $17-30/h
• Server: $17-22/h + tips ($25-50/h equivalent)
• Bartender: $17-25/h + tips
• Restaurant manager: $50-75k

Cleaning, home care

• Solo cleaner: $25-40/h cash, $20-30 W4 (employed)
• Cleaning business owner: $60-150k+ depending on scale
• Nanny: $17-25/h

How to search for a job

Online job boards

• Indeed.ca — largest
• LinkedIn — networking + jobs
• Workopolis
• Glassdoor — with salary reviews
• Job Bank Canada — federal
• Monster
• SimplyHired

Polish-focused resources

• Facebook Polish groups: "Polacy w Toronto", "Polonia Toronto", "Praca dla Polaków w Toronto"
• Polski Express newspaper — classifieds
• polonia.ca
• kraj.pl — Polish-Canadian portal
• Polski Kościół Roncesvalles — community board
• Polish employment agencies: Edge Personnel, Pomoc Polska, Aspire Personnel

Networking

• Polish American Congress events
• Polish business associations
• Polish community churches
• Polish Saturday schools (for parents)
• LinkedIn with Polish community network

Recruitment agencies

• Robert Half (finance, IT)
• Hays
• Randstad
• Aerotek (industrial, construction)
• Polish-focused agencies in the GTA

Credentials — Polish qualifications in Canada

Sectors requiring credentialing

• Medical doctors — Medical Council of Canada exams (3-5 years re-credentialing)
• Nurses — National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) + College of Nurses Ontario
• Engineers — Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)
• Lawyers — Law Society of Ontario (NCA exams)
• Accountants (CPA) — CPA Ontario
• Architects — Ontario Association of Architects
• Pharmacists — College of Pharmacists
• Teachers — Ontario College of Teachers

Sectors without credentialing

• Trades (large but some need certification)
• IT
• Finance (non-CPA roles)
• Marketing, sales
• Hospitality
• Cleaning, services

WES — World Education Services

Evaluates Polish credentials in Canada:

• WES Equivalency report
• Shows what Polish degree corresponds to in Canada
• Required for many jobs, immigration, education
• Cost: $220 CAD typically

Work permits for Polish citizens

Permanent Resident (PR)

Best — full access to the job market. Path through:

• Express Entry
• Provincial Nominee Program
• Family sponsorship

Work permit (temporary)

• Closed work permit — specific employer
• Open work permit — any employer (spouses, IEC, etc.)

International Experience Canada (IEC)

Polish citizens aged 18-35 eligible:

• Working Holiday — 12 months open work permit
• Young Professionals — 12-24 months closed work permit
• International Co-op — 12 months for students

Polish students

With a study permit, you can work 20h/week during the semester, full-time during vacations.

Tax basics for employees

Federal + provincial tax

• Federal rates: 15% (up to $57k), 20.5% ($57-114k), 26% ($114-178k), 29% ($178-253k), 33% above
• Ontario provincial: 5.05% (up to $52k), 9.15%, 11.16%, 12.16%, 13.16%
• Combined top: ~53.5%
• Personal Basic Amount $15,705 (2024) — tax-free

CPP + EI

• CPP (Canada Pension Plan): 5.95% to $68,500 (2024)
• EI (Employment Insurance): 1.66% to $63,200

Polish businesses / district

Roncesvalles Avenue

Historic Polish district in downtown Toronto. Polish shops, restaurants, church, bars.

Mississauga / Brampton

Modern Polish hub. Polish businesses spread out. Polish church in Mississauga.

Etobicoke

Polish community, church. Close to downtown.

Practical tips

• SIN first step within 30 days
• WES evaluation for Polish degrees
• Indeed + LinkedIn mainly
• Polish Facebook groups for niche jobs
• Roncesvalles, Mississauga for Polish community
• Polish churches — networking
• Construction, trucking — strong Polish niche
• Healthcare — re-credentialing needed
• IT — open to skilled Polish workers
• Express Entry for immigration if not yet PR
• IEC Working Holiday for ages 18-35
• Tax: ~30% all-in for average earners
• CPP + EI contributions mandatory