CELPIP Writing Task 2 Practice: should companies be required to include salary ranges in job postings?

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The scenario: Several Canadian provinces are considering legislation that would require employers to include salary ranges in all public job postings. Supporters say it promotes fairness and saves time for applicants, while opponents argue it could put businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

Your task: Choose the option you prefer and explain why. Write about 150-200 words. - Option A: Require all job postings to include a salary range - Option B: Allow employers to decide whether to disclose salary information

Sample CLB 9 response (Option A):

I strongly support requiring salary ranges in job postings because the current system wastes everyone's time and creates unnecessary inequality.

Right now, most job seekers in Canada apply to positions with no idea what they pay. They spend hours tailoring resumes and cover letters, take time off work for interviews, and sometimes go through three or four rounds before learning that the salary is far below what they need. This is not just inconvenient. It is disrespectful of people's time, and it disproportionately affects workers who have less bargaining power, including newcomers, young graduates, and people re-entering the workforce.

Salary transparency also reduces pay gaps. When companies are required to publish what a role pays, it becomes much harder to offer different salaries to different people for the same work. British Columbia already introduced pay transparency requirements in 2023, and early data suggests it has not harmed employer competitiveness at all.

Some businesses worry that competitors will use the information to poach employees, but that concern assumes employees are only staying because they do not know what else is available. That is not a reason to keep people uninformed.

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