Ontario just made HR ghosting illegal. Companies now face $100,000 fines.

Beginning January 1, 2026, employers in Ontario, Canada, with 25 or more employees must respond to every interviewed candidate within 45 days — hired, rejected, or still under consideration. The world's first fully enacted anti-ghosting law also targets ghost job postings, requiring companies to disclose whether a role is actively being recruited and whether AI is used in screening. Non-compliance carries fines of up to $100,000 CAD (approximately $72,500 USD). The legislation follows Greenhouse data showing 50% of job seekers report being ghosted after interviews, and 17% of all Q2 2025 listings were for positions companies never intended to fill. New Jersey and California have proposed similar bills, but Ontario is first across the finish line.