Ontario's Salary Transparency Law 2026: What Every Job Seeker Needs to Know

Since January 1, 2026, every employer in Ontario with 25 or more employees must include a salary range in every publicly posted job listing. Ontario's Working for Workers Act, 2024 makes salary disclosure legally mandatory — not just best practice. For Canadian job seekers, this is the most significant change to hiring transparency in decades. Here's what it means, who it covers, and how to use it to negotiate better offers.

What Changed on January 1, 2026

The amended Working for Workers Act introduced three new requirements:

1. Mandatory salary range disclosure: All publicly posted job listings from eligible employers must include the expected compensation range. "We'll discuss compensation during the interview" is no longer acceptable as a response to an application — the range must be in the posting itself.
2. AI disclosure requirement: Employers must disclose if artificial intelligence is used in the screening or hiring process. This includes AI resume screening tools built into ATS platforms like Greenhouse, Workday, and iCIMS — tools that automatically score and rank candidates before a human reviews them.
3. Application receipt acknowledgment: Companies are required to confirm to applicants that their application was received. This doesn't guarantee a human review — it means automated confirmation is now expected.

Who the Law Covers

The regulation applies to:

• All employers with 25 or more employees in Ontario
• All publicly advertised job postings — including listings on external job boards (Indeed, LinkedIn, company websites, LANDTHATROLE)
• Roles that are remote but posted by Ontario-registered employers — even if the work will be done from outside Ontario

Exempt from the requirement:

• Internal-only postings not visible to the public
• General "send us your resume" career page solicitations without a specific open role
• Employers with fewer than 25 employees

How to Use the Law to Negotiate Better Offers

Before 2026, entering salary negotiations without knowing the budget was standard. Now you know the range before you apply. Here's how to use this strategically:

1. Anchor your expectations to the upper half of the range. If a company posts $90,000–$120,000, you should be targeting $105,000–$120,000 for any role where you meet most of the requirements. Hiring managers typically post wider ranges than they're willing to pay at the top — but the range is an invitation to target higher.
2. Don't accept below-range offers without a direct conversation. If a company offers you $85,000 for a role with a posted range of $90,000–$120,000, ask: "I noticed the posted range starts at $90,000 — can you help me understand what's different in my case?" This is a direct, factual question that the law makes completely reasonable.
3. Use the range to compare roles across companies. For the first time in Ontario history, you can genuinely compare what different employers pay for similar roles before investing time in the application process. A role paying $90,000–$120,000 at Company A versus $130,000–$165,000 at Company B for similar responsibilities is now visible at a glance.
4. Research where your market rate falls within the range. Check LANDTHATROLE's salary guides by role and city to understand where you fall in the market. If the posted range is $90,000–$120,000 and market data shows mid-level engineers earn $105,000–$125,000, you have objective data to support a higher ask.

What Happens If a Company Doesn't Comply?

Ontario's Ministry of Labour can investigate and issue compliance orders to employers who violate salary disclosure requirements. Fines are available under the Employment Standards Act. Enforcement in 2026 is expected to start with compliance warnings before moving to penalties for repeat violations.

If you see a publicly posted Ontario job (from a company with 25+ employees) that's missing a salary range, you can:

• Ask the recruiter directly during a screen: "Can you share the salary range for this role?" — a question you're now entitled to have answered
• File a complaint with the Ontario Ministry of Labour if you believe the employer is systematically non-compliant

How LANDTHATROLE Surfaces Ontario Salary Data

LANDTHATROLE pulls salary data directly from ATS job postings — where Ontario employers are now required to include ranges. Browse Toronto jobs, Ottawa jobs, and salary guides by role and city to see ATS-verified listings with compensation data from Ontario employers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the law apply to remote jobs posted by Ontario companies?

Yes. If an Ontario employer with 25+ employees posts a remote role to a public job board, the salary range must be disclosed — regardless of where the remote work will be performed. The compliance obligation follows the employer's registration, not the employee's location.

Can employers post very wide salary ranges to technically comply?

Technically yes — a range of $60,000–$200,000 satisfies the letter of the law. The Ontario Ministry of Labour has indicated that unreasonably broad ranges that don't meaningfully disclose compensation expectations are contrary to the law's intent. Companies posting deceptive ranges face reputational and regulatory risk.

Does the law apply to contract and freelance positions?

The law applies to "employment opportunities" — which includes contract roles where there is an employer-employee relationship. Pure freelance or vendor arrangements (independent contractor structures without an employment relationship) are generally not covered.