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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)The most frequently asked questions have been grouped under five (5) headings.
We encourage you to read the following list of authentic enquiries and to check the answers we gave. If you have a question for which an answer is not provided below, do not hesitate to send us an e-mail. You will help us provide a better service to you and other interested parties.
Many positions I am interested in are limited to persons
residing in a different region of the country. Isn't this a discriminatory
practice? After all, I am a Canadian and am willing to move to any region
if a position is offered to me. In deciding how wide or limited the area of selection will be, various factors are taken into account. These include the nature of the position to be filled, the qualifications required for the position, the duration of the work, and the need to reach a suitable pool of qualified candidates, including members of the employment equity groups, to provide a representative sample reflecting the community this position would serve. Respecting the right of citizens to have fair access to career opportunities must be balanced with a fiscal responsibility to taxpayers and the efficient use of resources. For many positions, there is often a sufficient pool of fully qualified candidates in a local area within a certain distance of the office where the job is located. However, at times it is necessary to expand the area of selection to ensure that a sufficient number of qualified applicants may be found, such as for positions with very specialized skills, or where there is a shortage of the required qualifications. In the fall of 2001, a National area of selection was implemented for senior officer-level jobs, which typically include executive positions and positions within two levels below the Executive category. In some cases jobs, in highly specialized professions, are also advertised as open to all citizens in Canada. In addition, we also conduct national competitions for a large number of jobs and organize large national campaigns. For example, our Post-Secondary Recruitment Program which is now open on a continuous basis, is open to citizens across Canada and even internationally. Effective April 1, 2006 a national area of selection will be used in recruitment for all officer-level positions in the National Capital Region (NCR) that are open to the public. Broadening access to officer-level positions in the NCR is an important first step that will allow us to evaluate and plan for increasing access across other regions as well as other types of jobs over the next two to three years.
I am a Canadian citizen, but I no longer reside in Canada. I would be ready to move back to Canada if a position was offered to me. Is it possible for me to apply on job opportunities in the federal Public Service? In most cases, candidates from outside the federal Public Service will or may be required to pay for their own travel and relocation expenses. Some Development Programs such as the Management Trainee Program cover part of these costs for Canadian citizens residing abroad. Why can't I just send in my resume without
applying to a specific position? I am having trouble cutting and pasting
my resume neatly in the box you provide. I can't make it look attractive.
Please help.
I applied for a position online. In the advertisement
it is written that a copy of degree and of the transcript are required.
Please tell me how to send these documents. You can type all of the information contained in the transcript/diploma/degree directly at the end of your resume and cover letter online. This is time consuming at first, however, if you save the document in your hard drive, you will have it for future use as well. Please note however, that should you be contacted for further assessment, you will be required to produce the actual documents at that time. I am a federal employee. Your site only contains jobs open to the public. How do I access internal competitions? I wish to write the Public Service Entry
Exams. Where do I go? How do I register? I want to emigrate to Canada. Can I apply
for government jobs? You can find out more about emigrating to Canada on the following pages: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.html I am a permanent resident (landed immigrant)
and am waiting to become a Canadian citizen. What are my chances of getting
a job with the federal government? 1. A person who is in receipt of a pension by reason of war service If you haven't already done so, you may want to visit the following website which provides a wealth of information for job seekers, and links to sites that may be of interest to you: http://jobsetc.ca I have applied many times for positions
advertised on your website. I have not even been contacted once. Do your
positions really exist?
In the end unfortunately, many of the candidates left out of the interview stage wonder about the system, start doubting their qualifications and/or the fairness of our process. It is a problem that we acknowledge and one which are attempting to resolve with the development of an applicant status information system. Jobs advertised on jobs.gc.ca say that you must apply through the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS). What is PSRS and how does it work? The Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) is an on-line application and screening process that is being used by the Public Service Commission (PSC) across Canada. This is how PSRS works:
PSRS is also used to post job opportunities for the Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) Program. Information specific to the PSR Program and application process is available on the PSR website. Please note that we only advertise jobs open to the public. Internal competitions are advertised to employees via the government Intranet. Nearly all federal opportunities open to the public are posted on jobs.gc.ca. It is however advisable to note certain exceptions: a) Crown Corporation positions: although several crown corporations use the PSC site to meet their recruitment needs, none of these organizations are obliged to advertise the totality of their openings on jobs.gc.ca b) at the discretion of our regional offices, certain jobs are made available via the Info Tel service only. The number of this 24-hour service in your district may be accessed at the following address: http://www.jobs-emplois.gc.ca/menu/ui_offices_e.htm Are there other websites I should be aware
of that advertise jobs open to the Canadian public? How do I best prepare for the interview stage with a federal department? A document outlining the merit criteria required for any advertised position is available on request. It is called a "Statement of Merit Criteria and Conditions of Employment (SMCCE)". Most of the time there will be a link directly on a job posting to the SMCCE. In cases where it is not available directly from the job posting, if you are called for further assessment, you can request one from the organization contacting you. What can I do if I have concerns about an External Appointment Process? If you have any concerns about a recruitment process, please contact the department or agency conducting the recruitment for the position. Make sure you address the request to the attention of the Human Resources sector, and quote the job advertisement reference number of the position. If this does not address your concerns satisfactorily, you may contact the Investigations Branch at http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/recours/recours_e.htm of the Public Service Commission which has authority to investigate any external appointment process." Why are certain positions only open to one (or more) employment equity group(s) (i.e. members of visible minority groups, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and women)? Isn't this a discriminatory practice? The government has a legal obligation to ensure that its workforce reflects the communities it serves. This means that in some cases, where there is need to better reflect the diversity of our communities, pro-active recruitment targets one or more of the designated Employment Equity groups to help us find qualified candidates. These efforts are helping the government meet its legal obligation to Canadians by redressing the balance in the workforce. One of the key responsibilities of the Public Service Commission (PSC) is to ensure that Canadians are served by a highly competent Public Service that is non-partisan (i.e. impartial and appointed without political interference) and representative of Canadian society, (i.e. reflecting the diversity that exists in the Canadian population). It does this by carrying out responsibilities provided for in the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and the Employment Equity Act (EEA). How does the government determine when it is necessary to conduct recruitment focused on one or more employment equity groups? Under Part I of the Employment Equity Act (EEA), employers, including the federal Public Service, must determine the degree of under-representation of employment equity (EE) groups and implement plans to promote employment equity. Four EE groups have been designated under the EEA for which there has been a traditional under-representation in the Public Service: visible minority groups, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and women. By virtue of section 22.(2)(d) of the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), the PSC may make regulations for the purpose of facilitating the implementation of employment equity programs developed by an employer or a deputy head respecting the appointment to and from within the the public servive of persons belonging to a designated group. By targeting recruitment efforts to one or more designated groups, departments have a better chance of closing representation gaps and developing a workplace that reflects the diversity of Canadian society. What is the process when applying for a position advertised through the PSC's Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS)? You will need to establish an account with PSRS, and create your profile. Each time you apply to a PSRS job opportunity you will have to complete an experience questionnaire. A detailed explanation of the application process is available on the PSRS website under How to Apply. Why is a candidate's residence important and how is residency applied in an external appointment process? The geographic criterion that is often used in external appointment processes refers to where candidates must reside; or reside or be employed, in order to be eligible for appointment. Residency normally means where the individual lives. Although, generally, a person's place of permanent residence* is where the family lives, if a person is living temporarily apart from family, the place of permanent residence is where the family lives, if the person has the firm intention to return there. *Definition: A permanent residence is, generally, the place that has always been, or has been adopted as, a person's habitation or home, to which he/she has the firm intention to return when he/she is away from it. Students or other individuals temporarily residing away from their permanent residence may have dual eligibility, based either on their permanent residence or the location of their residence while attending school or working. Nota Bene: Effective April 1, 2006, the external recruitment for all officer-level positions in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be open nationally. This change will provide Canadians, regardless of their place of residence, with access to a greater number of federal government jobs in the NCR. |
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Updated: 2006-02-02 | Important Notices and Disclaimers |
