--- title: Get Hiring Help in Eastern Ontario description: Get hiring help and learn how to better recruit and retain the Hidden Workforce. Explore this resource to help employers to understand these residents. image: https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/C1SDRK4xYx_WckOYQnk1ZnKhWUMedSMfOLEW9eV9SaIBNvp2ayjlz-PmCipoTHDlNMujubTzVsrceYcw1dX3I0Vk-u0-WXBHbwszAiTw12d-2Ox42mq8F3ljXmCiXi7kuJ3eLnL8.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/get-hiring-help-in-eastern-ontario#main) - FAQs - [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news) - [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events) - [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://ontarioeast.ca/happenings/our-team-partners) - [About Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/about-us/) - Search [![site_main_logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/site_main_logo.svg) ![site_main_logo_scrolled](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/site_main_logo_scrolled.svg) ![Ontario East Economic Development logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=245&height=150&name=logo.png) ![Ontario East Economic Development logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=245&height=150&name=logo.png)](https://ontarioeast.ca/) - [Show submenu for Regional Profile Regional Profile](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/) - [Our Communities](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/our-communities/) - [Advantages](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/advantages/) - [Workforce](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/workforce/) - [Incentives and Funding](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/incentives-and-funding/) - [Success Stories](https://ontarioeast.ca/success-stories/) - [Available Properties](https://ontarioeast.ca/available-properties/) - [Show submenu for Key Employment Sectors Key Employment Sectors](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/) - [Advanced Manufacturing](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/advanced-manufacturing/) - [Food and Beverage](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/food-and-beverage/) - [Logistics and Transportation](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/logistics-and-transportation/) - [Other](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/other/) - [Show submenu for Members Members](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Member Directory](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Become a Member](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/become-a-member/) - [Membership Application Form](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/membership-application-form/) - [Regional Marketing Committee](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/regional-marketing-committee/) - [Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) Open main navigation Menu Close main navigation Menu - Search - Show submenu for Regional Profile Regional Profile - Regional Profile - [Regional Profile](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/) - [Our Communities](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/our-communities/) - [Advantages](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/advantages/) - [Workforce](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/workforce/) - [Incentives and Funding](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/incentives-and-funding/) - [Success Stories](https://ontarioeast.ca/success-stories/) - [Available Properties](https://ontarioeast.ca/available-properties/) - Show submenu for Key Employment Sectors Key Employment Sectors - Key Employment Sectors - [Key Employment Sectors](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/) - [Advanced Manufacturing](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/advanced-manufacturing/) - [Food and Beverage](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/food-and-beverage/) - [Logistics and Transportation](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/logistics-and-transportation/) - [Other](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/other/) - [FAQs](https://ontarioeast.ca/faqs/) - [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news/) - [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events/) - Show submenu for Members Members - Members - [Members](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Member Directory](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) - [Become a Member](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/become-a-member/) - [Membership Application Form](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/membership-application-form/) - [Regional Marketing Committee](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/regional-marketing-committee/) - [Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) - [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://oemc.ca/) - [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) - [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) Search ![Canada, Employment Ontario, Government of Ontario logos](https://ontarioeast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ontario-employment-logos.svg) This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. # Get Hiring Help in Eastern Ontario For Ontario East June 28, 2021 ![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/C1SDRK4xYx_WckOYQnk1ZnKhWUMedSMfOLEW9eV9SaIBNvp2ayjlz-PmCipoTHDlNMujubTzVsrceYcw1dX3I0Vk-u0-WXBHbwszAiTw12d-2Ox42mq8F3ljXmCiXi7kuJ3eLnL8.jpg?width=565&name=C1SDRK4xYx_WckOYQnk1ZnKhWUMedSMfOLEW9eV9SaIBNvp2ayjlz-PmCipoTHDlNMujubTzVsrceYcw1dX3I0Vk-u0-WXBHbwszAiTw12d-2Ox42mq8F3ljXmCiXi7kuJ3eLnL8.jpg) Right now in eastern Ontario, there are approximately 31,250 residents who are available for work and able to work but are not working. Workforce development professionals call these residents the Hidden Workforce.  Ontario East has created a resource page to help employers get hiring help so that they can tap into this Hidden Workforce, improve opportunities for all residents of the region, and improve recruitment and retention in eastern Ontario. Read on to learn more about the Hidden Workforce and how to reach these residents as an employer looking to hire new candidates.  ## Understand the Hidden Workforce for Hiring Help The Hidden Workforce consists of eastern Ontario residents who are impacted by factors that excluded them from the workforce. These factors may have also caused them to opt out of the workforce completely. Factors like:  - age; youth and retired residents can be members of the Hidden Workforce - gender - poverty These factors may cause residents to be overlooked for jobs. They may mean that residents require different training, schedules, or accommodations then others. But these residents are valuable members of the eastern Ontario community and have a lot to offer, learn, and do in the region.  ![hiring help image](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/Cq4Gov4-czmOk32HZ3258sDlxXhg-nNFJr9MAal1VoDJiJzlzKapr6JeoH2xYaRFSFfMVK1wuIzvsqtzjOnOluU-AySE10ERCCqxyuiaeoK0AmALQay47-vBH2r_VZEB45N5BjL0.jpg?width=624&height=416&name=Cq4Gov4-czmOk32HZ3258sDlxXhg-nNFJr9MAal1VoDJiJzlzKapr6JeoH2xYaRFSFfMVK1wuIzvsqtzjOnOluU-AySE10ERCCqxyuiaeoK0AmALQay47-vBH2r_VZEB45N5BjL0.jpg) Recruitment and retention in eastern Ontario is impacted by this Hidden Workforce because currently most employers don’t know they exist (they’re hidden after all) and therefore cannot recruit them. Instead many employers in eastern Ontario are recruiting from the same static pool of residents, making it seem like there is a gap in the region’s workforce.  To ensure that hiring practices aren’t exclusionary, employers can audit their processes to find gaps where residents might slip through the cracks.  To understand where hiring gaps exist and get more hiring help, browse the [Hidden Workforce Resource Page](https://offers.ontarioeast.ca/en-ca/hiring-staff-from-hidden-workforce).  Ontario East has created and collected tools and resources to help employers: - better understand the Hidden Workforce - find strategies to recruit from this demographic - implement policies to retain employees once they’re hired [![hiring stuff button](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4499088/fcad3ab3-0cc8-4f78-9cf4-a287e16ee63c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4499088/fcad3ab3-0cc8-4f78-9cf4-a287e16ee63c) *External links are provided as informational resources only and are not necessarily endorsed by Ontario East.* ![Ontario East](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/Ontario%20Website%202021/Mask%20Group%20(11).png) ## Ontario East [For employers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/tag/for-employers) - [![linkedin-1](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg) Post](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontarioeast/) - [![square-x-twitter](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/square-x-twitter.svg) Post](https://x.com/OntarioEast) - [![facebook](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/facebook.svg) Share](https://www.facebook.com/Ontario.East/) - [![envelope-solid](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/envelope-solid.svg) Email](mailto:info@ontarioeast.ca) ## You Might Also Be Interested In ### [![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/AD_4nXc0RKp971zyHXOXfhE25FmI4_LtDbGAqjbmyHbukVLt_Lmyawe9_gS5ZiAQHOHPfzmSbLgbTCKVIcYNKrvw1C00f7zNLpUesEoktDgz5gCT_hHy5RByUO1LXRg8ikInPYPhr7GsKxRnH8K8b.jpg?height=485&name=AD_4nXc0RKp971zyHXOXfhE25FmI4_LtDbGAqjbmyHbukVLt_Lmyawe9_gS5ZiAQHOHPfzmSbLgbTCKVIcYNKrvw1C00f7zNLpUesEoktDgz5gCT_hHy5RByUO1LXRg8ikInPYPhr7GsKxRnH8K8b.jpg) July 09, 2024 This Employer Toolkit Gives Hiring Help Read Now For employers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/employer-toolkit-gives-hiring-help) ### [![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/AD_4nXfSMFGctg_8i59O6bhUGa975WCv3MgSB2RVVoNBW1acDmkTgmN3SNZw2r9sxGpgsLA8Cy14h4nCO8Hhh5n2xjhpwAQrbJ-niVGz3VhchLdX8QNcRg8Uxg2jZD8emcH5rwlu56WiOg.jpg?height=485&name=AD_4nXfSMFGctg_8i59O6bhUGa975WCv3MgSB2RVVoNBW1acDmkTgmN3SNZw2r9sxGpgsLA8Cy14h4nCO8Hhh5n2xjhpwAQrbJ-niVGz3VhchLdX8QNcRg8Uxg2jZD8emcH5rwlu56WiOg.jpg) January 23, 2025 Human Resources Support for Hiring Help: A BR&E Case Study Read Now For employers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/human-resources-support) ![](https://ontarioeast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mask-Group-4.svg) ## Subscribe to our eNewsletter ###### CONTACT US (613) 634-8569 623 Fortune Crescent, Suite 100 Kingston, ON K7P 0L5 [Email Us](mailto:info@ontarioeast.ca) ###### LINKS [Regional Profile](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/) [Available Properties](https://ontarioeast.ca/available-properties/) [Key Employment Sectors](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/) [FAQs](https://ontarioeast.ca/faqs/) [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news/) [Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) [Members](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) [About Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/about-us/) [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events/) [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://ontarioeast.ca/ontario-east-municipal-conference/) [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) ###### ZoomProspector [Admin Access Login](https://auth.zoomprospector.com/Account/Login?returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.zoomprospector.com%2FAccount%2FLoginCallback%3FreturnUrl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fadmin.zoomprospector.com%252F) © Ontario East Economic Development, 2026 Acme Co, Inc. All Rights Reserved. [Terms and Privacy Policy](https://ontarioeast.ca/terms-and-privacy-policy/) ![Canada, Employment Ontario, Government of Ontario logos](https://ontarioeast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ontario-employment-logos.svg)