Job Application Form Template (Canada)

Updated on August 13, 2026

A job application form collects a candidate's basic details, work history, and certification before an interview — it's an employer's intake form, not a resume the candidate writes. What an employer can and can't ask on this form is restricted by human rights law across Canada, and a person with a record suspension (formerly called a pardon) generally doesn't need to disclose the underlying conviction.

The form below is the editor: type straight into the highlighted blanks. A candidate can complete the form and sign the certification on screen, or you can download a clean Word or PDF file to hand out — no sign-up, no watermark.

1 of 13 blanks filled

Tap any highlighted blank in the document below and type straight into it.Free — no sign-up, no watermark

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Include a criminal conviction question? (only if an exception to record-suspension protections applies)

Job Application Form

This application is submitted to by on .

1. Applicant

Address:
Phone:
Email:

2. Position

Position applied for:
Availability:
Desired salary:

3. Education

4. Employment History

5. References

6. Certification

I certify that the information provided in this application is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

The Applicant

Date:

Human rights codes restrict what can be asked before hiring

Federally regulated employers are bound by the Canadian Human Rights Act, and every province and territory has its own human rights code — together, these restrict pre-employment questions about protected grounds such as disability, family status, marital status, age, and other characteristics unrelated to the ability to do the job. This form is built to collect only what's relevant to assessing the candidate for the role, rather than the broad personal-history questions some free templates default to.

A record suspension means the conviction generally doesn't need disclosing

Under the Criminal Records Act, once a person receives a record suspension (the current term for what used to be called a pardon), they generally do not need to disclose the underlying conviction on a job application, and the Canadian Human Rights Act specifically forbids discriminating against someone because of a suspended record. No federal public-service application may ask a question that would require disclosing a suspended conviction. This template only includes a conviction question where a genuine exception — such as certain regulated professions or federal security-clearance roles — applies to the position.

Keep intake separate from screening

This application collects the candidate's own information for the position they're applying to. If your hiring process also runs a background or police check, that consent and disclosure belongs in its own, stand-alone document, not folded into this application. Mixing screening consent into an application form is a real defect in some widely used free templates.

Canadian compliance checklist

Human rights protections combine a federal code (for federally regulated employers) and separate provincial and territorial codes — confirm which applies to your workplace.

Restrict pre-employment questions to job-related criteria
The Canadian Human Rights Act (for federally regulated employers) and each province's and territory's own human rights code restrict asking about protected grounds — disability, family status, marital status, age and others — that aren't relevant to the ability to perform the job.
Don't require disclosure of a suspended (pardoned) conviction
Under the Criminal Records Act, a person with a record suspension generally does not need to disclose the underlying conviction, and the Canadian Human Rights Act forbids discriminating against someone because of a suspended record.
Canada.ca — Record suspension (pardon) guide
Know the narrow exceptions
Certain regulated professions, federal government security-clearance roles, and specific statutory exceptions can still require disclosure of a record even after suspension — confirm whether a genuine exception applies before including a conviction question.

How to use this template

Fill in the applicant and position details. Type into the highlighted blanks: the candidate's contact details, the position applied for, and availability.
Add education and employment history. Fill in the education background and prior employment blanks.
Decide whether to include a conviction question. Only include it if a genuine exception to the record-suspension protections applies to this role.
Keep screening separate. If you also run a background or police check, use a dedicated consent form for that — don't add it to this application.
Have the applicant certify and sign, then download. The applicant signs the certification on the signature line at the foot of the form. Download it as a Word or PDF file for your records.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as a resume?

No — this is an employer's intake form for the candidate to fill out, distinct from a resume the candidate writes and brings themselves.

What can I ask about disability or family status?

Very little before hiring — the Canadian Human Rights Act (for federally regulated employers) and provincial and territorial human rights codes restrict asking about protected grounds unrelated to the ability to do the job. Focus questions on job-related requirements instead.

Can I ask about criminal convictions?

Only ask about convictions that aren't subject to a record suspension, unless a genuine exception applies to the role. Under the Criminal Records Act, a person with a record suspension generally doesn't need to disclose the underlying conviction.

What if the role does need a background or police check?

Keep that consent and disclosure as a separate, stand-alone document from this application form, and only ask the fuller conviction question this form supports where a genuine exception covers the role.

Do I need a certification and signature section?

Yes — it's standard practice for the candidate to certify the information is accurate before submitting the application.

Does Quebec have different rules?

Quebec's Charter of human rights and freedoms provides its own protections in addition to the federal and other provincial codes — the underlying principle of restricting pre-employment questions to job-related criteria is the same, but confirm Quebec-specific guidance if hiring there.

Related templates

Criminal Record Check Consent Form Template (Canada)

Disclaimer

This template and guide are for general information only and do not constitute legal advice. Human rights protections and record-suspension rules combine federal and provincial/territorial law. Confirm current requirements with an employment specialist before finalising your application form.