More than half (56 per cent) of Canadian job seekers believe they’ve applied for a ‘ghost job’ — a posting for a role that an employer has no intention of filling — underscoring growing frustration with opaque hiring practices, salary secrecy and employer silence, according to a new survey by Employment Hero.
The survey, which polled more than 1,000 workers, found 55 per cent said it was difficult to find roles that matched their skills and experience during their most recent job hunt, while 64 per cent reported choosing not to apply for positions that didn’t include salary information. The findings come as Ontario introduces new hiring transparency requirements, including mandatory salary ranges in job postings and a requirement for employers with 25 or more employees to respond to interviewed candidates within 45 days.
While Ontario-based respondents largely support the new rules, expectations remain cautious. Nearly nine in 10 (88 per cent) believe the legislation will benefit job seekers, yet 95 per cent expect employers will try to find loopholes. More than half (54 per cent) said they were aware of the new requirements, while one in five reported noticing changes to job postings since the rules came into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
Support for greater hiring transparency extends beyond Ontario. Roughly nine in 10 (89 per cent) Canadian workers agreed similar legislation would benefit their province, signalling strong appetite for clearer pay disclosure, communication and hiring timelines nationwide.
The experience of applying for so-called ghost jobs appears widespread across the country, led by Ontario-based employees (61 per cent) and followed by workers in British Columbia and Quebec (55 per cent each) and Alberta (53 per cent).
Beyond frustration, the emotional toll is significant. Seven in 10 job seekers said being ghosted by an employer has negatively impacted their mental health and motivation to continue their search, including a third who described the impact as significant or severe. More broadly, 78 per cent said the challenges of job searching and hiring have discouraged them from looking for a new role.
The research also highlights unease around the growing use of artificial intelligence in hiring. While Ontario now requires employers to disclose the use of AI in recruitment, only 13 per cent of job seekers said it’s acceptable to use AI to screen resumes and a quarter said they would opt out of a hiring process if AI were involved. Still, respondents emphasized the importance of transparency and human oversight rather than a rejection of technology altogether.