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New employee onboarding checklist for Canadian small businesses

Everything to do before day one, on day one, and in the first 90 days, so nothing slips.

Download the printable checklist (PDF)

Before day one

Send the offer letter and get it signed
Collect the federal TD1 and the provincial TD1 form
Record their Social Insurance Number and store it securely
Set up direct deposit
Add them to payroll and the schedule
Get their workspace, uniform, keys or accounts ready
Tell the team who's starting and when

Day one

Welcome and introductions
Tour: breaks, washrooms, exits, first aid kit and fire extinguishers
Health and safety orientation: hazards, their rights, and how to report
WHMIS training if they'll handle hazardous products
Walk through their duties and the first-week plan
Go over key policies: hours, breaks, time off, phones
Emergency contact on file

First week

Pair them with an experienced coworker
Check in at the end of the first week

First 90 days

30-day check-in
60-day check-in
Probation review before it ends

Ontario, 25 or more employees: give the new hire their basic terms in writing before the first day: your legal and operating name, contact details, work location, starting pay, pay period and pay day, and general hours. See employment standards by province for probation, notice and pay rules.

Provincial TD1 forms

Every new employee fills out the federal TD1 and the form for the province or territory where they work: Alberta (TD1AB), British Columbia (TD1BC), Manitoba (TD1MB), New Brunswick (TD1NB), Newfoundland and Labrador (TD1NL), Nova Scotia (TD1NS), Northwest Territories (TD1NT), Nunavut (TD1NU), Ontario (TD1ON), Prince Edward Island (TD1PE), Saskatchewan (TD1SK), Yukon (TD1YT). Quebec uses the TP-1015.3 from Revenu Québec.

Questions

What forms does a new employee fill out in Canada?

At minimum, a federal TD1 and a provincial or territorial TD1 (Quebec uses the TP-1015.3), their Social Insurance Number, and direct deposit details. Keep an emergency contact on file too.

Is WHMIS training required?

Workers who work with or near hazardous products need WHMIS training. Check your province's rules for your type of work.

When should I do a probation review?

Before the point where your province starts to require notice to end employment, so there's time to act on it. That point ranges from 30 days in Manitoba to 6 months in New Brunswick and Yukon. Book the review on day one.

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A checklist for every new hire

When you mark someone hired in Staffkin, their onboarding checklist is one click away, with the right TD1 for your province.

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