Understanding Employment Background Checks

An employment background check in Canada helps confirm that a candidate is who they say they are. It verifies key details, like criminal history, employment timeline, and education, so you can confidently make an offer to someone genuinely qualified.

While resumes and interviews reveal a lot, they don’t always tell the whole story. Background checks give a clear window into a candidate’s history and character, which is especially valuable in sensitive or high-trust roles.

They also help protect your business from legal risk, workplace issues, and reputational harm. And when done right, they support fair, informed hiring practices that benefit your team and the candidate.

What a Background Check Includes

Not every background check is the same, but most employers in Canada tend to screen for several of the following areas, depending on the role. Keep in mind that depending on the province or territory, sector, and position, some of these checks may be more relevant than others. Always align your screening process with the risks and responsibilities of the job:

• Criminal Record Checks: One of the most common screenings. Employers look for convictions, pending charges, or pardons that may affect job performance or safety.
• Employment Verification: Confirms dates of employment, job titles, and sometimes responsibilities. This screening helps spot resume inflation or unexplained timeline gaps.
• Education Verification: Checks degrees or certifications to ensure the candidate completed what they claimed.
• Credit Checks: Typically reserved for roles that handle financial duties or have access to confidential financial data.
• Driving History: Crucial for positions that operate a vehicle. Driver abstracts highlight license status, violations, or suspensions.
• Reference Checks: While not always included in formal background screenings, many employers call past managers to get qualitative insight on performance and attitude.
• Social Media or Public Web Presence: Some employers conduct informal searches to flag questionable online behaviour. Be cautious, as bias and privacy concerns can quickly creep in.

Legal Considerations in Canada

Canadian background checks must follow specific laws to protect privacy and ensure fairness. Employers can’t run any checks they want, whenever they want. It all comes down to consent, relevance, and compliance. Here’s what you need to know:

You Need Consent

You must get written permission before running any background screening, including criminal checks, credit inquiries, and education verifications.

Relevance Matters 

Employers can’t use information that isn’t job-related to make a hiring decision. For example, a criminal record might be relevant for childcare, but not for remote data entry positions.

Privacy Legislation Applies

Federal laws, such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and various provincial privacy laws, like Alberta’s PIPA, British Columbia’s PIPA, and the Quebec Act Respecting the Protection of Personal Information, regulate how you collect, store, and share data. Make sure your process adheres to the laws and regulations specific to the relevant area. 

Human Rights Protections

You cannot discriminate based on protected grounds like race, religion, age, or disability, even if something surfaces during the background process. In Ontario, for example, you generally can’t refuse to hire someone based solely on a criminal conviction unless it’s directly relevant to the job.

Background checks in Canada require a planned, legally sound approach. A reputable screening provider can help you stay compliant while still collecting the necessary information.

When to Conduct a Background Check

The best time to run a background check is after you’ve made a conditional offer, which means the offer only becomes final once the check is complete.

This approach protects your organization and the candidate. You avoid collecting sensitive information on people you may not hire, and the candidate gets reassurance that you’re only requesting the check because you’re seriously considering them.

Here’s a typical flow, from job posting to hiring:

• Post the job
• Consider resumes
• Conduct interviews
• Choose your top candidate
• Extend a conditional offer, pending a background check
• Obtain written consent
• Complete screening
• Make the final hiring decision

Avoid the temptation to rush. Running checks too early can be intrusive or even legally questionable, especially if you haven’t explained how you’ll use the results.

How Long Do Background Checks Take?

The timeline depends on the type and scope of checks you’re running. Some verifications can come back in minutes, while others can take days. Here’s a general idea:

• Basic Criminal Record Checks: 1–3 business days
• Education or Employment Verification: 2–5 business days (longer if institutions are slow to respond)
• Credit Checks: 1 day or less
• Reference Calls: Depends on the availability of contacts
• International Checks: May take several weeks

Delays can happen, especially if the candidate’s past employment was with a now closed business  or they earned a degree from an overseas institution. Setting realistic expectations with the candidate from the start helps smooth out the process.

Working with a company like Hire Performance speeds things up by streamlining the paperwork, managing follow-ups, and ensuring you complete your checks according to Canadian standards to avoid breaking the law.

Common Mistakes Employers Make When Running Employment Background Checks

Even seasoned employers can face challenges during the background check process. Running a thorough background check for companies requires more than just ticking boxes—there are common mistakes that can compromise fairness and accuracy. Here are a few mistakes to avoid to help protect your company’s integrity and provide a consistent experience for every applicant:

• Skipping Consent: Never perform a check without written permission — it’s a legal violation.
• Over-Screening: Asking for information irrelevant to the role can violate privacy laws and lead to discrimination claims.
• Inconsistent Practices: Running checks for some roles but not others, or for some candidates but not all, can create fairness issues and open you up to legal challenges.
• Making Assumptions: A criminal record doesn’t always mean someone is a bad hire. Context matters. Consider the lapsed time since the offence, the nature of the charge, and its relevance to the position.
• Failing to Notify Candidates: If you plan to withdraw a job offer based on background results, you should give the candidate a chance to respond. There may be errors or outdated information that they can clarify.

How to Get a Background Check in Canada

You have two main options when performing background checks: you can do it yourself or use a third-party service.

Doing it in-house can work for small teams or simple checks (like calling a reference). But it can get complicated fast. You’ll need to manage legal compliance, verify institutions manually, chase down employers, and store personal data securely.

Using a background check provider, like Hire Performance, takes the pressure off. You get access to:

• Legally compliant forms and documentation
• Proper candidate consent collection
• Faster turnaround times
• Access to reliable data sources
• A secure and professional experience for you and the candidate

At Hire Performance, we focus on Canadian employers and tailor our service to comply with national privacy laws and provincial rules. That means you’re not getting a one-size-fits-all screening; you’re getting a process that makes sense for your industry, location, and job type.

We also guide you through tricky situations, like handling a positive criminal record or what to do when you can’t verify a degree.

Are Background Checks Worth It?

It’s easy to view background checks as one more hiring formality. However, the truth is that performing a well-executed screening, such as a vulnerable sector screening online, can save your business from serious trouble down the road. Here’s what a well-executed screening can do for your business:

• Protect Your People: Screening helps prevent violence, harassment, or theft by flagging risky candidates early.
• Avoid Negligent Hiring Claims: Your company could be liable if something goes wrong and you didn’t follow due diligence.
• Support Workplace Culture: When employees know you hold everyone to the same standard, you build trust and accountability.
• Save Time and Money: Making the wrong hire is expensive. Background checks are a wise investment that improves long-term retention and performance.
• Strengthen Your Brand: Clients, customers, and partners want to know they deal with a trustworthy team. Background checks reinforce your reputation as a responsible business.

Protect Your Workplace, Hire with Confidence

Performing background checks doesn’t make you suspicious of every candidate; it means you’re doing your homework, protecting your team, and building a workplace people can trust.

In today’s competitive job market, background checks help employers stay confident in hiring decisions, avoid liability, and promote a safe workplace culture. 

When handled by a team that understands Canadian laws, you get peace of mind without the paperwork headache.

Have questions or need help customizing a screening process for your business? Reach out to Hire Performance to learn how our services can simplify your hiring process and keep you compliant from start to finish.

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