How to check the Ontario THA public registry (and what clients see about you)

What is the Ontario THA public registry?

The Ontario Temporary Help Agency & Recruiter Public Registry is a searchable database run by the Ministry of Labour that shows the name and licence status of every temporary help agency and recruiter in Ontario. It is not optional: all applicants, licensed, refused, and revoked agencies appear on it.

The registry exists so clients can verify your agency is licensed before they hire workers from you. Since July 1, 2024, Ontario law prohibits clients from knowingly using an unlicensed agency, so procurement teams, hiring managers, and your competitors can (and do) check it before signing contracts.

Where is the registry and how do you search it?

The registry is at https://www.tha.labour.gov.on.ca/portal/s/public-facing-status-page. It is free and requires no login.

To search for an agency, follow these steps:

1. Go to https://www.tha.labour.gov.on.ca/portal/s/public-facing-status-page.
2. Enter the agency name in the search box. You can also search by business number or the name of the person responsible.
3. Click Search. The registry returns all matching entries with the name and licence status. Where a recruiter licence carries terms and conditions, the registry shows that too.
4. Click on an entry to view its full details, including the effective date of the licence and any conditions attached to it.

What statuses appear on the registry and what do they mean?

What does it mean if your licence is refused or revoked?

A refused or revoked status means you cannot legally operate as a temporary help agency in Ontario. Any contract to assign workers is void, and clients who knowingly use you face regulatory action.

If your application is refused, the ministry will explain why. Common reasons include failure to provide required documents, unpaid debts, or concern about compliance. You can reapply once the issue is resolved.

If your licence is revoked, it means the ministry withdrew your authorization due to non-compliance (e.g. unpaid wages to workers, failure to maintain required security). A revocation typically comes with a set period before you can reapply. Contact the ministry for the specific terms.

How do you keep your registry listing clean?

• Renew on time: submit the renewal application before your licence expires. A licence from an application submitted on or after January 1, 2026 generally runs two years from issue or renewal; earlier ones generally ran one year. An expired licence is not a licence, and operating on one is the contravention.
• Keep your security valid: the $25,000 must stay in place. An acceptable letter of credit has to renew automatically, and if the issuer reserves the right not to renew it must give the Director of Employment Standards 90 days notice or more. Treat that notice as your deadline to arrange replacement security.
• Pay workers on time: Unpaid wages are the main reason for revocation. Track hours carefully and remit wages within the required timeframe.
• Report accurate information: Keep your contact details, business structure, and any terms and conditions current with the ministry.
• Respond to ministry requests: If the ministry asks for documents or information, provide them within the deadline. Ignored requests can end in refusal or revocation.

Do you have terms and conditions on your licence?

A licence can carry terms and conditions, and the registry publishes whether a recruiter licence is subject to any. The clearest published example is the recruiter security exemption: a recruiter that does not provide the $25,000 security gets a condition limiting it to placing foreign nationals only in positions at or above Ontario's median hourly wage. That condition lifts when security is provided and the Director confirms it in writing.

Note that this exemption route does not exist for the agency side. A temporary help agency applying for an initial licence must provide the $25,000 security, and where the Director holds it for a legal entity that has both licences, the recruiter condition does not apply either.

If a term or condition is not met, the ministry can take enforcement action, up to and including revocation. Review your licence's terms carefully and ensure your payroll, hiring, and assignment practices comply.