Why HR is so noisy (and how to find the signal)

Hi!

I’m thrilled to finally be hitting "send" on this! I’ve been eager to start this newsletter as a way to share the topics and trends that are top-of-mind for me, and hopefully, for you too. I’m genuinely excited to share this space with you and I hope you find it both helpful and a little bit provocative.

I started HumanizeHR because I believe HR shouldn’t feel like a complicated puzzle. At its core, work is about people, and my mission is to make HR straightforward, accessible, and, above all, more human.

But let’s be honest, the internet is a firehose of information. That’s the reason for launching the HR Connect peer-to-peer circle. Sometimes there is just too much noise online, and what we actually need is to hear each other’s voices, share real ideas, and cut through the clutter. You often can’t get what you need through all that noise.

In my newsletters, I’ll be focusing on one high-impact topic at a time. This month? The massive wave of recent legislative updates.

The Hiring Transparency Revolution

Ontario is doubling down on workplace fairness through the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 (Bill 149). If you have 25 or more employees, your hiring process is about to look very different.

Effective January 1, 2026

For publicly advertised job postings, the goal is clarity over mystery:

Pay Transparency. You must include the expected compensation or a range. The "catch"? That range cannot exceed $50,000. This doesn’t apply to roles paying over $200,000.
AI Disclosure. If an algorithm is helping you screen or select candidates, you have to say so in the posting.
The End of "Canadian Experience". Requirements for "Canadian" or "Ontario" experience are officially prohibited in postings and forms.
Vacancy Reality Check. You must disclose if you’re hiring for an active opening or just building a pipeline for the future.
Interview Feedback. After the final interview, you have 45 days to tell the candidate if a decision has been made.
Document, Document, Document. You’ll need to keep copies of postings, applications, and interview notifications for three years after the posting is removed.

The New Immigration Math

Important if you are hiring Canadian work permit holders. The government is shrinking the temporary resident population to 5%. Here’s what that looks like on the ground:

The 6% Rule. Applications for low-wage work permits will be rejected if local unemployment is 6% or higher. Currently, only 8 cities (including Vancouver, Montreal, and Halifax) are open for this hiring.
Degree Matters. Post-grad work permits are now strictly tied to "shortage" fields like healthcare, construction, or tech.
The 10% Cap. Most businesses can no longer have more than 10% of their team on low-wage foreign work permits.

Here are some useful links

Can a student work for you? The official IRCC search tool where you can check if a student’s field of study qualifies them for a work permit (961 occupations). Check eligible fields of study
Is your city blocked from hiring? Updated quarterly, this page lists which cities (CMAs) are currently blocked from hiring low-wage foreign workers under the 6% Rule. Check regional LMIA status

I’ve also put together a 2026 compliance hiring checklist, just in case…

Let’s cut through the noise together.

Be Well and Stay Human

Anna Boshoer
Lead HR Consultant and Integrator @ HumanizeHR
anna@humanizehr.ca | 647-291-5741