Employee onboarding checklist (Canada)
An interactive 30-day onboarding checklist for Canadian employees. Tracks IT setup, payroll paperwork (TD1, SIN), policy acknowledgements, and 30/60/90-day milestones.
Onboarding Checklist
Employee: · Role: · Start date:
Manager: · Buddy:
- Pre-boarding (week before start)
- Day 1
- Week 1
- 30-day check-in
- 60-day check-in
- 90-day check-in
Made with WalnutsHR Paper · Reviewed for Ontario · April 2026
No compliance hints for this jurisdiction yet — your document looks good for the basics. Have a lawyer review before sending anything consequential.
About this template
A structured onboarding checklist makes the difference between a new hire who feels welcomed and a new hire who's still chasing IT and HR for paperwork three weeks in. This checklist covers the Canadian-specific items — TD1 federal and provincial, SIN verification, statutory training, Quebec language preferences — alongside the universal first-day, first-week, and 30/60/90-day milestones.
When to use it
- You're hiring your first or second employee and want a defensible record that statutory paperwork was completed.
- Your team is growing past five and ad-hoc Slack threads aren't covering everything anymore.
- You want a single artifact you can save, share with the new hire, and file for audit purposes.
What to include
- Pre-boarding logistics (offer signed, equipment ordered, accounts provisioned).
- Day-one paperwork — federal and provincial TD1, SIN verification, direct deposit, emergency contact.
- Mandatory training — workplace harassment policy acknowledgement, OHS / WHMIS as applicable.
- Quebec-specific items — French-language preference under Bill 96.
- Benefits enrollment within the plan's eligibility window (typically 31 days).
- 30/60/90-day check-ins to confirm progress and close out probation.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the offer letter?
The offer letter is a contract. The onboarding checklist is operational — it tracks the steps that have to happen between accepting the offer and being a fully-functional employee. They're complementary, not overlapping.
Can I skip the TD1s if the employee is on payroll software?
No. Even with payroll software (Wagepoint, Wave, Ceridian, etc.), the TD1 federal and provincial forms must be completed and retained. Most payroll systems have a digital workflow but the legal obligation to capture them is on the employer.
Does Quebec really need a separate language preference step?
Yes. Bill 96 (the modernization of the Charter of the French Language) gives Quebec employees the right to receive their employment documents in French. Best practice is to ask in writing whether the employee wants French or English versions and capture the response in the file.
Legal disclaimer. Some items on this checklist are statutorily required (TD1 forms, harassment-policy acknowledgement, OHS training in regulated industries). Others are best-practice. Tailor the list to the role, the province, and the industry — for safety-sensitive roles you may need additional certifications before day one.
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