What is reasonable to collect during hiring
Employers can reasonably collect:
- Your resume, application form, and references.
- Proof of work authorization once the employer makes an offer.
- Criminal or credit checks with your consent, only if relevant to the role.
- Skills testing relevant to the position.
Social media screening
Employers can search public profiles but generally cannot require you to provide login credentials or access to private profiles.
Information found that relates to protected grounds under human rights law (race, religion, disability, pregnancy, etc.) cannot be used in hiring decisions.
Medical information and drug testing
Pre-employment medical questionnaires are generally only appropriate after a conditional offer has been made and only for job-related accommodations.
Drug and alcohol testing is tightly regulated by human rights and privacy law and is usually only acceptable for safety-sensitive roles.
Automated hiring tools and AI
Quebec's Law 25 requires that candidates be told when an automated decision is made about them, what criteria were used, and that they can request human review.
The Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), which would have regulated high-impact AI systems including employment tools, died with Bill C-27 in 2025; the successor Bill C-36 addresses automated decisions only through privacy transparency rules.