ontario jobs

Hundreds lining up to apply at Ontario McDonald's shows reality of job market for some

Multiple videos are going viral on TikTok this week for shedding light on the fierce competition people seeking entry-level jobs in Ontario are currently facing.

Clips of unimaginable numbers of people applying for positions at local grocery stores and other companies that have held hiring events in recent days are sparking tons of conversation online, mostly about the "fake dream" that newcomers to Canada say they were sold.

More footage of yet another surprisingly large turnout to a job fair near Toronto has emerged, this time for a McDonald's in Kitchener.

The brief recording shows what looks to be a hundreds-long lineup trailing out of the education centre that was hosting the event and going through the parking lot and around the block, an overlay reading "When you come for a McDonald's job fair and there's like 300 people lined up down the street."

The filmer clarified in the caption of the post that the clip was caught well before the doors had even opened and that "People must have been lined up since 7 a.m."

"It's literally impossible to find a job here," she added.

@cshibz Its literallt impossible to find a job here! This was before the job fair even started. People must have been lined up since 7am #mcdonalds #jobfair #kitchenerwaterloo #kitchener #ontariocanada #canada ♬ Oh No - Kreepa

Many in the comments are shocked to find out that the line wasn't for some kind of sought-after concert tickets or exclusive merchandise drop, and are wondering what the heck is going on in Canada right now.

Others added their own experiences (and disappointments) in the local job market lately, with one woman writing "I've been trying to find a minimum wage job in Toronto for 4 months. Applied everywhere and there is no place."

"I waited in line for 4 hours just to be turned down for a cashier interview," another added.

With elevated interest rates, a cost of living that keeps surging through the roof thanks to out-of-control inflation, and a limited, overpriced supply of housing, many Canadians are in a more precarious financial position than ever.

Immigration to the country is also at an all-time high — something economists say is the key factor keeping things, especially housing, so pricey and in demand — with some international students and refugee claimants living on the streets and struggling to find work.

"A lot can be done to better integrate both new and existing Canadians so that people can reach their full potential. It can't just be a matter of bringing in an unchecked amount of people to take the lower paying jobs on offer," a new report from TD Economics reads, calling Canada's population growth "textbook demand shock."

Lead photo by

@cshibz


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