Students looking for summer employment this year may hit some barriers due to the province slowly increasing minimum wage.
Last week, the government announced it would raise wages for liquor servers from $10.10 to $12.65, possibly creating job losses in the restaurant sector.
“I think that is going to be a factor, but I think the bottom line is going to be the fact that employers out there are going to want the best individual for the job that they have at hand,” says Ken Newell, Operations Manager for WorkBC in Prince George.
The province plans to increase the wage to $15 an hour by 2021, putting pressure on industries to raise prices to accommodate for the change.
Summer students could be affected because employers might be looking for people to work year round added Newell.
“It maybe advantageous for an individual who is looking for more full-time work to be applying to those jobs, because it may have an impact on the employer come September when that student leaves and the employer determines they need to keep that position and for someone to do that job.”
Newell says students may have to look at getting two part-time jobs, as full-time positions may go to those with more experience.
The Bank of Canada estimated that in 2019 there will be about 60,000 fewer jobs across the country due to minimum wage going up.
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