Research

Ghost Jobs in Canada: The 2026 Report

5 min read

What Are Ghost Jobs?

A ghost job is a position posted online with no active intent to fill it. According to our analysis of 10,000+ Canadian job postings, 31% are ghost jobs — positions that are already filled, budgets that don't exist, or listings kept up for "talent pipeline" purposes.

Why Do Ghost Jobs Exist?

Employers post ghost jobs for several reasons: to build a candidate pipeline for future openings, to make the company appear to be growing, or simply because they forgot to take the listing down. The impact on job seekers is real — 56% of Canadian professionals report having applied to a ghost job.

How LANDTHATROLE Eliminates Ghost Jobs

Every listing on LANDTHATROLE is sourced directly from employer Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) — Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, Ashby, and 60+ others. If a job appears on our platform, it has an active ATS requisition behind it. We flag and remove listings older than 60 days without updates.

Tips to Spot Ghost Jobs on Other Platforms

  • Check when the job was posted — listings older than 60 days are suspicious
  • Look for the same job reposted multiple times
  • Verify the company has the role on their own careers page
  • Be wary of vague job descriptions with no salary range

Find your next role — verified and ghost-free

Every listing on LANDTHATROLE is sourced directly from employer ATS platforms.

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