If your Ontario staff are engaged through a reputable Employer of Record (EOR)<\/strong>, the EOR is the legal employer<\/strong> and is typically responsible for registering with WSIB, adding your workers to its account, paying premiums, and handling claims<\/strong>. You generally don\u2019t open your own WSIB account<\/strong> for those EOR-payrolled workers. The exceptions are when you also employ people directly<\/strong> (outside the EOR), operate in an industry with special rules<\/strong> (e.g., construction owners\/officers), or you need optional coverage<\/strong> for people not on the EOR\u2019s payroll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB)<\/strong> is Ontario\u2019s no-fault<\/strong> workers\u2019 compensation system. Eligible workplace injuries\/illnesses are covered for medical care and wage loss, and in exchange, employers are shielded from most lawsuits related to those injuries. For many employers, WSIB registration is mandatory<\/strong> and must be done within 10 calendar days<\/strong> of hiring the first employee in Ontario. Coverage status depends on your business activities; some industries are exempt<\/strong> from mandatory registration but may opt-in<\/strong> for coverage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n WSIB premiums are paid by employers, not workers. Ontario sets a class-based<\/strong> rate (shared risk within your industry) and adjusts for your firm\u2019s experience (claims history). The average premium<\/strong> rate for 2025 is $1.25 per $100<\/strong> of insurable payroll (lowest in 50+ years). <\/p>\n\n\n\n An EOR<\/strong> hires your people on paper<\/strong> (legal employer), while you direct the day-to-day work. The EOR runs payroll, withholds taxes, provides statutory benefits, and ensures compliance<\/strong> with provincial rules where the worker sits\u2014here, Ontario. As part of that compliance, reputable EORs register workers for WSIB<\/strong>, remit premiums, and manage claims and return-to-work coordination. For multi-province teams, they also register in the correct provincial board<\/strong> (e.g., WorkSafeBC, CNESST), and pro-rate premiums when work spans jurisdictions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bottom line:<\/strong> When your staff are on the EOR\u2019s payroll in Ontario, the EOR owns the WSIB account and obligations for those workers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why this matters:<\/strong> If you\u2019ve moved everyone onto an EOR, you can often inactivate or close<\/strong> your own WSIB account to avoid zero-filing. If you keep a mixed model<\/strong> (some on EOR, some direct), you\u2019ll maintain your account and only report\/pay for the direct<\/strong> group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a worker is injured or becomes ill due to work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legal protection:<\/strong> Since WSIB is a no-fault system, covered workers typically cannot sue<\/strong> their employer for the injury. Your EOR\u2019s WSIB coverage extends that protection to your worksite as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A Cambridge manufacturer<\/strong> needs six skilled operators on short notice. Rather than set up\/learn WSIB processes, they partner with an EOR. The EOR onboards<\/strong> all six operators under its Ontario WSIB account<\/strong> and starts billing the client the class rate<\/strong> for that risk category. Three months in, one worker has a minor injury needing medical attention and modified duties for eight days. The EOR:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The client never touches WSIB forms, never risks a late-reporting penalty, and the worker gets timely benefits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even with an EOR, you may still need your own WSIB account<\/strong> if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mixed models are fine<\/strong>\u2014just be crystal-clear who is covered by whose account. The EOR handles its<\/strong> employees; you handle yours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your people work across provinces, Canada\u2019s boards use Interjurisdictional Agreements (IJA)<\/strong> so premiums flow to the province where the work is performed<\/strong>. A proper EOR registers and reports in the right board(s), and pro-rates earnings when work spans jurisdictions. This keeps you compliant if, say, a rep spends time in Ontario and Quebec in the same quarter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Missed registrations or late reporting can trigger retroactive premiums, interest, penalties<\/strong>, and potential prosecution. An EOR\u2019s value is doing the right things on time<\/strong> (registering, reporting, remitting) so you avoid that risk. If you shift to 100% EOR, consider closing or inactivating<\/strong> your own WSIB account to reduce admin\u2014but only if you won\u2019t have direct hires in a covered activity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re a small or mid-sized Ontario employer, the fastest, lowest-risk<\/strong> way to stand up a compliant team is often an EOR. You get speed to hire<\/strong>, predictable costs<\/strong>, and WSIB done right<\/strong>\u2014with none of the forms on your desk. For manufacturers, logistics, tech, field services, and seasonal operations, that can be the difference between missing and making<\/strong> a growth window. Divino\u2019s local support model means your workers get timely help and your job sites have a partner tuned to Ontario<\/strong> realities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you use a reputable Employer of Record<\/strong> for your Ontario team, they<\/strong> take care of WSIB\u2014registration, premiums, and claims<\/strong>\u2014for the people on their payroll. You generally don\u2019t<\/strong> need your own WSIB coverage for those workers. You do<\/strong> still need coverage for anyone you employ directly<\/strong>, and you may opt-in for additional protection when you\u2019re exempt. Keep safety front-and-center, verify the EOR\u2019s coverage and process, and you\u2019ll be protected, compliant, and free to focus on growth. Check out how to simplify recruitment<\/a> or The Bias of Interviews: Are You Just Hiring a Smile?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Q1) If all my Ontario workers are on an EOR, do I still register with WSIB?<\/strong> Q2) Who actually pays the WSIB premiums in an EOR setup?<\/strong> Q3) A worker got medical treatment and is on modified duties\u2014who files Form 7?<\/strong> Q4) We\u2019re a tech firm and heard WSIB might be optional\u2014should we still get coverage?<\/strong> Q5) We operate in multiple provinces\u2014how do premiums work?<\/strong> Q6) Does WSIB mean employees can\u2019t sue?<\/strong> Q7) What happens if an employer required to register never did?<\/strong> The 10-second answer If your Ontario staff are engaged through a reputable Employer of Record (EOR), the EOR is the legal employer and is typically…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":310,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":37,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\n\n\nFirst things first: what WSIB is (and why it matters)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat an Employer of Record actually does (in Ontario context)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWho registers and who pays?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow claims work when you\u2019re using an EOR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nCosts: what to expect (and control)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nReal-world scenario (Ontario)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nWhen you still might need your own<\/em> WSIB<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nCross-border and multi-province teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCompliance, penalties, and peace of mind<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow to choose an EOR (WSIB checklist)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nDivino\u2019s take (and fit)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nPractical do\u2019s and don\u2019ts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nConclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFAQs <\/h1>\n\n\n\n
If everyone<\/strong> is on the EOR\u2019s payroll, you typically don\u2019t<\/strong> open your own WSIB account. If you employ anyone directly<\/strong> in a covered activity, you still need your own account for those people. wsib.ca<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The EOR pays WSIB<\/strong> and bills you back. The rate is class-based with experience adjustments; Ontario\u2019s average<\/strong> for 2025 is $1.25 per $100<\/strong> of insurable payroll. wsib.ca+1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The EOR<\/strong>, as legal employer, files Form 7<\/strong> within three business days<\/strong> of the reporting trigger. You support with facts and modified duties as needed. wsib.ca<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some industries are not required<\/strong> to register, but many firms opt-in<\/strong> for protection and client requirements (e.g., on-site work). If you\u2019re using an EOR, they typically cover<\/strong> workers regardless, as part of compliance. wsib.ca+1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Canada\u2019s boards use interjurisdictional<\/strong> rules so each province collects premiums for work performed there. A solid EOR handles registrations and pro-rates<\/strong> insurable earnings across provinces. wsib.ca<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
WSIB is a no-fault<\/strong> system that generally bars lawsuits<\/strong> for covered workplace injuries and channels compensation through the Board. iwh.on.ca<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
WSIB can assess retroactive premiums, interest, and penalties<\/strong>\u2014and still pay the worker\u2019s claim, then recover costs from the employer. Using an EOR properly helps avoid these risks. wsib.ca<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nCitations (Ontario-first, government and authoritative sources)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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