Australia Forces Gender Equality Targets on 2,000 Employers

Three countries changed employer compliance rules this week, and none of them are giving you much runway. Australia is requiring nearly 2,000 large employers to pick gender equality targets by May 31. New York’s credit check ban takes effect in six days. And Ontario’s salary and AI disclosure rules, now three months old, are still catching international hiring teams off guard. If you’re hiring across borders, here’s what each one means for your team right now.

Australia’s WGEA Gender Equality Targets: Selection Window Is Open

Starting April 1, 2026, Australian employers with 500 or more employees must select three gender equality targets and report them to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) by May 31. This is a world first. No other country mandates specific, measurable gender equality targets at this scale. (Source: WGEA)

The scope is significant: roughly 2,000 employers covering 3.9 million Australian employees fall under the new Australian employment law requirements. Employers must choose from a menu that includes both numerical goals and action-based initiatives across priority areas: gender pay gap, workforce composition, board representation, support for carers and parents, flexible working arrangements, and prevention of sexual harassment. At least one of the three targets must be numerical.

The consequences are real. Employers who fail to select targets by May 31, or who fail to show meaningful progress over the next three years, risk being publicly named by WGEA. That naming also strips eligibility to tender for Australian Government contracts, which for many services firms is a material revenue hit.

If you’re a startup with an Australian subsidiary or you’re using an EOR to hire in Australia, this probably doesn’t apply yet. The 500-employee threshold is high. But if your Australian headcount is growing, track this, because the threshold could come down in future review cycles. Review the full breakdown of Australian labour laws to understand how this fits into the broader compliance picture. And if you’re supplying staff to a client that’s covered, expect them to ask about your own gender pay data as part of their compliance.

Action item: Australian employers with 500+ staff must declare three gender equality targets to WGEA between April 1 and May 31, 2026. Select at least one numerical target. Build a three-year roadmap to demonstrate progress. (WGEA FAQ on targets)

New York Credit Check Ban Takes Effect April 18

In six days, New York State bans employers from requesting, obtaining, or using consumer credit history for any employment decision. That includes hiring, promotions, compensation, transfers, and job assignments. Governor Hochul signed S03072 in December 2025, and the law kicks in April 18, 2026. (Source: Morgan Lewis)

New York is now the eleventh US state to restrict employer use of credit history. The exemptions are narrow: law enforcement, positions requiring security clearances, bonded positions, and fiduciary roles involving transactions of $10,000 or more. If you’re hiring for a standard engineering, marketing, or operations role in New York, credit checks are off the table.

This matters for EOR users too. If you’re hiring in New York through an EOR or PEO, the ban applies to whoever makes the employment decision. Your EOR provider must update their US background check workflows by April 17 to strip credit history from screening. If they haven’t confirmed this yet, ask today. (Source: Littler Mendelson)

Action item: Remove credit checks from all NY hiring workflows by April 17. Update background check vendor agreements. Confirm your EOR/PEO has already updated their screening processes.

Ontario’s AI Disclosure and Salary Transparency Rules: Are You Compliant?

Since January 1, 2026, Ontario employers with 25 or more employees have been subject to two employer compliance rules for job postings that many international hiring teams still haven’t caught up with. Every publicly advertised role must include an expected salary range with a spread no wider than $50,000 (unless the top end exceeds $200,000). And employers must disclose whether artificial intelligence is used to screen, assess, or select applicants. (Source: Littler Mendelson)

These rules are part of Ontario’s Working for Workers agenda. The AI disclosure requirement makes Ontario one of the first major North American jurisdictions to mandate AI transparency in hiring, alongside New York City’s Local Law 144. If you’re hiring in Canada through an EOR, audit your current job postings now. Three months in, compliance gaps are the kind of thing enforcement catches.

Ontario also banned Canadian experience requirements in job postings and now requires employers to notify interviewed candidates within 45 days of whether a hiring decision was made. For companies expanding into Ontario for the first time this quarter, these rules apply from day one.

Action item: Audit all Ontario-facing job postings for salary range disclosure (max $50,000 spread), AI screening disclosure, and removal of Canadian experience requirements. Confirm your EOR or hiring platform complies.

Quick Hits

• New Zealand (April 20): Open work visas split into Tier 1 (any work, including self-employment) and Tier 2 (employer-only work). If you hire someone on a Tier 2 visa, they cannot run a side business. Check your workers’ visa conditions before April 20. (Immigration NZ)
• Canada (April 1): Federal minimum wage rose to CAD $16.75/hour. Yukon set theirs at $18.51/hour. A further increase to $17.00/hour is scheduled for October 1. (Littler)

Action Items This Week

If you hire in Australia (500+ employees): Select three gender equality targets and declare them to WGEA by May 31, 2026. At least one target must be numerical. Non-compliance means public naming and loss of government contract eligibility.

If you hire in New York: Remove consumer credit checks from all hiring and employment decision workflows by April 17. Update background check vendor agreements. Confirm your EOR/PEO has already updated their screening processes.

If you hire in Ontario (25+ employees): Audit all job postings for salary range disclosure (max $50,000 spread), AI screening disclosure, and removal of Canadian experience requirements. These have been in effect since January 1, 2026.

If you hire in New Zealand: Review visa conditions for all open work visa holders before April 20. Tier 2 holders are restricted to employer-only work. Confirm New Zealand employment law compliance with your EOR provider.

If you hire in Canada: Update payroll to reflect the new $16.75/hour federal minimum wage (already effective April 1). Budget for the October increase to $17.00/hour.

Stay Ahead of Employer Compliance Rules

Four countries changed hiring and employment rules in the space of two weeks, and the compliance windows are tight. If you’re managing a distributed team across multiple jurisdictions, tracking these deadlines manually breaks down fast. Asanify’s Global HRMS tracks country-specific employer compliance rules and payroll obligations so your team doesn’t miss a deadline.

FAQ

What are Australia’s new gender equality targets for employers?

From April 2026, Australian employers with 500 or more employees must select three gender equality targets from a WGEA menu covering pay gaps, workforce composition, flexible work, and harassment prevention. At least one target must be numerical. Employers have three years to demonstrate progress or face public naming and loss of government contract eligibility.

Does the New York credit check ban apply to EOR providers?

Yes. Starting April 18, 2026, any entity making employment decisions about workers in New York is prohibited from using consumer credit history. This includes direct employers, EOR providers, and staffing agencies. Exemptions are limited to law enforcement, fiduciary roles, and positions requiring security clearance.

What must Ontario employers disclose in job postings?

Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must now include expected salary ranges in job postings (within a $50,000 band, unless compensation exceeds $200,000) and disclose whether AI is used during the hiring process. Both requirements apply to all publicly advertised roles.

How do New Zealand’s new work visa tiers affect employers?

From April 20, 2026, open work visas in New Zealand carry either Tier 1 (any lawful work including self-employment) or Tier 2 (employer-based work only) conditions. Employers hiring Tier 2 visa holders should verify that the worker’s visa conditions match the role and that no side employment is permitted.

What are the key employer compliance rules changing in April 2026?

April 2026 brings major employer compliance rules across four countries: Australia’s gender equality target mandate, New York’s credit check ban, Ontario’s salary and AI transparency requirements, and New Zealand’s work visa tier restructuring. Each has specific deadlines and penalties for non-compliance.

Not to be considered as tax, legal, financial or HR advice. Regulations change over time so please consult a lawyer, accountant  or Labour Law  expert for specific guidance.