Ontario’s Job Posting Laws to Benefit Newcomer Job Seekers

Two years later, those changes are coming into effect. As originally suggested, the changes are generally good news for newcomers looking for a job in Ontario. 

Key Takeaways 

Starting January 1, 2026, many employers in Ontario will have to follow new rules for job ads:

• They can’t ask for “Canadian work experience” in a public job posting or the application form.

• Job ads must include a pay range (with limits on how wide the range can be).

• Employers must say if they use AI to screen, assess, or select applicants.

• Employers must say whether the job ad is for a real open job (an actual vacancy).

• If you interview, employers must tell you within 45 days whether a hiring decision has been made—so there should be less ghosting after interviews.

The Workers for Workers Acts in Ontario

Before we dig into the specific changes coming here, I wanted to talk briefly about the Working for Workers Acts in Ontario.

The job posting changes I discussed in the key takeaways above (and in more detail below) come from the 2024 Working for Workers Four and Working for Workers Five Acts. For context, Ontario recently approved the Workers for Seven Act – so there are now seven different acts within this series. Many important changes have come into effect as a result. Some of these changes include:

• Improved workplace health and safety standards.
• Protected leave for certain workers, including parents through adoption or surrogacy, and workers who are diagnosed with a serious medical condition.
• Increased penalties for poor recordkeeping around wages.
• Harsher penalties for non-compliance with workplace laws.

Generally speaking, the changes made under the various Working for Workers Acts are designed to improve working conditions in Ontario for all workers – including newcomers.

Ontario also passed the Working for Workers Seven Act on November 27. One key change is connected to Ontario’s immigration system: workplace inspectors can require private in-person interviews (separate from other people). This is meant to help reduce fraud in the OINP.

Job Posting Requirements Changing in Ontario from January 1, 2026

Now, onto the changes coming soon to Ontario job postings.

Changes to Ontario’s job posting laws were initially proposed in November 2023, and passed in 2024. But the ‘effective date’ for the law is January 1, 2026. So, job postings in Ontario must comply with the requirements from January 1, 2026 onwards.

Here’s what changes you should expect to see from this date:  

Canadian work experience requirements are banned 

Employers can’t require Canadian work experience in their publicly-advertised job posting for a position. They also cannot include that requirement in their application forms for that position.  

This change is expected to benefit newcomers. The Ontario Human Rights Commission hopes employers will stop assuming candidates without Canadian work experience are not skilled or knowledgeable. The OHRC also suggests these changes may encourage employers to give newcomers the opportunity to show their skills – instead of being excluded from the process.  

The OHRC’s coverage of the Canadian work experience ban also highlights the benefits of building a diverse workforce, which are well documented. It also notes that newcomers are essential to Canada’s workforce and economic future, and highlights the immense loss Canada would experience if it can’t attract talented workers from abroad.  

Artificial intelligence disclosures 

Covered employers must disclose in the job ad if artificial intelligence is used in the hiring process to ‘screen, assess or select applicants’.  

This could help newcomers because it signals that the employer may be using software tools (like an Applicant Tracking System). In that case, applicants may choose to format their resume more clearly and match job keywords. 

But, it’s predicted that Ontario employers may just include general disclosures about AI use in the hiring process. This means that employers who use AI to do tasks like basic keyword screening might end up using the same disclosure as an employer who uses more intensive AI tools, like those that predict a candidates success. So this may not practically be that helpful.   

Salary range disclosure 

Employers must also include a salary range for the role in their job postings from January 1, 2026. The range must be within $50,000, which means:  

• An ad showing a $70,000-$120,000 range is okay, but  

• A $70,000 to $170,000 range would be non-compliant.  

There are exceptions to this for roles advertised at $200,000 or higher.  

This is generally considered a good practice in today’s job market anyway. Many prospective employees won’t apply for a role if the salary isn’t shown in the job posting. Plus, it can help attract higher-quality candidates, speed up the hiring process, and improve pay equity. So, it’s often seen as a win-win for employers and candidates.  

But, it’s also helpful to newcomers. Salary transparency helps newcomers negotiate fairly for wages, and can also drive better decision making about which roles to apply for and market salaries for specific roles.  

Quick Overview of Other Changes 

Some of the other changes coming into effect on January 1, 2026 include:  

• Employers must tell candidates about the status of their application within 45 days of an interview. Note that this doesn’t apply if you only submit your resume or if you only complete a preliminary screening. You must attend an interview before this obligation kicks in. But it means that employers can’t ghost you after an interview.  

• Speaking of ghosting, the changes should also reduce the ‘ghost posting’ of roles. Employers must share whether the job posting is for an existing vacancy. It’s hoped that this change will reduce the number of job ads being published for other purposes, like market research or building talent pipelines.  

Certain Employers Excluded from the Changes 

There are some restrictions on which employers and job ads the new rules apply to. For example, it doesn’t apply where an employer hangs a ‘help wanted’ sign, nor is it applicable to general recruitment campaigns (amongst other exceptions). Employers with fewer than 25 employees are also excluded from some requirements.  

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