Why your job search might look a little different in 2026

The new year ushered in new rules aimed at improving the job search experience in Ontario. Experts are divided on whether it will make a difference

AS THE NEW year ticked over at midnight, while many readers were sipping champagne and sharing smooches, a bunch of new rules came into effect in Ontario aimed at improving the hiring process, with new requirements for salary and AI transparency, plus rules that are meant to forbid companies from ghosting interview candidates.

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Starting in 2026, companies will be required to post a salary range for each position, with the range capped at $50,000, as well to disclose publicly whether AI will be used in candidate selection. Most exciting to anyone looking for a job might be the rule against ghosting: the new law, believed to be one of the first of its kind, requires companies to follow up with applicants within 45 days of their last interview.

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The first two major changes will be relatively easy for companies to implement, even if many will grumble at having to reveal the information. The ban on ghosting will be an interesting one to watch this year, though. “It’s an appropriate starting point, because I think what we’ve got to do is marry the need to provide the prospective employee with closure on their job search, positive or negative, but also work reasonably with organizations that are going to have to make adjustments to their hiring process,” said Deb Bottineau, managing director at Robert Half.

“The fact that we have to legislate that is really sad,” added Moms at Work founder Allison Venditti, calling the widespread trend of ghosting “really bad HR.” Recruiter Tom Sorensen believes the new legislation will likely be a benefit to good companies, and a bane to lazy ones. “Candidates talk. Markets are small. Reputations move fast. For companies that already communicate well, this law will not change much,” he said. “For those who ghost candidates, the days of silence are over.”

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But while the intent is noble, questions remain as to whether the spirit of this law is followed, or whether the requirement to inform ends up being met with impersonal automatic emails. And worth watching will be the willingness of Ontario’s labour ministry to show its teeth on this file and be tough with HR departments and recruiters.

On that point, there are doubters. “I don’t think it’s going to help [jobseekers] at all,” said employment lawyer Dave McKechnie, speaking to NOW Magazine. “[The ministry] doesn’t have the bodies to deal with all of these complaints. It is a very nice provision on its face. Everybody would love to know how they did in an interview. I just don’t think it’s going to move the needle one way or the other.” Kieran Delamont