HR glossary · Hiring and contracts

Job posting

A job posting is the public ad inviting people to apply. Some provinces require the pay, and Quebec postings must be in French.

Also called: job ad, job advertisement, job offer (Quebec), help wanted ad

What job posting means

A job posting is the public advertisement for an open job: on a job board, your website, social media, a sign in the window or a newspaper. It tells people what the job is and how to apply.

It is not the same as a job description. The description is your internal record of the job. The posting is a shorter, outward-facing version written to attract the right people.

Postings now have legal rules in some provinces. Ontario, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island require the expected pay or a pay range in public postings, and Ontario adds more requirements for employers with 25 or more employees. Human rights law applies everywhere, so the wording should not discourage people because of a protected ground such as age, sex or family status.

How it works

A good posting covers: the job title, where the work is done, hours or shifts, whether it is full time, part time, seasonal or fixed term, the pay or range, the main duties, the real must-have requirements, and how and when to apply. Keep it short enough to read on a phone.

Write the pay as a number or a range in the provinces that require it. In British Columbia, "competitive" or "up to $30" does not meet the rule. In Ontario, an employer with 25 or more employees must keep any range to $50,000 a year or less, unless the pay is over $200,000.

Check the wording for hidden bias. "Recent graduate", "young team" or "Canadian experience required" can screen people out because of age or place of origin. Ontario employers with 25 or more employees may not require Canadian experience in a posting at all. Describe the work and the skill instead.

Keep a copy. Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must keep postings and application forms for 3 years after the posting ends. Elsewhere, keeping a copy of each posting with the hiring file is still good practice if you are later asked why you chose someone.

Job posting by province

Posting rules are set by each province. These are the rules confirmed on official pages as of 7 October 2026.

Where the work is done	The rule
British Columbia	Since 1 November 2023, publicly advertised jobs must state the expected wage or salary, or a range.
Ontario	For postings made from 1 January 2026, employers with 25 or more employees must state the pay or a range (no wider than $50,000 a year; not needed over $200,000), say whether the job is an existing vacancy, say if AI is used to screen or select applicants, and not require Canadian experience.
Quebec	Job offers must be written in French. A version in another language can be published at the same time.
New Brunswick	The Pay Transparency Act received Royal Assent on 12 June 2026. The posting rule has no start date in the Act.
Nova Scotia	No pay-in-posting rule was found, but employers may not ask applicants about their pay history.
Prince Edward Island	From 30 June 2026, public postings must include the expected pay or a range (Employment Standards Act s. 19). Employers may not ask for pay history.
Newfoundland and Labrador	The Pay Equity and Pay Transparency Act includes a posting rule that takes effect when proclaimed. It was not in force when checked.

No posting pay rule was found for Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut or federally regulated employers on the official pages checked.

Example: A Toronto shop updates its ad

Priya runs a 30-person print shop in Toronto. Her old ad for a press operator said "competitive pay" and "Canadian experience preferred".

Because she has 25 or more employees and is posting in 2026, she rewrites it: "$22.00 to $26.00 an hour", a line saying the job is an existing vacancy, and a line saying she does not use AI to screen applicants. She removes the Canadian experience line and lists the press skills instead. She saves the posting and the applications in a folder to keep for 3 years after the posting ends.

Job descriptions in Staffkin

Staffkin's job description templates give you the duties and requirements to build a posting from. The free employment standards page lists the posting rules by province.

See the job description templates

Free tools and guides for this

Questions about job posting

Do I have to put the salary in a job posting in Canada?

It depends on the province. Ontario (25 or more employees), British Columbia and Prince Edward Island require the pay or a range in public postings. Other provinces had no rule in force when checked.

Can I write a job posting in English only in Quebec?

No. Job offers in Quebec must be written in French. You may publish a version in another language at the same time.

Can I say "Canadian experience required"?

Ontario employers with 25 or more employees may not require Canadian experience in a posting. In any province, a requirement like this can raise human rights concerns about place of origin, so describe the skill you need instead.

How long should I keep old job postings?

Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must keep postings and application forms for 3 years after the posting ends. For other provinces, check your employment standards office.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.