Reported September 2, 2026 — practical guide for NRI job seekers navigating US, Canadian, and global online applications.

Ghost jobs — job postings employers never actually intend to fill — are now common enough to draw both Wall Street Journal coverage and state-level legislation. According to recent reporting, in as many as one in five cases a company has no real intention of filling the role being advertised. These postings linger indefinitely, may already be filled internally, or in some cases never truly existed as open positions.

Job seekers know the cycle: you find a promising role with solid pay and a good company, tailor your resume and cover letter, submit the application, and then hear nothing. Months later, the same posting is still online. The frustration has grown so intense that lawmakers in several U.S. states are now pushing bills to curb the practice.

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How Common Are Ghost Jobs?

Data from hiring platforms and analyses consistently points to a significant share of online postings falling into this category:

  • Greenhouse, a major hiring platform, found that roughly 18–22% of jobs advertised by its clients in 2024 never resulted in a hire. More recent figures put the share around 19% in the second quarter of a recent period.
  • Other studies and analyses of broader job-board data have estimated the figure between one in five and nearly one in three postings in certain periods or platforms.
  • Nearly 70% of companies using certain platforms have posted at least one ghost job in a given quarter, with a smaller group of regular offenders accounting for a high proportion of unfilled listings.

Industries with higher reported rates have included construction, arts, food and beverage, and legal, though the issue appears across tech, finance, healthcare, and other sectors.

Why Do Employers Post Ghost Jobs?

Companies and hiring managers cite a range of reasons — some more defensible than others:

  • Building a talent pipeline for future openings or unexpected departures.
  • Keeping a ready pool of candidates "just in case" an exceptional applicant appears.
  • Signaling growth to employees, investors, or the market (even when headcount is frozen or limited).
  • Collecting resumes and data.
  • Complying with internal policies that require posting a role even when an internal candidate is already preferred.
  • In some cases, creating the impression of opportunity for overworked staff or making current employees feel more replaceable.

Economic uncertainty, easier digital posting tools, and the low cost of leaving ads live have all contributed to the rise of the practice. What was once occasional has become widespread enough to draw regulatory attention.

The Human Cost and Growing Pushback

For job seekers, ghost jobs waste time, erode trust, and make an already difficult process feel rigged. Many report applying to dozens or hundreds of roles with little response, only to see the same ads reposted later. The anonymity of online applications amplifies the sense of being ignored.

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In response, legislators in states including New York and Pennsylvania have introduced bills that would require greater transparency — such as disclosing hiring timelines, removing postings once roles are filled, or clarifying whether a vacancy is actively being recruited for. Similar discussions have appeared in other states. Proponents argue that clearer rules would reduce wasted effort and improve the integrity of the job market.

How to Spot and Navigate Ghost Jobs

While no method is foolproof, job seekers can reduce the risk of sinking time into phantom roles:

  • Check how long the posting has been live. Roles open for 60–90+ days with little change are higher risk.
  • Verify the listing on the company's official careers page. Absence there (while present on LinkedIn, Indeed, or other boards) is a red flag.
  • Look for specific, recent details versus generic evergreen language.
  • Network proactively. Referrals and direct outreach remain among the most effective ways to access real openings and bypass pure online applications.
  • Track patterns. Repeated reposting of the same role without movement is a classic sign.
  • Focus energy on companies and roles showing clear signs of active hiring — recent employee posts, specific team mentions, or timely responses.

Why This Matters More for NRI Job Seekers

For Non-Resident Indians targeting U.S., Canadian, UK, or other international roles — or remote positions with global companies — these dynamics matter more than for a domestic applicant. Visa timelines, relocation costs, sponsorship uncertainty, and the competitive nature of cross-border hiring make wasted applications especially costly.

Prioritizing networking, internal referrals, and targeted applications over mass-applying to every posting can improve outcomes. For H-1B holders navigating the 60-day grace period after a layoff, every wasted week matters.

The Bigger Picture

Ghost jobs highlight a mismatch in the modern hiring process: it has never been easier for employers to post openings, yet the experience for candidates has grown more opaque and demoralizing. Official labor statistics on job openings do not fully capture this dynamic, as they rely on different criteria.

Greater transparency — whether through legislation, platform policies, or employer best practices — would benefit both sides. Candidates would waste less time, and companies that genuinely want to hire could stand out by treating applicants with clearer communication.

Until then, job seekers who combine careful screening of postings with relationship-building and realistic expectations will navigate the market more effectively. The "ghost" problem is real, but understanding it is the first step toward working around it.

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This article is general career guidance as of September 2, 2026. It is not employment law or immigration advice. For visa-status-critical hiring decisions, consult a licensed immigration attorney.