Beginning on July 1, 2024, temporary help agencies and recruiters must be licensed to operate in Ontario under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. The change was introduced through the Working for Workers Act and applies to every agency that places assignment employees with clients in the province.
The rule does not stop at the agency. Clients are prohibited from knowingly engaging or using the services of a temporary help agency unless it holds a licence. Violations of the licensing provisions can lead to enforcement action, including compliance orders, monetary penalties and prosecution.
What the licence involves
To be licensed, an agency files an application with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and provides the $25,000 security. As of January 1, 2026, a licence generally expires two years after the date it was issued or renewed, so a licence that was valid when a contract was signed may need to be re-checked during a long engagement.
A short checklist for clients
- Ask for the agency’s licence number and confirm its status on the Ministry’s public registry of applicants and licensees.
- Check that the legal entity named in your agreement is the entity that holds the licence.
- Diarise the renewal date and re-check the registry before it passes.
- Keep a record of the check alongside the agreement.
Canadian Bridge Talent operates under Ontario licence THA-0000017058, which appears on every client agreement.
Sources
- Your guide to the Employment Standards Act: Licensing of temporary help agencies and recruiters, Government of Ontario.
- Licensing temporary help agencies and recruiters, Government of Ontario.
- Employment Standards Act to require licensing of temporary help agencies, Bennett Jones.
This brief is general information, not legal advice.








