Best Employment Agencies in Ottawa
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5 Best Employment Agencies in Ottawa

Have you been looking for jobs in all the wrong places? If you want to land your dream job or get temporary employment, it’s good to get the services of the best employment agencies in Ottawa. 

You might also be wondering if you’re going to be paying out of pocket just to get an agency to look for a job on your behalf. That’s something we’ll tackle in the next section.

Are Employment Agencies in Ottawa Costly?

Different employment agencies in Ottawa will also have different rates. While some could charge by the hour, others might ask for a fixed fee per project or job.

Some employment agencies can ask for an upfront placement fee from potential employees which could cost anywhere between $75 and $150. Or they could garnish a percentage of your wages for the first few months or a whole year of your employment.

A lot will also depend on whether you’re looking for a temporary or more permanent work situation. This is true if the job you’re looking for is in a highly competitive industry, as well.

Let’s take a look at how some current staffing agencies charge job-seekers based on national average rates.

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY SERVICEESTIMATED COST
Permanent placementAnnual base salary plus 10% – 20%
Temporary to permanent placementAnnual base salary plus 5%
Temporary placement $30 – $45
Salary percentage20% average for the first year
15% to 50% markup for less competitive jobs
40% to 60% markup for more competitive jobs
Employment consultation$75 – $125 hourly rate

Please note that staffing and employment agencies would have different pricing schemes with factors like location, client requirements, industry specializations, and others to consider. It’s still practical to do prior research on an agency before signing a contract with them.

The Best Employment Agencies in Ottawa

Ready to jump from unemployment to being gainfully employed? Then it’s time to investigate what the best employment agencies in Ottawa can do for you.

1. LRO Staffing

LRO Staffing
SERVICESFull-service search & staffing agency specializing in the recruitment and placement of permanent, contract and temporary positions
ADDRESS601 Bank St. Suite 200, Ottawa, ON, K1S 3T4 
CONTACT NUMBER613-566-7048
[email protected] 
WEBSITEhttps://www.lrostaffing.com 
OPERATING HOURSMonday to Friday 8 AM – 5 PM
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

LRO Staffing is a recruitment and placement agency for those seeking permanent, temporary, or contractual jobs across Canada. It’s been around since 2005 and has been servicing ten main industries since.

So if you’re on the lookout for jobs related to technology, corporate services and administration, finance, accounting and payroll, human resources, legal, or sales and marketing communications, LRO might just have an opening for you.

The LRO Staffing team also actively places professionals in the manufacturing, engineering, construction and development industries. Even those seeking consultation positions in various Ottawa government levels can look up employment here.

Beyond matching people with jobs, LRO also offers helpful tips and advice with its blog posts. You can look up local salary guides, recruitment tips, and Ottawa job market opportunities in the resources and archived articles. 

To further streamline its recruitment process, the company offers weekly job alerts so job candidates can be aware of new employment opportunities.

Pros

  • Full-service agency from search to staffing
  • Services a good range of industries
  • Offers weekly job alerts
  • Blog offers handy tips and advice on the Ottawa job market

Cons

  • Only addresses manufacturing, tech, and corporate sectors
  • Open on weekdays only
  • No BBB accreditation

Customer Reviews

Brings quality individuals to the organization

“We have been benefiting from their services for many years as they continuously bring quality individuals to our organization. Their team is a pleasure to work with as they have come to know as much about our organization as we do.” – Marc

Honest, timely, supportive

“Would highly recommend to any employers after my recent experience as a candidate. Lee-Anne was great to work with – honest, timely, supportive.” – Ian

2. Perry-Martel International

Perry-Martel International
SERVICESExecutive Recruitment 25-40% First Year’s Annual Compensation for local, national, and international recruitment and employment for technology, real estate development, engineering and construction sectors
ADDRESS200-440 Laurier Avenue West W Ottawa, ON K1R 7X6
CONTACT NUMBER[email protected] 
(613) 236-6995 ext 114
WEBSITEhttps://perrymartel.com/ 
OPERATING HOURSMonday to Friday 8 AM – 6 PM
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Perry-Martel International takes pride in what it calls its “Inside Out Approach” to hire the right people for the right jobs. Instead of luring candidates with the promise of a huge salary, what it does is look for the best talents in different fields, engages and hires them, and ensures they stay in the job for the long haul.

The company was established in 1988 as a recruiting agency but went on to evolve into a management consulting firm with a focus on executive search.

Part of its process involves a stringent talent assessment step that the company admits takes some time. This is to help fine-tune both the recruiting process and the candidate’s qualifications to ensure the best employment fit.

The behavioural science-backed process that Perry-Martel employs might seem rigid but it has met success with its completed 1,500 projects thus far. 

And while we understand that its current focus is on the technology, construction and real estate industries because of the demand, it would be great if Perry-Martel expanded to other niche sectors, too.

Pros

  • Offers executive recruitment services
  • Does local, international, and national job recruitment
  • Uses behavioural science to get the best talents
  • Recruitment resources are available on the website
  • Has completed 1,500 recruitment projects so far

Cons

  • Services only the technology, real estate, and construction sectors
  • Open on weekdays only
  • No BBB accreditation

Customer Reviews

Spends time and effort to find the best people for the role

“One of David’s most noticeable attributes is his passion around spending the time and effort needed to find the best people for the role and the best fit. He is very knowledgeable in the executive search field, always well prepared, and connects with his clients to understand the organization and the culture.” – Justin Ferrabee

Incredible adviser and trusted business partner

“David breaks the mould. You tell him what you need, he assesses your business, then shows you the actual profile of the person you need to align with your objectives. If I simply wanted to find a warm body, I wouldn’t waste David’s time. He understands the process, the objectives, and that I’m paying him for his business acumen as well as for his dynamic skills. David had published many books. He is an incredible adviser and trusted business partner.” – Darryl Prail

3. Eagle Professional Resources

Eagle Professional Resources
SERVICESStaffing, recruitment, and placement agency for Information Technology (IT), Executive and Management Consulting, and Finance & Accounting professionals into contract, temporary and full-time permanent positions
ADDRESS170 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 902 Ottawa, ON K1P 5V5
CONTACT NUMBER613-234-1810 or 1-800-281-2339
[email protected] 
WEBSITEhttps://www.eagleonline.com/ 
OPERATING HOURSMonday to Friday 8.30 AM – 5 PM
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of Eagle Professional Resources’ recruitment and placement processes. The company has been around for at least 25 years.

It’s a certified Women’s Business Enterprise that has 70% of its staff from designated groups including women, aboriginals, people with disabilities, and visible minorities. The company abides by a strict code of ethics in keeping with the recruitment industry and vows transparency, honesty, and confidentiality in its process.

Those looking for jobs in the Information Technology, executive and management consulting fields, and finance and accounting sectors can look for jobs via Eagle Professional Resources. These specialized skill sets are some of the company’s most in-demand jobs from its clientele.

However, for an employment agency that is big on diversity and inclusion, it would be good to see the company include those in the creative sector who are also looking for gainful employment.

Pros

  • Women’s Business Enterprise Canada-certified
  • Diverse and inclusive staff and hiring process
  • Offers a helpful resource centre on the website
  • Has a latest jobs sidebar

Cons

  • Services the IT, executive, and finance sectors only
  • Open on weekdays only
  • No BBB accreditation

Customer Reviews

On-time payment

“Very good experience during my tenure. On-time payment is the most I liked.” – Chandrajyoti Das

Wonderfully managed company

“I started off as Office Manager and then was placed as a Sourcing Specialist. Eagle is definitely a wonderfully managed company. Everyone who works there follows the office culture. That culture is beautifully honed and developed in every Eagle employee. I would have loved nothing more than to continue working there and if not for Covid related reasons I may have never left. Every city has a wonderful team and amazing leaders. They teach, they let you learn and they encourage and support their employees. I’m grateful for the time I spent at Eagle and am spoiled for wherever I end up next.” – Former employee

4. Advantage Personnel

Advantage Personnel
SERVICESEmployment and staffing firm, employment services for temporary, contract, contingent, and direct hire placements, outsourced payroll and benefits, human resource services, and health and safety
ADDRESS14 7015 Tranmere Dr, Mississauga, ON, Canada, Ontario
CONTACT NUMBER+1 800-263-4312
[email protected] 
WEBSITEhttps://onyourteam.com/ 
OPERATING HOURSMonday to Friday 8 AM – 5 PM
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

The Advantage Group was founded in 1986 and has since expanded its operations to include 13 offices and three major subsidiaries. As of this writing, its website counter indicates that it has placed over 63,000 employees in over 775 companies.

It’s got a good variety of service lines for its clients including industrial, office, government, transportation, logistics, warehousing, healthcare, information/communications technology, engineering, and contact centre placements.

The company also provides helpful links on various employee topics such as general rules and regulations, company policies, temporary employee information, and more. 

Job-seekers can rest assured that they won’t be asked for any kind of fees at Advantage Personnel at any point in the recruitment process. All of its clients are also carefully screened for health and safety practices and won’t be tolerated for any form of violence or harassment toward employees.

Pros

  • No fees for job-seekers
  • Weekly direct deposit payouts
  • Carefully screens clients for health and safety practices
  • Offers general employee resources on the website

Cons

  • The link for current open positions is broken
  • Open on weekdays only
  • No BBB accreditation

Customer Reviews

Knowledgeable about the job market

“Excellent staff, very welcoming and knowledgeable about the job market.” – Charlene McCordic

They got me a great job

“This is a great job finding agency! I went in there on December 30th right between Christmas and New Year (you know what people say about finding a job then) and I had a job interview the NEXT DAY! They got me a great job and even drove me to and from my interview as the bus strike is still on! Even still the lady I dealt with drove to my house to give me my first paycheque and get my void cheque for direct deposit. Great service, and really friendly.” – Stephen S.

5. Altis Recruitment

Altis Recruitment
SERVICESPermanent staffing, temporary and contract staffing, payroll and pass-through services
ADDRESS102 Bank Street, Suite 300 Ottawa, ON K1P 5N4
CONTACT NUMBER613-230-5393
[email protected] 
WEBSITEhttps://altisrecruitment.com/ 
OPERATING HOURSMonday to Friday 8 AM – 5 PM
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Altis Recruitment wants to differentiate itself from other staffing firms by proclaiming that it wants to be its clients’ and candidate’ staffing partners. By “partnering” with its clients, it assures them of both risk and reputation management throughout the hiring process. 

It takes pride in being able to find diverse staffing solutions for anything from entry-level to executive management positions. As for job-seekers, Atlis strives to teach them how to find job success no matter their experience level or employment background.

What’s unique about Altis is that it serves the nonprofit industry even though it isn’t an in-demand sector. Those looking for employment in the educational sector can also submit their resume for consideration here, as well.

Job-seekers are also promised instant updates once a job is matched with their qualifications. And they only have to submit a resume once and apply as often and as frequently as they want!

Pros

  • Instant updates for job-seekers
  • One-time resume submission for multiple applications
  • Good range of serviced industries
  • Also serves the nonprofit and education sectors

Cons

  • No creative industry job recruitment
  • Open on weekdays only
  • No BBB accreditation

Customer Reviews

Ensures that placement was successful

“The team at Altis was outstanding throughout my hiring process. I worked primarily with Kat who was thoroughly dedicated to ensuring that my placement was successful and that I was happy with the outcome. Technically, their client was my new employer, but I always felt like they had my best interest in mind.” – Michael

Progressive management team

“I worked at Altis for 3 years and it was an amazing experience. The people are stellar and second to none, the management team is progressive, and I was paid fairly and had many other perks on top, like extra ‘Happy’ days off. Best employer I’ve worked with so far!!! Every department at Altis is full of inspirational minds – apply here!” – Colin Kusz

FAQs About Employment Agencies in Ottawa


The best employment agencies in Ottawa are those that closely match job seekers with employers and jobs for the long haul. 

You can also read our listicle on the best recruitment agencies in Ottawa to expand your job search and see what openings are there for your skillset and experience.

And if you have other good employment agencies that merit a thorough review, please send us a message!