What new Canadian businesses should know before hiring employees

Understanding basic Canadian employments laws and principles is crucial if you want a chance to find he right employees for your new business.

Though the requirements are extensive and the process arduous, it's worth reading up on what it takes to provide a legally sound workplace for your employees and to avoid mistakes that could lead to big issues down the road (the Government of Canada's Business Network provides a thorough "Hiring Requirements Resource Guide" for your reference). Also be sure you fully understand Canada's Employment Standards Act, which is a detailed step-by-step guide for how to legally hire employees.

If you plan on hiring skilled workers from outside Canada for a temporary job, be sure to consult the standards laid out in Canada's Temporary Work Permit program.

Handling payroll must be done with care and full understanding of the process. Small Business Canada covers how to hire your first employee, listing five steps you must take in order to properly process payroll.

You'll need a payroll deductions account, and employees must provide their social security number and complete a TD1 Personal Tax Credits Return form.

To stay even more in the loop, you can sign up for a membership with The Canadian Payroll Association or simply consult the website for information on industry trends, government links, tools and payroll guidelines.

Canada Revenue Agency's Online Payroll Calculator provides provincial and federal payroll deductions for every part of the country except Quebec. Just be sure to clear your Internet browser's cache after using this tool so that confidential data isn't stored.

It's also critical to register with the Workers' Compensation Board, which will ensure that funds will be available to pay employees for their labour and that they'll be compensated without blame for injuries while on the job.

For additional information, be sure to reference the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada. Once you've read and utilized the documents in this article, find your province and contact the board in your area to register and ask any additional questions.

With these basic principles out of the way and smoothly running, you can move on to your next task: finding the best employees for your new Canadian business.