Most public Ontario job postings from employers with 25 or more employees must now include expected pay or a pay range. The rule took effect on January 1, 2026.
But it does not cover every job ad. Small employers are generally exempt. Some jobs expected to pay more than $200,000 are exempt from the pay line. A posted range also does not guarantee the final offer will sit inside it.
The new rules are useful. They are not as simple or as strong as many short social posts make them sound.
This guide gives general information, not legal advice.
The 2026 rules in one table
| Question | Direct answer |
|---|---|
| Must a covered posting show pay? | Yes. It must show expected compensation or a range, subject to the over-$200,000 exception. |
| How wide can the range be? | The annual-equivalent difference between the bottom and top can be no more than $50,000. |
| Does every employer have to follow the rule? | No. It generally does not apply to employers with fewer than 25 employees on the posting date. |
| Must a posting say whether the job is real and open? | It must state whether an existing vacancy exists. That does not force the employer to fill it. |
| Must AI screening be disclosed? | Yes, if the employer uses AI to screen, assess or select applicants for the posting. |
| Can a posting require Canadian experience? | A covered public posting and its application form cannot require Canadian experience. Professional licensing can still be required. |
| Must an employer reply after an interview? | It must tell an interviewed applicant within 45 days whether a hiring decision has been made. |
| Where can possible non-compliance be reported? | Ontario lists [email protected] for information about possible violations. |
Which job ads are covered?
The rule applies to a "publicly advertised job posting." In plain language, that is an external ad for a specific position that is offered to the general public.
It can appear on a large job board, a recruiter platform, a company site or another public channel. An employer remains responsible when a third party publishes the ad for it.
The rule can also treat linked information as part of the posting. If an ad links to a company page or document with important job details, Ontario says that linked material can count.
Which job ads are not covered?
Several common ads fall outside the definition.
The Ontario guide says a public posting does not include:
- a general campaign that does not advertise a specific position
- a simple "we are hiring" sign without a specific role
- a job open only to current employees
- work performed outside Ontario
- certain jobs split between Ontario and another place when the outside work is not a continuation of the Ontario work
The rules also generally do not apply when the employer has fewer than 25 employees on the date it posts the ad.
That means a neighbourhood shop with a small staff may legally publish a specific job without a salary line under this part of the Employment Standards Act. Another law or policy may still matter, but this particular posting rule may not.
How does the 25-employee threshold work?
The count is based on people, not full-time equivalents.
A part-time employee counts as one person. A casual employee counts as one person. Ontario's guide also lists probationary employees, many trainees, employees on leave and employees on layoff whose employment relationship has not ended.
An employer with several Ontario locations usually cannot count each store in isolation. Its employees across those Ontario locations are included.
For example, a company with three Ontario shops and 12 employees at each one has 36 employees for this test, not 12.
Do not guess a company's legal employee count from the number of people you see at one storefront. Ownership structures, related employers and temporary-help arrangements can make the count harder.
What salary information must appear?
A covered employer must include either one expected compensation amount or a range.
Compensation can include more than base salary. Ontario's definition includes wages such as an hourly rate, salary, commission, piece-work rate and some performance-related bonuses.
If the expected package has more than one type, the employer must give information about each type. A role with hourly pay plus commission cannot simply hide the commission portion.
The employer does not always have to publish a full formula. Ontario gives the example of saying a bonus may be up to 10 per cent of annual salary based on performance.
Tips, travel reimbursements, stock options and some discretionary bonuses are not treated the same way under this rule.
How wide can an Ontario salary range be?
The range may span no more than the equivalent of $50,000 per year.
A range from $85,000 to $135,000 has a $50,000 spread and can be used. A range from $85,000 to $140,000 has a $55,000 spread and cannot be used in a covered public posting.
This limit controls what may appear in the ad. It does not prohibit the employer from using a wider compensation structure inside the company.
For hourly jobs, compare annual equivalents carefully. Hours per week and weeks per year affect the calculation. If an ad lists a very wide hourly range without telling you the expected hours, ask the employer to explain.
The over-$200,000 exception surprises many applicants
An employer does not have to include the pay information when the expected compensation is more than $200,000 per year.
The exception also applies when the top of the expected range is more than $200,000. Ontario gives the example of $170,000 to $210,000.
This creates an odd result. A senior job may legally show no salary even though a lower-paid job must.
An applicant can still ask. The absence of a required public number does not stop a normal pay conversation.
Does the employer have to honour the posted range?
The Ontario guide says the posting rule does not force an employer to offer the job at the listed amount or within the listed range.
That weakens the practical value of the number. A range tells you what the employer expected when it posted the job. It is not the same as a guaranteed offer.
If the offer falls outside the range, ask in writing:
- Why did the expected compensation change?
- Did the job duties or level change?
- Is the offer for the same position named in the ad?
- Which parts are base pay, commission and bonus?
Keep the original posting. It can help you compare what was advertised with what was offered.
What does "an existing vacancy" mean?
A covered posting must state whether it is for an existing vacancy.
Ontario describes an existing vacancy as a position that is imminently available for a qualified person to fill.
If no existing vacancy is available, the employer must say so. This helps applicants spot a general talent pool or future-opportunity ad before spending hours on it.
The rule does not force an employer to fill an existing vacancy. A budget can change. A project can stop. An internal candidate can be selected. The statement gives the applicant useful context, not a promise of employment.
What must an employer say about artificial intelligence?
If the employer uses artificial intelligence to screen, assess or select applicants, a covered posting must disclose that use.
The employer does not have to explain the model, score, vendor or exact decision process in the posting. A short statement that AI is used can satisfy this disclosure requirement.
That means the rule gives notice, not full algorithmic transparency.
If the use worries you, ask:
- Which part of the application is reviewed by AI?
- Is a person involved before rejection?
- How can an applicant request an accommodation?
- How should a portfolio or non-standard work history be submitted?
Do not stuff a résumé with hidden words or follow advice that tells you to lie to a screening system. Make the document clear, accurate and easy for both software and a person to read.
Can an Ontario posting require Canadian experience?
A covered public posting and its associated application form cannot require Canadian experience.
The rule covers more than a line that says "two years of Canadian work." Ontario also lists Canadian education credentials and an established Canadian professional network or client base as examples.
Professional registration and licensing are different. A regulated profession can still require the licence needed to do the job legally.
An employer can ask for a skill learned through relevant experience. It should not assume that the skill only counts when it was learned in Canada.
Human-rights law may also apply to experience barriers. The Employment Standards Act posting rule is not the only possible protection.
What response is required after an interview?
An employer must tell an interviewed applicant whether a hiring decision has been made within 45 days after the interview.
If there is more than one interview, the normal clock runs from the last one. Ontario has extra guidance for interviews more than 45 days apart.
The rule covers a real interview used to assess suitability. A short preliminary screen to confirm basic qualifications may not count as an interview.
The update can be given in person, by phone, email, text, video call or through a portal if the applicant receives a link.
This is not a requirement to give detailed feedback. It is also not a promise that every applicant will receive a thoughtful rejection letter. It is a clear limit on being left with no status at all after a covered interview.
What should a compliant posting look like?
A simple covered ad could say:
Expected salary: $72,000 to $88,000 per year. An existing vacancy is available. Artificial intelligence is used to screen applications.
The rest of the posting should avoid Canadian-experience requirements. If commission or a production bonus is part of expected compensation, it should include useful information about that part too.
A posting is not automatically compliant just because it contains a dollar sign. The number must describe expected compensation in a way that fits the rule.
What should you do when salary information is missing?
First, check whether the rule appears to apply.
Ask:
- Is this a specific job, not a general campaign?
- Is the work in Ontario?
- Does the employer appear to have at least 25 employees in Ontario?
- Is the expected pay or top of the range over $200,000?
- Is the salary on a linked page or document?
- Is it an internal-only posting?
If the answer still points to possible non-compliance, save evidence before the ad changes.
Keep the full page, URL, posting date, employer name and application form. A PDF print or web archive with a visible date is better than a cropped image that removes context.
How to report possible non-compliance
Ontario asks people to send information about possible job-posting violations to [email protected].
The ministry asks for:
- the employer name and contact information
- the physical business address
- a link to or copy of the posting
Explain the possible issue in a few clear sentences. Do not add guesses about the employer's motives. State what is missing and why you think the rule applies.
The ministry reviews the information and decides what action is appropriate. A report does not prove that the employer broke the law.
If the posting itself appears fraudulent, Ontario says to report the fraud to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. That is a different problem from a missing salary line.
Do not "name and shame" before checking the exemption
Public pressure can feel satisfying. A wrong accusation can harm a small business or confuse other applicants.
The employer may be under 25 employees. The job may be outside Ontario. The salary may sit on a linked page. The role may fall into the over-$200,000 exception.
Save the evidence and use the official reporting channel. If you publish anything yourself, stick to the document you can prove. Do not claim fraud, discrimination or deliberate law-breaking without evidence.
How job seekers should read a range
A salary range is the start of the conversation.
Look at the spread. A $50,000 range gives the employer much more room than a $10,000 range. Ask what experience or responsibility places a person near the top.
Then ask what is not inside the base number:
- Is there a bonus target?
- Is commission guaranteed, capped or recoverable?
- How many hours are normal?
- Is overtime paid?
- Are benefits available on day one?
- Is the role remote, hybrid or office-based?
- Is travel time part of the job?
Two jobs with the same salary can have very different real value.
Our take
Ontario's new rule is worth having. A visible salary saves applicants from wasting time on jobs that cannot meet their needs. The vacancy and AI statements also expose parts of hiring that used to stay hidden.
But this is a floor.
The small-employer exemption leaves out many Toronto jobs. The senior-pay exception removes numbers from some of the roles where ranges are widest. The law also does not guarantee that an offer will match the public range.
Use the posting as evidence, not as a promise. Ask direct questions. Save the page. Report clear gaps without turning a suspicion into a verdict.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ontario job postings need a salary range?
No. The 2026 rule generally covers public postings from employers with at least 25 employees. General hiring campaigns, internal-only jobs, certain work outside Ontario and some jobs over $200,000 can fall outside the pay requirement.
What is the widest legal salary range in an Ontario job ad?
For a covered posting, the difference between the bottom and top may be no more than the equivalent of $50,000 per year. A $85,000 to $135,000 range fits that limit. A $85,000 to $140,000 range does not.
Does an Ontario employer have to offer a salary inside the posted range?
The Ontario ESA guide says the posting rule does not create an obligation to offer within the listed range. If the offer differs, ask whether the duties, level or compensation structure changed.
Do part-time employees count toward the 25-person threshold?
Yes. Ontario counts individual employees, not full-time equivalents. Part-time and casual employees each count as one person.
Must a job ad disclose AI résumé screening?
Yes, if a covered employer uses AI to screen, assess or select applicants for that posting. The ad needs a statement about the use, but it does not have to explain the full system.
Can an Ontario employer ask for Canadian experience?
A covered public posting and its application form cannot require Canadian experience. The employer can still require the professional licence or registration legally needed for the role.
Where do I report an Ontario job ad with no salary?
Ontario lists [email protected] for possible non-compliance information. Include the employer name, contact details, physical address and a link or complete copy of the posting.
How quickly must an employer update me after an interview?
For a covered posting, the employer must tell an interviewed applicant within 45 days whether a hiring decision has been made. The clock usually runs from the last interview when there is more than one.
The bottom line
In Ontario, a public job ad with no salary is now a question worth asking. It is not automatic proof of a violation.
Check the employer size, job location, posting type and pay exception. Save the complete ad. Then use the official reporting path if the rule appears to apply.
Transparency works best when applicants know both the right and its limits.