Hire An Employee In Ontario Through BridgewaterTI – Employer Of Record
Canada’s Largest Talent Market. Compliant Employment From Day One.
Ontario is where most companies start when they hire in Canada.
The province accounts for roughly 40% of the country’s GDP, is home to its largest city, and has the deepest talent pools in technology, financial services, professional services, and life sciences. If you’re hiring one person or building a team, chances are at least some of them will be in Ontario.
But Ontario’s Employment Standards Act (ESA) is detailed and specific. Overtime thresholds, statutory holidays, vacation entitlements, termination rules, and WSIB obligations all need to be handled correctly – and they differ from every other Canadian province. Getting it wrong creates liability. Getting it right requires local expertise.
As your Employer of Record, we employ your Ontario based hires through our Canadian entity. You manage their work. We carry the legal employment, run payroll with the correct ESA-compliant deductions, and ensure every contract, filing, and entitlement is handled properly.
Why Ontario?
Ontario is not just Canada’s largest province by employment. It’s one of the most significant talent markets in North America.
Here’s what makes it the default starting point for companies hiring in Canada.
Toronto’s Tech Ecosystem
The Toronto-Waterloo corridor is the third-largest tech cluster in North America, home to over 370,000+ tech workers. The University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo are both ranked in the global top 25 for computer science. Google, Shopify, Uber, and hundreds of scale-ups operate here.
If you’re hiring developers, engineers, data scientists, or product managers, Toronto is where the volume is.
Financial Services Hub
Toronto is Canada’s financial capital and one of the largest financial centres globally. The Big five banks, major insurance companies, and a growing fintech sector are all headquartered here. That means deep talent pools in finance, risk, compliance, accounting, and advisory roles.
The Largest Talent Pool In The Country
Ontario’s population exceeds 15 million. Toronto alone is home to nearly 3 million working-age professionals. Ottawa, the national capital, adds a concentration of talent in government, defence, telecommunications, and cybersecurity. Whatever role you’re filling, Ontario is likely where you’ll find the most candidates.
Ontario Employment Standards - What You Need To Know
Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) governs most private-sector employment. It sets the rules on wages, hours, overtime, holidays, vacation, leaves of absence, and termination. Here are the key provisions that affect how you employ someone in Ontario.
Mimimum Wage
Ontario’s general minimum wage is constantly being updated each year. This is adjusted annually on October 1 based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index. Student minimum wages also have a variable level, as do all employees under 18 working 28 hours or less per week during school. We track rate changes and update payroll automatically when new rates take effect.
Overtime Rules
Ontario’s overtime threshold is 44 hours per week – not 40, which is a common assumption and a frequent compliance error. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate for every hour worked beyond 44 in a work week. There is no daily overtime threshold in Ontario (unlike British Columbia or Alberta).
Some professional and managerial categories are exempt from overtime, but the exemptions are narrowly defined under the ESA and must be applied correctly. Misclassifying an employee as overtime-exempt is one of the most common ESA violations.
Statutory Holidays
Ontario recognises nine public holidays under the ESA:
- New Year’s Day
- Family Day (third Monday in February)
- Good Friday
- Victoria Day
- Canada Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
Employees who qualify are entitled to a paid day off or premium pay (time and a half plus a substitute day) if they work on a public holiday. Eligibility depends on the employee’s work pattern in the weeks surrounding the holiday.
We calculate and apply this correctly for every employee
Vacation Entitlements
Ontario employees are entitled to a minimum of two weeks’ vacation after each 12-month vacation entitlement year, with vacation pay of at least 4% of gross wages. After five years with the same employer, this increases to three weeks and 6%. Many employers offer more than the statutory minimum to remain competitive, particularly in professional and technical roles.
Termination And Severance
Ontario’s termination rules have two components. Termination Pay (or working notice) is required for employees with three or more months of service – ranging from one week’s pay to eight weeks’ depending on length of service.
Severance pay is an additional entitlement for employees with five or more years of service at employers with a payroll of $2.5 million or more – calculated at one week per year of service, to a maximum of 26 weeks. These are ESA minimums.
Common law entitlements in Ontario frequently exceed them, which is why employment contracts need to be drafted carefully.
WSIB – Workplace Safety And Insurance
Most Ontario employers are required to register with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) and pay premiums based on industry classification. WSIB provides no-fault workplace injury insurance – covering medical costs, wage replacement, and return-to-work support if an employee is injured on the job.
Premium rates vary by industry and claims history. We handle WSIB registration, premium payments, and reporting as part of the EOR Service. Even for office-based and remote roles, WSIB coverage is generally required.
Average Salaries In Ontario By Role
The following ranges reflect typical annual base salaries in Canadian dollars for common roles in Toronto and Ottawa. Actual compensation varies by company size, industry, seniority, and demand.
| Role | Toronto (CAD) | Ottawa (CAD) |
| Software Developer (Mid) | $90,000 – $120,000 | $85,000 – $110,000 |
| Senior Software Engineer | $120,000 – $155,000 | $110,000 – $140,000 |
| Financial Analyst | $65,000 – $85,000 | $60,000 – $80,000 |
| Account Executive (B2B) | $75,000 – $100,000 + comm. | $70,000 – $90,000 + comm. |
| Marketing Manager | $80,000 – $110,000 | $75,000 – $100,000 |
| Project Manager | $85,000 – $115,000 | $80,000 – $105,000 |
| Customer Success Manager | $70,000 – $95,000 | $65,000 – $85,000 |
| Operations Manager | $90,000 – $125,000 | $85,000 – $115,000 |
For US companies, the exchange rate provides additional value. At a USD/CAD rate around 1.35–1.40, these salaries translate to roughly 28–35% less in US dollar terms than equivalent roles in major US metros.
Why Use An EOR For Ontario Hiring
Ontario’s ESA is one of the more detailed employment frameworks in Canada. The 44-hour overtime threshold catches companies that assume the standard 40. Statutory holiday eligibility calculations trip up employers who don’t understand the qualifying period rules.
Termination entitlements in Ontario are more complex than most provinces, with both ESA and common law considerations in play. And WSIB registration is mandatory for most employers – even those with only remote workers.
EOR removes all of that from your plate. We employ your Ontario hires through our entity, which means:
- Specific employment contracts drafted for Ontario, with ESA-compliant terms on overtime, vacation, termination, and covenants.
- Payroll processed with the correct Ontario income tax rates, CPP, EI, and Employer Health Tax (EHT) applied and remitted on schedule.
- WSIB registration, premium payments, and compliance handled for every employee.
- Statutory holiday entitlements calculated and applied correctly each pay period.
- Termination managed under Ontario’s ESA and common law framework when needed.
- Onboarding in one to three business days once documentation is complete.
You don’t need a Canadian entity, a CRA account, or a WSIB registration. You choose who to hire, manage their work. We handle the rest.
Already Have A Canadian Entity?
If your company already has a Canadian legal entity, you may not need EOR for your Ontario hires. We also offer:
We run your Ontario payroll end to end – pay processing with overtime and EHT handled correctly, CRA remittances, WSIB premiums, T4 filings, and reporting.
Professional Employer Organisation (PEO)
A co-employment model where we handle HR, benefits, compliance, and payroll alongside your existing entity.
Not sure which model fits? That’s what the first call is for.
Helpful Guides
From Ontario’s overtime rules to WSIB registration requirements, our resource library covers the practical compliance questions that come up when hiring in the province.
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Book a call with a Canadian Employment Specialist.
We’ll review your hiring plans, confirm the right service model, and show you how quickly we can get your Ontario team onboarded and compliant.