Hiring your first employee in BC: a bookkeeper's checklist
From WorkSafe BC to source deductions, here is the step-by-step checklist we use with every first-time employer in the Valley.
Hiring your first employee is a milestone — and a paperwork avalanche. Here's the order we recommend.
Before day one
Open a CRA payroll account (RP suffix on your business number). Register with WorkSafe BC. Choose a payroll platform — we like Wagepoint or QuickBooks Payroll for small teams. Have a written offer letter and TD1 forms ready to sign.
Every pay run
Calculate CPP, EI, and income tax. Remit to CRA by the 15th of the following month. Keep stubs for 6 years. Miss a remittance and the penalties stack quickly — automate it from day one.
Every year
Issue T4s by Feb 28. File the T4 Summary with CRA. Reconcile WorkSafe BC payroll. Renew your Employer Health Tax (EHT) registration if your payroll crosses $500K.