It’s early November, and a new client needs additional security coverage through the holiday season. Another location has extended its hours, and a few more guards are needed to cover the schedule. Suddenly, the hiring team is trying to recruit, screen and prepare new guards while the deadline to get them on site keeps getting closer.

The holiday season brings more than an increase in shoppers. It can also create busier environments for the security teams responsible for protecting people, property and inventory. Canadians spent $73.6 billion at retailers in December 2025 alone, according to Statistics Canada. Meanwhile, the Retail Council of Canada reports that retail shrink has reached $9 billion, and 76.2% of retailers reported an increase in violence during theft incidents. As activity increases during peak season, having enough properly screened and licensed security personnel becomes an important part of workforce planning.

For businesses preparing for the holiday rush, that creates a trust challenge. Finding enough security guards is only part of the job. Employers also need guards who are properly screened, licensed and ready to work when demand increases.

That’s why holiday security hiring should start before the rush does. Planning screening and licensing requirements early gives employers more time to build a workforce they can confidently deploy when peak-season demand arrives.

Why Should Businesses Prepare for Holiday Security Hiring Early?

Quick answer: Businesses should begin preparing their security workforce before peak demand because hiring a guard is only one part of the process. Screening, licensing and other role-specific requirements can affect when a new hire is actually ready to work.

For employers, the gap between hired and ready to deploy matters.

This becomes especially important during the holiday season. Security firms may need additional guards to meet new or expanded contracts, while retailers, property managers, logistics companies and other organizations may require more security coverage.

As we discussed in our previous article on security workforce trends, seasonal surges can put significant pressure on security firms when licensing and screening processes are not prepared for increased hiring volumes.

Preparing early gives employers more time to complete each step properly rather than trying to compress the process when shifts already need to be filled.

The Holiday Rush Creates a Trust Challenge

Security guards are often placed in positions that require a high level of trust.

Depending on the assignment, they may patrol properties, interact with employees and customers, respond to incidents, monitor restricted areas or protect valuable assets. During the holiday season, those responsibilities may also take place in busier environments with increased foot traffic, inventory and activity.

That creates an important question for employers:

How do you increase your security workforce quickly without lowering your screening standards?

The answer should not be to choose between speed and thoroughness. Instead, employers should build screening and licensing into their workforce planning from the beginning.

A faster hiring process is only useful when the organization still has the information it needs to make informed hiring decisions.

What Should Employers Check When Hiring Security Guards?

Quick answer: Background screening for security guards should reflect the responsibilities of the role, the organization’s policies and applicable provincial requirements. There is no single background check that is appropriate for every security position.

Depending on the role, an employer may consider:

The important point is not to order every available check. Employers should match the screening process to the position.

A guard assigned to mobile patrol, for example, may have different screening considerations from someone working at a fixed retail location.

What Is a CRJMC for a Security Guard License in Ontario?

Quick answer: A Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC) is part of Ontario’s security guard licensing process. Employers hiring guards in Ontario should account for this requirement when planning how quickly candidates can become licensed and ready for work.

This is especially relevant when seasonal hiring volumes increase.

Triton’s previous security workforce article discusses how licensing delays can affect deployment and identifies Triton’s digital CRJMC as accepted by Ontario’s Private Security and Investigative Services Branch (PSISB). Triton provides eligible CRJMC results in as little as 15 minutes.

For employers hiring several guards at once, reducing unnecessary delays at this stage can make workforce planning more predictable.

Requirements can differ across Canada, however, businesses operating in multiple provinces should confirm the licensing and screening requirements that apply to each jurisdiction rather than applying one process everywhere.

How Can Businesses Prepare Their Security Workforce Before Peak Season?

A strong holiday security hiring plan starts before the first urgent staffing request arrives.

1. Forecast your staffing needs

Look at expected holiday hours, locations, contracts, events and anticipated increases in activity. Then determine where additional security coverage may be required.

Starting with expected demand gives hiring teams a clearer target instead of reacting shift by shift.

2. Identify screening requirements by role

Determine which background checks and verifications are appropriate for each position.

This is also a good time to confirm whether specific roles require a CRJMC, driver’s abstract or another role-specific check.

3. Start screening before the staffing crunch

If dozens of candidates need to be screened at once, even small inefficiencies can become bigger operational problems.

Beginning the process earlier creates more time to address incomplete information, licensing requirements or other issues before guards are expected on site.

4. Make the candidate process straightforward

Holiday hiring is already busy for candidates and employers.

Clear instructions, digital processes, and fewer unnecessary steps can help candidates move through screening more efficiently while giving hiring teams better visibility into their progress.

5. Know who is ready to deploy

A job offer does not necessarily mean a guard can immediately begin working.

Track candidates through hiring, screening, and licensing, so operations teams know which guards are fully ready and where outstanding steps remain.

This can help prevent last-minute scheduling problems when holiday coverage increases.

Don’t Let Faster Hiring Become Rushed Hiring

When staffing pressure rises, there can be a temptation to treat background screening as another box to check as quickly as possible.

That misses its purpose.

The goal of background screening is to give employers relevant information to support informed hiring decisions. For security roles, that information becomes particularly important because guards may be trusted with people, property and access.

Technology can help employers complete parts of the process faster. However, speed should support a well-designed screening program rather than replace one.

For organizations in the consideration stage of choosing a screening provider, this is an important distinction. Ask not only, “How quickly can we get results?” but also, “Can this process support the hiring volume, licensing requirements and roles we need to manage?”

Build Holiday Workforce Readiness Before You Need It

Holiday security hiring does not have to become a last-minute scramble.

The organizations that prepare early can enter peak season knowing what positions they need to fill, which checks apply, where candidates are in the process and who is ready to work.

For security employers, that preparation supports more than hiring efficiency. It helps protect the trust clients place in the people assigned to their sites.

Preparing for your holiday security hiring?

Triton helps Canadian organizations complete criminal background checks for employment and other pre-employment screening through a secure online platform. For Ontario security organizations, Triton also provides PSISB-accepted CRJMCs with eligible results available in as little as 15 minutes.

Talk to Triton’s security expert today about preparing your security workforce for peak season.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early should businesses start hiring security guards for the holiday season?

Employers should begin planning before their expected increase in demand. Starting early provides time for recruitment, background screening, licensing and scheduling rather than completing these steps after additional coverage is already needed.

What background checks should employers consider for security guards?

The appropriate checks depend on the position and applicable requirements. Employers may consider criminal background checks, identity verification, employment and reference checks, driving record abstracts and other role-specific screening.

Do security guards need a CRJMC in Ontario?

A Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check is part of Ontario’s security guard licensing process. Employers should confirm current licensing requirements for the positions and jurisdictions in which they operate.

Can background screening help businesses prepare for seasonal hiring?

Yes. Building screening into workforce planning can help employers identify requirements earlier, process candidates more consistently and understand who has completed the necessary steps before peak staffing demand arrives.