Getting Started

To find work through an escort agency or in a massage parlour, you need only look for adult ads in the back of the newspapers or online at one of the popular classifieds sites. The employer may ask you to email photos of yourself.

Your in-person interview will be focused on how the business operates and what services you are willing to provide. You will likely provide your stats and your work name. You may have to identify any physical ‘flaws’ you have.

Employers usually ask you to provide proof of age (two pieces of ID/ one with a photo) and/or proof of legal living/working status in Canada. You will probably find out that day if you’re hired, if you’re not told during the interview. You may even start work that day.

Working Independently

Working for yourself has many benefits! You can set your own hours/ availability, you get to define your own escorting persona and you determine which clients you will see (or not) and what services you will (or will not) provide to them.

Some Indy escorts work from home and others rent a separate space where they will work. There are advantages to working from home such as no commute but there also risks if a neighbor decides they do not like you engaging in sex work and complains to your land lord for example. Having a separate work space can provide an extra layer of protection from “nosy neighbors” or if an issue with a client arises and you feel unsafe. It makes it easier to pick up and move and means your home is still your “safe zone”.

Independent workers sometimes share work spaces for the sake of security, not only from keeping home and work separate, but from having each other as “back up” should an incident with a client or other person should arise and affect your safety.

It is a lot of work to be an independent worker, you have to post your own ads, answer inquiries from clients, maintain current photographs and purchase all of your own supplies. Some workers prefer to work for an agent or parlor who will take care of all of that for you.

Training

Your employer will usually train you on how to charge for extras and what ever else you need to know for working with the company. Seduction techniques, performance skills, and health and safety education is not normally provided.

You will learn these things from other sex workers. Many things you will learn the hard way from experience.

Independent workers face challenges in terms of training. The nuances of how to screen clients or how to deal with a difficult client can be difficult to negotiate. It can be worthwhile for an inexperienced worker to actually work a few days in an agency or parlor so you can discover some of the basic things people do to protect their safety.

Licensing

In some cities, individuals must be licensed to work for a massage parlour or an escort service. Be aware that you may be denied a license based on prior criminal convictions. Phone the licensing department of the city you’re working in to find out more.

Many city staff members are unaware of the license by-laws which apply to sex work. It can be challenging to deal with non sex working people when trying to navigate a licensing process. Try to stay calm and don’t react if they seem uninformed or confused. Patience goes a long way when trying to deal with mainstream systems.

Working for an Employer or Agency

When you work for an agency, the agency takes a cut of the money you earn. In return, the agency maintains the suite (if applicable), books the jobs, and takes care of the advertising and promotion.

Massage parlour work is run in a number of different ways. You may work for tips. You may get a percentage of the call. Or you may get paid only for extras beyond the cost of the massage.

Many cities label massage parlors Health Enhancement Centers (HEC) or Body rub Parlors. The most common format for these businesses are to “rent the room” instead of selling the services of a sex worker. This way once in the room, the transaction between sex worker and client is “private”. The business owner will take most of the “room fee” and then the worker takes 100% of the money from the service while in the room. Many workers will “tip out” a business owner or call taker/ booking person from the money they make from providing services in the room.

In the end, each business will be different. If the style of a business does not work for you or you are not comfortable with the way they work, you can always move on to another one.

Rates

Here is an example of a pay scale at an escort agency:

You get $180 for in-house with $65 going to the agency. Your first call of the day includes a book-on fee of $10. Some agencies also charge supply fees such as a $10 per month condom fee.

Agencies usually have a frequently used fining system too. You can be fined for a missed shift ($100), a missed call ($50), or having your phone turned off when you’re on-call ($45).

Workers generally report earning anywhere from $2000 to $10,000 per month.

Independent escorts earn between $150 and $500 per hour or more depending on the services they offer, who their clientele tend to be, and what their expectations are financially. You have the benefit of setting your own rates but it’s wise not to undercut other escorts by charging substantially less than them. Undercutting can lead to a reduction in pay for everyone, if clients start expecting lower rates.