7 Costco Employee Benefits & Job Perks That Will Make You Think About Switching Careers
Costco has pretty impressive employee benefits available to workers in Canada that you probably don't know about.
After hearing some of the job perks that the retailer offers, you might even start thinking of making a career change, especially if you shop at Costco often.
Costco employees work across a variety of positions in warehouses like baker, cake decorator, cashier assistant, pharmacy clerk, maintenance assistant, order picker, food service assistant, gas station attendant, payroll clerk, deli clerk and stocker.
You can also find more Costco jobs in corporate offices, business centres and depots if that's something you're interested in.
There are so many benefits and perks that workers have access to — some that are available as soon as the job starts — including free memberships, high wages, exclusive access to new products, and more.
So, let's dive into what perks Costco employees can expect while working for the wholesale retailer in Canada.
Free membership
The wholesale retailer shared with Narcity that one of the job perks for employees is a free Costco membership.
When employees are hired, they can immediately get a Gold Star membership.
Then, after finishing their 90-day probationary period, employees get upgraded to an Executive membership. Plus, they get two Gold Star memberships for family members too!
Gold Star memberships — which cost $60 a year for everyone else — allow you to have access to all Costco locations worldwide, as well as online shopping.
Executive memberships — which have an annual fee of $120 for non-employees — offer online shopping, entry to all Costco locations worldwide, an annual 2% reward on warehouse, online and Costco Travel purchases, and exclusive offers and discounts.
High wages
Pierre Riel, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Costco Wholesale International, revealed in 2023 what salaries are like for Costco Canada workers.
"Our starting hourly wage is $17.50," Riel said. "This is above minimum wage in the provinces where we operate and it is regularly reevaluated."
The exec also shared that the average hourly wage was $27.63 in 2019 but is now $29.76 as of 2023, which the retailer believes is one of "the highest retail wages in Canada."
"To give you an idea of what that means for annual wages, a cashier who has worked full-time for Costco for six years earns over $70,000 annually," Riel said.
First access to new products
Narcity spoke to two Costco employees, Anna* and Taylor*, who revealed that another job perk is getting first access to new products.
"Any new item that comes in, whether it be candy, fruit, whatever food item, we're able to actually sample it so we know exactly what it tastes like," Anna said. "When members come in, we can already let them know."
Also, Taylor said that's the case with new recipes as well.
"We always cook them in the deli so everybody knows what that tastes like," she added.
Benefits package
Costco shared that employees get "a full spectrum of benefits" and can also get coverage for their spouses and children.
Plus, 100% of the premiums are paid by the wholesale retailer.
Those benefits include health care (prescription drugs, vision, paramedical services, hearing aids, emergency travel assistance and more) and dental care (including preventative, basic and major services and orthodontics).
Disability plans provide income replacement when an employee who's eligible for benefits becomes ill or is injured and can't work.
Employees also have access to a confidential and free assistance program that uses professional counsellors who are dedicated to Costco employees and trained to help resolve personal, family or work challenges.
Promotions
TikToker @millennialmsfrizz, who switched careers to work at Costco, posted a video in response to a comment from someone who said they started as a seasonal worker, got promoted to manager after six years, and then was making $91,000 without a degree four years later.
"This is an extremely common trajectory for a Costco employee, to begin seasonally and then either be rehired later on or just stay on," the TikToker noted.
"I know many people who were a supervisor and then a manager within two years of being employed at Costco," they said.
"People really don't [understand] the growth and opportunity available within Costco," they mentioned.
Apparently, training is "readily available" to workers which allows people to get promotions quickly even if they don't have a degree.
Costco employee Michael, @yeaboyyyyyyd on TikTok, also noted that you can move up from a position in the food court or a seasonal job to a cashier position and beyond.
"It really just depends on the needs of the business and whether your specific warehouse has any open availabilities," they said.
They were first hired as a part-time seasonal employee in 2014 and then became a permanent part-time employee in the deli department a month later.
"Do your job and do it well. Do your job as if your manager is standing right behind you because somebody is always watching."
Then, when positions in your warehouse are being hired for, submit your application.
Access to company shares
Costco also has an employee share purchase plan for all employees.
In fact, new employees are immediately eligible to enroll in the plan which allows them to purchase Costco shares by way of payroll deduction.
The retailer says that this share purchase plan avoids commissions and fees that are typically associated with the purchase of shares and offers employees an "easy way to save for the future."
Scholarship program
Another benefit that Costco Canada offers workers is college and university scholarships for tuition and fees for themselves and their children, up to a maximum of $2,500 a year.
Costco's Canadian employees and children of employees who reside in Canada and who will be enrolled in a full-time program leading to an undergraduate or graduate degree at a Canadian college or university for an entire academic year are eligible for the scholarship.
Employee performance or financial need is not a consideration for Costco's scholarship. Instead, it's based on academic performance.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality. Narcity has verified their identities.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
