Mississauga employers that advertise jobs publicly must now follow new provincial rules on what those postings contain, after changes to Ontario's Employment Standards Act took effect on Jan. 1.

The requirements apply to employers with 25 or more employees on the day a job is posted. They cover external postings advertised to the general public, but not general recruitment campaigns that don't advertise a specific position, generic "help wanted" signs, postings open only to existing employees or jobs performed entirely outside Ontario.

What job ads must now include

  • The expected pay or pay range for the job. A range can be no wider than $50,000. The rule does not apply where pay, or the top of the range, is more than $200,000 a year.

  • A statement disclosing whether artificial intelligence is used to screen, assess or select applicants.

  • Whether the posting is for an existing vacancy.

  • No requirement for Canadian work experience, in either the posting or any related application form.

The province's guide gives an example: a posted range of $85,000 to $135,000 is allowed, but $85,000 to $140,000 is not.

A broad definition of AI

The province defines artificial intelligence broadly, as a machine-based system that infers from the input it receives to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations or decisions. That can cover resume-ranking and applicant-scoring software built into hiring platforms, not just chatbots. The rule requires disclosure, not a ban: employers can still use automated tools, but candidates must be told.

After the interview

Employers must also tell applicants they interviewed whether a hiring decision has been made, within 45 days of the applicant's last interview. Copies of publicly advertised postings and related application forms, along with records of those notices, must be kept for three years.

Anyone looking for work deserves to know three things up front: what the job pays, whether the job is real, and how your application is being judged.

— David Piccini, Ontario Minister of Labour, as quoted by CP24

What it means locally

For job seekers in Mississauga, postings from larger employers should now show what a role pays before anyone applies, and whether an automated tool will be reading their application. The ban on Canadian experience requirements is aimed at removing a barrier for newcomers looking for work that matches their skills.

Businesses with fewer than 25 employees are not covered by the posting requirements. Employers that do fall under the rules may need to review their job ad templates, applicant tracking systems and instructions to recruiting agencies. Details are available in the province's online guide to the Employment Standards Act.