Employers with 25 or more employees in Ontario will be required to include expected compensation ranges in public job postings starting Jan. 1, 2026, under the regulations filed by the provincial government.
The rules, published as Ontario Regulation 476/24 under the Employment Standards Act, apply to positions where work will be performed in Ontario and set specific parameters for how salary information must be disclosed.
Compensation disclosure requirements
Employers must include a range of expected compensation in any job posting advertised to the general public. The regulation defines compensation as wages and sets a maximum spread of $50,000 annually for any posted range.
Positions with expected compensation exceeding $200,000 annually are exempt from the disclosure requirement. The exemption also applies to roles where the compensation range ends at an amount above $200,000 per year.
The regulation does not apply to employers with fewer than 25 employees on the day a job posting is published.
Scope of public postings
The regulation defines a publicly advertised job posting as an external posting that an employer or person acting on the employer’s behalf advertises to the general public in any manner.
Several categories of postings fall outside the definition. General recruitment campaigns that do not advertise a specific position are excluded, as are general help wanted signs without position details.
Internal postings restricted to existing employees are not subject to the requirements. Positions where work will be performed entirely outside Ontario, or where work outside the province is not a continuation of Ontario-based work, are also exempt.
AI screening disclosure
The regulation includes definitions related to artificial intelligence in hiring processes. It defines artificial intelligence as a machine-based system that infers from input to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments.
Interview notification rules
Employers must inform job applicants of hiring decisions within a prescribed timeframe. The regulation requires notification within 45 days after an interview, or within 45 days of the last interview if an applicant is interviewed multiple times for the same posting.
The regulation defines an interview as a meeting in person or using technology such as teleconference or videoconference between an applicant and an employer or representative, where questions and answers assess the applicant’s suitability. Preliminary screening before selecting applicants for such meetings does not constitute an interview.
Employers must inform applicants whether a hiring decision has been made regarding the posted position. The information can be provided in person, in writing or using technology.
Implementation details
The regulations take effect as provisions of the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 and Working for Workers Five Act, 2024 come into force.
The 25-employee threshold is assessed on the day each job posting is published, meaning an employer’s obligations may vary depending on workforce size at the time of posting.
The regulation does not specify how to calculate the 25-employee minimum or whether it includes part-time workers, contractors or employees outside Ontario.
The $50,000 maximum range applies on an annual equivalent basis, providing parameters for employers posting positions with hourly, weekly or other non-annual compensation structures.
The exemption for high-earning positions ensures compensation transparency requirements focus on roles with annual pay below $200,000 or ranges that do not exceed that threshold.
Enforcement provisions
The regulation does not detail penalties for non-compliance or enforcement mechanisms. Those provisions are expected to be contained in Part III.1 of the Employment Standards Act, which governs job posting requirements.
The interview notification requirement creates a new administrative obligation for employers to track interview dates and communicate outcomes within the mandated timeframe.
The regulation represents Ontario’s entry into pay transparency legislation, joining other Canadian jurisdictions that have implemented or proposed similar measures to address wage gaps and information asymmetries in hiring processes.
