What Ontario's 2026 job posting rules mean for employers
Since January 1, 2026, public job postings in Ontario have to carry specific information. This is a plain-language summary of the Employment Standards Act requirements, drawn from the Ministry of Labour's guide.
General information, not legal advice. Check the current Act and regulation, or ask a lawyer, before relying on it.
What a covered posting must include
- Expected pay. The expected compensation or a range. A range can be no wider than $50,000 a year. Pay above $200,000 a year is exempt.
- No Canadian experience requirement. The posting and any application form must not ask for Canadian experience. Professional licensing requirements are exempt.
- AI disclosure. If artificial intelligence is used to screen, assess or select applicants, the posting must say so. You do not have to describe the system.
- Existing vacancy. A statement of whether the posting is for an existing vacancy or not.
Who is covered
The rules apply to employers with 25 or more employees on the day the posting goes up. They cover external postings advertised to the general public, including those placed by someone acting on the employer's behalf. General recruitment campaigns that do not advertise a specific position, postings limited to current employees, and postings for work done outside Ontario are not covered.
If an agency or job board posts for you
You remain responsible. The Ministry's guide says an employer that uses a third party to advertise a posting, or advertises on a third-party site such as a job bank, must make sure the requirements are followed. Give your agency the pay range, the vacancy status and your AI use before it posts.
Records and follow-up
- Keep the posting for three years after it is taken down. The same period applies to the application form and to information given to interviewed applicants.
- Tell interviewed applicants whether a hiring decision was made within 45 days of the interview, or of the last interview if there were several.
Agencies and recruiters need a licence
Since July 1, 2024, temporary help agencies and recruiters operating in Ontario need a licence, and employers must not knowingly use an unlicensed one. The Ministry publishes a status page where you can check a licence. Ask any agency for its licence number before you sign.
How this shows up in our postings
Every MapleGate posting states whether it is for an existing vacancy, whether AI is used to screen applicants, and the expected pay where we have it. We do not ask for Canadian experience. If you are hiring through us, we will ask for the pay range and vacancy status up front so your posting is complete before it goes live.