ABL is listed as “Applicant permitted to operate as a temporary help agency. Clients are permitted to use its services.”
We are so pleased that this legislation has been formally passed in Ontario. For years, this is something that ABL Employment and other members of People 2.0/The Staffing Edge organization have been advocating for. We believe it’s good for employees, good for businesses, and good for the reputation of our industry.
March 7th, 2025 Update:
All applications should have been submitted by the July 1st, 2024 deadline and all applicants and their statuses can be seen listed on the government website now. To date, only 45% of licenses have been approved, leaving a substantial number of applicants still awaiting responses. The MOL hopes to have the process complete by April, 2025. While the majority of listings still display the message “Under Review”, it is possible to know if they are permitted to operate or not by looking for the notification beside their listing that says “Applicant is permitted to operate as a temporary help agency. Clients are permitted to use its services.”.
Be sure to check the website to see if your staffing agency/recruitment firm is approved to operate legally in Ontario. Please note that the government has not yet been issuing documentation to those agencies approved to operate – only the website can tell us that at this time.
We continue to monitor Ontario’s new law regarding the Licensing for Temporary Help Agencies:
July 5, 2023, the Ontario government sent out a press release announcing the Licensing Program as well as tough penalties for those who do not comply.
What does this mean for you?
The process started early July 2023, and People 2.0 and ABL are still working through the legal details to ensure that we understand the impact to you and ourselves.
MOL- Ontario Licensing for THA’s and Recruiters
Although the applications are being processed, the expected completion date for this beleaguered process has changed from January 2024 to April 2025. ABL will be attending Question and Answer sessions run by People 2.0 to assist ABL through the process, as and when more info and guidelines are provided by the government.
What do we know?
Beginning January 1, 2024, THA’s (temporary help agencies) and Recruiters were required to hold a license to operate in Ontario.
As long as applications were made before January 1, 2024, these businesses can continue to operate under a transitional rule.
The ministry will maintain a website that will include:
o Name of license holders and the status of the license
o Applicants seeking a license
o Other information that MOL sees fit under ESA regulations
To apply there is both an application fee of $750 as well as $25,000 letter of credit to be provided.
End clients are prohibited from knowingly engaging the services of a THA or Recruiter without a License.
The penalties for noncompliance have been announced and these apply to THA’s, recruiters, as well as end clients:
o $15,000 for the first contravention
o $25,000 for the second contravention in a three year period
o $50,000 for a third contravention in a three year period
More information will follow in the coming weeks, as it becomes available.
Please feel free to refer to this link for additional information
