Build Stable Teams When Local Hiring Falls Short

Labor shortages drive turnover and higher costs for McDonald’s operators. The EB-3 visa program offers a long-term staffing solution by allowing employers to hire committed international workers for permanent roles, creating predictable staffing, improved retention, and stronger margins over time.

Stable teams create operational freedom. When turnover slows, managers regain time, service improves, and margins stabilize.

For McDonald’s operators, that stability has become increasingly difficult to achieve through local hiring alone.

According to Nation’s Restaurant News, labor remains a top concern across the restaurant industry. In a TD Bank survey of 253 restaurant franchise leaders, 54% cited a shrinking labor pool as their biggest challenge in attracting and retaining talent. The result is not just staffing frustration. It’s direct financial pressure.

When positions stay open or teams constantly turn over, profitability suffers.

Labor Shortages Impact Franchise Profitability

Labor instability impacts nearly every aspect of restaurant performance. The effects compound quickly.

• Rising labor costs - ongoing wage inflation to compete for a smaller labor pool, staffing gaps requiring overtime pay
• High turnover expenses - approximately $4,700 in recruiting, onboarding, and training to replace one employee
• Reduced revenue - slower service, longer drive-thru times, and limited operating hours
• Price pressure on customers - raised menu prices, price-sensitive customers visit less
• Operational strain – disproportionate time recruiting and training instead of improving execution, developing teams, or focusing on growth

For many operators, these pressures have become persistent rather than cyclical.

Why McDonald’s Operators Turn to International Workers

As traditional recruiting delivers diminishing returns, more McDonald’s operators are adopting a long-term staffing strategy through the EB-3 Unskilled worker visa program.

EB-3 allows employers to sponsor international workers for permanent roles when there are not enough domestic candidates. For quick-service restaurants, this creates a dependable workforce pipeline designed for retention, not churn.

This is not a short-term staffing fix.  It’s a structural solution. 

The Advantages of Hiring Through EB-3

International hiring through EB-3 changes the employment dynamic.

EB-3 workers are pursuing permanent residency. These employees are not treating restaurant jobs as temporary stopgaps. They are building futures.

International workers invest significant time, effort, and resources to participate in the visa program. As a result, they approach their roles with long-term intent and a high level of commitment.

That mindset translates into reliability, consistency, and work ethics that can be difficult to achieve through conventional hiring. EB-3 employees typically stay for years, not months, providing true workforce continuity.

The Business Benefits of Long-Term Staffing Stability

For McDonald’s operators, the EB-3 benefits are multiple.

• Predictable staffing levels - for proactive scheduling and strategic planning
• Reduced recruiting and training costs - as turnover slows
• Service quality improves - when customers interact with experienced, familiar staff
• Managers regain time - to focus on execution, leadership, and growth initiatives
• Workplace culture strengthens – with a stable core of committed team members
• Employee morale improves - teams are no longer chronically understaffed

Consistency becomes the operating baseline rather than the exception.

Understanding the EB-3 Visa Process

To begin a successful EB-3 visa process, partner with an experienced visa specialist. The key is working with experts who offer comprehensive talent solutions that feature complete support, eligibility guidance, application processes, expert consultation, and sound compliance systems. You stay compliant; they handle the complexity.

These are the general steps in the EB-3 process:

1. Workforce needs assessment – identify how many permanent roles you need to fill
2. Legal compliance framework – work with your partner to establish systems for managing requirements
3. Choose candidates – your partner can help you vet international candidates
4. Obtain labor certification and prevailing wage – protects domestic and foreign workers
5. I-140 petition – demonstrates your ability to pay the prevailing wage and that candidates meet requirements
6. International candidate - applies for permanent residency
7. Candidate and company support - work with your visa partner to provide candidate support on arrival, integration, and ongoing

Managing the EB-3 Timeline for Sustainable Staffing

EB-3 is a long-term strategy. From initial application to worker arrival, the process can take three to five years. That timeline is not a drawback, however. It’s what makes the strategy sustainable.

You don’t have to choose between fixing today’s challenges and planning for tomorrow. You need strategies that work in parallel.

• Start the process now while managing your current staffing issues through traditional channels.
• Partner with experienced visa specialists who understand the process and help manage the administrative complexity.
• Structure international arrivals in planned waves to maintain operational stability.
• Integrate international workers into existing training and culture from day one.

Instead of hiring reactively during staffing crises, operators build a forward-looking workforce pipeline. When recruitment continues annually, arrivals become predictable and ongoing.

The lead time also creates operational advantages. It allows restaurants to plan onboarding, adjust training programs, and coordinate housing or transportation support (if necessary). Workers arrive prepared, informed about the brand, and motivated to succeed.

Some operators strategically align EB-3 hires with new store openings or post-turnover recovery. The commitment these international employees bring helps stabilize operations during periods of transition.

Operators who begin the process now position themselves to receive a steady flow of new hires for years to come. Like any long-term investment, the value compounds over time.

Download Your Free Guide

A Step-by-Step Guide to Sponsoring Candidates Through the EB-3 Program is a comprehensive resource that provides detailed insights into timelines, requirements, and best practices for successful EB-3 visa sponsorship.

Build Your Workforce

Build a Stable Workforce with EB-3 International Talent

EB-3 workers offer more than labor coverage. They offer commitment, stability, and long-term alignment with your business.

When combined with strong onboarding and local hiring efforts, international staffing can fundamentally change how McDonald’s restaurants operate day to day. Fewer disruptions. More consistency. Stronger margins.

BDV Solutions, a Vanteo company, has helped hundreds of businesses across the U.S. beat their labor challenges through the EB-3 Unskilled visa program.

To explore how EB-3 can support your workforce strategy, contact Tom Kilby to discuss building a more stable, efficient staffing model with international talent.

About Vanteo
Vanteo serves as the parent company for a comprehensive family of brands specializing in workforce solutions, cultural exchange programs, and process management, each benefiting from our integrated approach.

Seasonal Workers
Arkansas Global Connect (AGC) serves as our H-2A and H-2B seasonal workforce specialist, providing expertise in agricultural and non-agricultural temporary worker programs. AGC is Clearview Certified for ethical recruitment and manages the seasonal talent pipeline for industries including agriculture, hospitality, landscaping, and manufacturing.

Vanteo is not a law firm, and this information should not be considered legal advice. Participation in U.S. visa programs is subject to eligibility, regulatory requirements, and government approval. Past performance does not guarantee future outcomes.