PSC Staffing Manual

Appointments may be made through external recruitment when it is in its best interests of the Public Service to consider candidates from other sectors, such as the broader public sector or the private sector.

The best interests of the Public Service involve seeking a balance between the need to consider the legitimate career aspirations of Public Service employees and the need to recruit new talent to meet current and future requirements. Consideration should also be given to the achievement of corporate Public Service objectives such as increasing representation of designated employment equity groups, renewal, new and evolving program initiatives, the need for an exchange of competencies with other sectors, as well as whether the nature of the work or difficulty finding qualified candidates makes it necessary to consider broader, natural labour affiliations. Recruitment may also be the appropriate option when a closed competition has proven unproductive or has not resulted in a sufficient number of qualified candidates, as well as when the need is of short duration.

6.3 Values-Based Approach

The decision to recruit from outside the Public Service must be taken by balancing the management principles of efficiency and cost-effectiveness with the values of fairness, transparency, non-partisanship, equity, representativeness and the need to ensure that persons appointed to the Public Service are competent.

6.4 Employment Equity Programs

The Public Service Commission facilitates the achievement of departmental and Public Service employment equity objectives through regulatory provisions that permit selection to be confined to designated groups. These provisions may be applied if a department is making an appointment in the context of a Commission-approved employment equity program. These include departmental and PSC employment equity programs.

Using these programs, departments may ask the referring PSC office to limit consideration to candidates who are members of one or more of the designated employment equity groups, consistent with the program objectives. Depending on the nature of the recruitment program, departments may choose between relative and individual merit. Additional information about employment equity programs is available in Chapter 2, Employment Equity.

6.5 Foreign Credentials

Education is defined in the Standards for Selection and Assessment as academic, vocational or technical studies and training acknowledged through a credential or other official documentation from, or accepted by, a recognized Canadian educational institution. Formal training from government departments, agencies, or other institutions considered appropriate by the manager of the position being staffed may also be acceptable. For certain occupational groups, the Standards specify whether alternatives to education are acceptable and what these may consist of.

In Canada, education is the responsibility of each province and territory and there is no national system to assess foreign education credentials. For the purpose of personnel selection, the Public Service accepts and recognizes foreign education credentials that are accepted by a recognized Canadian educational institution. A list of associations that can assist people who wish to obtain an assessment of their education, professional and occupational credentials is located in Annex B of this chapter.

It is necessary to obtain Canadian academic equivalency for a foreign degree if the degree is a requirement for employment in the Public Service. The candidate is responsible for providing the recruiting office or department with a certificate or some kind of assessment documentation from a Canadian credential evaluation service indicating that the degree obtained from a foreign institution has been assessed and found to be equivalent to the required level or degree. For example, if the department requires a Bachelor's degree from a recognized Canadian university, the candidate would need to use a credential evaluation service to assess if the degree obtained outside Canada is an equivalent. If the candidate had a Bachelor's degree from a foreign university and a Master's degree from a Canadian university, the use of a credential evaluation service would not be required. By accepting the candidate into the Master's level program, the Canadian university has already recognized the undergraduate degree.

6.6 Recruitment Methods

The PSC acts as corporate recruiter for departments and agencies that make appointments under the Public Service Employment Act. The PSC has no jurisdiction over most separate employers, such as the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Parks Canada, Crown Corporations, the Armed Forces, etc. which make appointments pursuant to their enabling legislation.

In general terms, the PSC's role in recruitment is to market the federal Public Service to potential candidates, devise strategies to reach sufficient pools of qualified candidates, advertise job openings and recruitment campaigns, receive and process applications, screen applications against job requirements, and refer candidates to departments for further assessment and appointment.

The PSC provides recruitment and referral services for positions in the Administrative and Foreign Service, Scientific and Professional, Technical and Administrative Support categories. With respect to the Operational category, departments located in areas where the PSC's services are not easily accessible may advertise vacancies through local Human Resources Centres or other equivalent venues. Some departments may recruit directly for some types of jobs as specified in their Staffing Delegation and Accountability Agreement or through a Memorandum of Understanding with the PSC.

When the need arises to recruit outside the Public Service, the department determines the qualifications required for the position(s) to be filled and contacts the responsible PSC office to initiate a recruitment action. This is done using the
Request for Recruitment and Priority Services which is linked to the priority inventory and to the desktops of PSC priority and resourcing officers via the Internet. Such a request may be made for:

Departments and/or locations that do not have access to the Internet may request recruitment services by contacting the responsible PSC office.

6.6.1 Open Competitions

In the case of open competitions where a poster is required, the department completes the electronic request referred to above. The request includes a function which allows the department to send a draft recruitment poster to the PSC. Relevant information provided in the request is automatically reproduced in the posting section. In addition, previously approved posters are saved in the system and can be retrieved to help prepare future posters. The poster is published on jobs.gc.ca once approved by the appropriate PSC district office.

The use of inventories remains an appropriate recruitment option in some cases, for instance for high supply / high demand competencies and for special purposes, such as employment equity or functional community recruitment. PSC offices review the need to maintain inventories based on recruitment needs, which may result in the development of new inventories or the closing of existing ones. Where the PSC office maintains a recruitment inventory for the type of position that the department wants to fill, it will extract an appropriate number of suitable and interested candidates and refer them to the department for further assessment.

For each advertised open competition, the PSC determines, in consultation with the department, the geographical limits of the area where potential candidates must reside or be employed to be eligible for appointment. The setting of geographic criteria to delineate an area of selection respects the mobility provision of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as long as the area of selection is not based on provincial or territorial boundaries.

The establishment of an area of selection demands balancing a number of factors such as:

For positions requiring general skills and for junior level positions, the area of selection is usually local. For more senior positions, for highly specialized work or where there is a labour market shortage, the area of selection may be expanded to a region of Canada or to the whole country to attract more candidates.

Subsection 13(2) of the PSEA enables the expansion of an area of selection to persons who are members of employment equity groups, namely women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minority groups. The expanded area of selection can be opened to one or more of the employment equity groups.

The PSC is committed to ensuring that Canadians have enhanced access to federal Public Service jobs. Part of this commitment has involved introducing a measured approach to review the current area of selection policy and identify the conditions required for the long-term usage of national areas of selection.

As a first step, a national area of selection for open competitions was introduced in the fall 2001 for EX, EX Equivalent, EX Minus 1 and EX Minus 2 levels listed in the table below. A national area of selection includes:

This operational policy is applicable to all PSC clients advertising open competitions for jobs at these levels on jobs.gc.ca, on Infotel and in other media, i.e.:

In principle, irrespective of the group and level, a national area of selection should also be used for positions located abroad. As there may be exceptions to this policy, departments and agencies should contact their local PSC office to determine the appropriate area of selection for positions located abroad.

There is no obligation to communicate travel and relocation information when advertising an open competition. However, to ensure transparency, one of the following statements should be included within the "Who can Apply" section of the poster:

"Candidates from outside the federal Public Service will be required to pay for their own travel and relocation expenses."

"Candidates from outside the federal Public Service may be required to pay for their own travel and relocation expenses."

Employees of the Public Service, whose organization is governed by the Treasury Board Travel Directive and who are asked to travel to an interview or a test, are recognized as carrying out government business and, therefore, they are entitled to be compensated for all eligible travel expenses. Employees are also entitled to relocation assistance as outlined in the Treasury Board Relocation Directive.

For questions related to the application of the Travel Directive, Departmental Travel Coordinators should be contacted. A list of Designated Departmental Travel Coordinators is available on the Treasury Board Secretariat's Website.

For questions related to the application of the Relocation Directive, departmental Financial Services should be contacted.

Closing Date

There is no minimum or mandatory posting period in the legislation. However, to respect the values of fairness, equity and transparency, the PSC's operational policy is that open competitions will be posted for a minimum of 48 hours. In special circumstances, where it is known that labour market availability is high, a 24-hour posting period may be used.

Advertising

All open competitions are advertised on the Internet and jobs.gc.ca and on Infotel, a job information system accessible by telephone for people who do not have access to the Internet. In certain circumstances, job opportunities may also be advertised in newspapers, magazines or specialized journals. The PSC is responsible for the content, design and placement of all external recruitment ads. For more information in this regard, please consult the Recruitment Advertising Guidelines. Departments with delegated recruitment authority must also adhere to these guidelines.

Handling of Applications

The PSC receives and processes applications submitted in response to the advertisement. It then:

Preferences

When making referrals, the PSC gives preference to candidates who are Canadian citizens. Candidates who are not Canadian citizens are normally not referred until the pool of qualified Canadian candidates is exhausted. If a department wishes to consider all candidates, e.g. if there is reason to believe that the pool of qualified candidates who are Canadian citizens is insufficient, the department should make this known when making its request for recruitment services.

Section 17 of the PSEA requires that preference for appointment be given in the following order, which must be reflected on eligibility lists flowing from an open competition:

The PSEA provides that, where an appointment from outside the Public Service is being made to a local office, preference may be given to qualified candidates residing in the area served by that office. This means that a person residing in the area served by the local office may be appointed ahead of other candidates who reside outside that area. This preference should not be mistaken as a local area of selection. It applies at the time an appointment is made and not when the competition is advertised, nor when the screening is being done. Although the eligibility list is established in accordance with the preferences outlined above and in rank order of merit, when the offer is made, the local preference may be applied if it is in the best interests of the Public Service.

Once the department has finalized the selection process, it informs the PSC of the names of the candidates who were found qualified, those who were placed on an eligibility list, and those who were offered and accepted an appointment.

6.6.2 Recruitment Without Competition

In keeping with a values-based staffing system, the PSC considers that external recruitment by competition is the norm and that external recruitment without competition is the exception. Open competitions not only represent more transparent and equitable Public Service employment opportunities for job seekers, but they also constitute a better means of attracting and selecting the best qualified candidates.

The PSC considers that it is important to have a consistent, values-based approach to appointments without competition from outside the Public Service. Therefore, the PSC has largely retained the authority to make appointments without competition from outside the Public Service because of their inherent degree of risk with respect to staffing values. Consultations held with departments and agencies in 2001 on access to federal Public Service jobs did not result in any consensus on the manner in which these types of appointments should be handled.

Consequently, in the fall of 2002, the PSC piloted the delegation of the authority to make appointments without competition from outside the Public Service with a number of departments. Further to an evaluation of the pilot projects, the Commission approved, in May 2004, the permanent delegation of this authority to some of the pilot project departments. Due to the upcoming implementation of the Public Service Modernization Act, no further delegation of this authority is anticipated under the current regime.

The PSC has defined the criteria it will use for assessing requests for appointments without competition from outside the Public Service (which are sometimes called "requests for named referrals"). These criteria will be used to ensure consistent decision making in cases where departments do not possess the authority to make such appointments by virtue of their Staffing Delegation and Accountability Agreement or their delegation does not include the occupational group, tenure or region concerned. To help understanding of how the PSC will apply the criteria, questions and answers on this matter have been added to the FAQ's section of the Staffing Manual.

Criterion (b) - the position is in a geographically remote area and an open competition would be unlikely to identify other qualified candidates.

Criterion (c) - the position requires highly specialized skills and a high-calibre individual could be "lost" if the appointment is not made quickly - e.g. the appointment of an outstanding scholar, a participant in a fellowship program or a subject-matter expert .

Criterion (d) - a project or program co-funded by the federal government and another sector (e.g. industry or another level of government) may be jeopardized if the position is not filled immediately, and an open competition would be unlikely to identify better qualified candidates.

Criterion (e) - the position is being filled as a result of a transfer of responsibility to the federal government and the proposed individual was employed in the organization concerned at the time of the transfer.

Criterion (f) - the proposed individual was previously employed under the Public Service Employment Act in a position requiring similar competencies and an open competition would be unlikely to identify better qualified candidates.

Criterion (g) - the proposed individual was hired as a casual employee, as a result of a selection process based on relative merit conducted by the PSC or the department, to perform duties involving similar competencies to those required by the position being staffed, and an open competition would be unlikely to identify better qualified candidates.

Criterion (h) - the appointment of a qualified member of an employment equity group would increase or consolidate the department's representativeness, and is proposed in the context of an approved employment equity program administered by the department or the PSC.

Criterion (i) - an indeterminate appointment is being proposed in the context of an emergency situation.

It is possible that a situation not described above may warrant an appointment without competition from outside the Public Service. The PSC will handle such situations on a case-by-case basis.

The decision to approve an appointment without competition from outside the Public Service will be based on the assessment of the individual circumstances of each case with a view to achieving an appropriate balance between staffing values and management principles, while ensuring that the appointment is based on merit. Although these criteria are intended to provide a common basis for decision making, the PSC will apply them taking local characteristics into account. For example, it may be easy to attract candidates for certain jobs in some parts of the country, but difficult in other parts.

The PSC will rigorously apply these criteria and will closely monitor the situation. The criteria will be re-visited if necessary.

Questions on the application of the criteria to individual cases can be directed to the appropriate PSC regional/district office.

6.6.3 Recruitment Outside Canada

In rare circumstances, departments will need to recruit individuals from outside Canada. This approach will be undertaken if it can be confirmed that there is poor labour market availability of suitably qualified candidates with particular skills or professional qualifications. The PSC coordinates the recruitment activity with the involvement of Human Resources Development Canada and Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

The PSC provides advice on the possible effectiveness, type and legal requirements for advertising in foreign countries, the location and timing of interviews and the information that the department should provide to candidates outside Canada.

6.7 Casual Employment

The Commission has delegated casual employment authority to departments. Casual employment may be used to meet short-term staffing requirements, such as to replace employees on leave or to carry out projects. Persons hired under this authority may not be appointed for more than 90 days, nor may they work more than 125 days in any single organization in a 12-month period. Since they are not considered as employees under the PSEA, person hired under this authority are not eligible to be considered in closed competitions. Departments are not obliged to use PSC's services nor the services of any particular referral agency to hire a person for casual employment.

6.8 Emergency Term Appointments

Departments have been delegated the authority to recruit and appoint employees for a specified period to respond to emergency situations. This individual merit circumstance was introduced in Public Service Employment Regulations to assist departments in responding to urgent situations, such as those where is an immediate threat to health, safety, security, the environment or essential services to the public. This flexibility measure may be only be used if the appointment cannot be made using casual employment hiring authority, e.g. if the appointment will exceed 90 days or if the cumulative employment period is greater than 125 days in a one-year period.

6.9 Corporate Recruitement Programs

The Commission administers a number of corporate recruitment programs that are targeted at recent graduates and students. More information on corporate recruitment programs can be found at the following address: http://www.jobs-emplois.gc.ca/home_e.htm.

6.9.1 Post-Secondary Recruitment Program (PSR)

6.9.2 Management Trainee Program (MTP)

The Management Trainee Program (MTP) is a four-year training program designed to identify individuals with the potential to excel as managers in the Public Service and to provide them with a comprehensive program for professional development. MTP trainees are recruited from inside and outside the Public Service as part of the Post-Secondary Recruitment Program. External applicants must have successfully completed a Master's degree from a recognized university, while internal applicants must have successfully completed a Bachelor's degree.

6.9.3 Accelerated Economist Training Program (AETP)

The Accelerated Economist Training Program (AETP) recruits graduates with masters' degrees in economics, in public administration or in a related discipline. This program, which is of two years' duration, offers recruits an opportunity to acquire skills, training and experience needed to ensure the continuing presence of a qualified workforce to assume responsibilities in the economics and public policy areas. AETP trainees are recruited from outside the Public Service as part of the Post-Secondary Recruitment Program.

6.9.4 Financial Officer and Internal Auditor Recruitment and Development Program (FORD/IARD)

The Financial Officer and Internal Auditor Recruitment and Development Program, administered by the Treasury Board Secretariat, recruits high-calibre university graduates for entry-level finance and internal audit positions on behalf of departments and agencies across Canada. Recruits receive on-the-job and formal training through a series of development assignments designed to give valuable first-hand experience and knowledge. Training is tailored to meet departmental needs and will generally last 12 months. FORD/IARD trainees are recruited from outside the Public Service as part of the Post-Secondary Recruitment Program.

6.10 Student Recruitment Programs

Student recruitment programs are directed at university, community college, CEGEP's and secondary school students. The Student Employment Programs Exclusion Approval Order exclude all persons employed within student employment programs as designated by the Treasury Board from the operation of the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), with the exception of sections 16(4) and 17(4) which deal with citizenship and the establishment of an eligibility list respectively. The Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students places emphasis on the provision of learning experiences and on the development of a student's employability skills. Accordingly, students recruited into the Public Service are not expected to perform all of the duties of a position as compared to a regular employee and, therefore, are regarded as trainees and not as employees. The Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) publishes an information bulletin which outlines the rates of pay, limits on training time, work-training arrangements, etc.

6.10.1 Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)

The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) offers temporary Public Service jobs to full-time students from high schools, colleges, CEGEPs, technical institutes, and universities across Canada all year-round. The core of the program is a computerized national inventory that uses an algorithm to establish a random list of pre-screened candidates for each job order. Over 90,000 students apply to FSWEP every year, and about 7,000 are hired. Full-time students in Canada or Canadian students abroad are eligible if they meet the minimum age to work in the province or territory where the job exists and are returning to full-time studies in their next academic term.

6.10.2 Co-operative Education and Internship Programs (Co-op)

These programs target Co-op and Internship students from colleges, CEGEPs, technical institutes and universities across Canada, who need relevant and practical work experience to meet the requirements of the Co-op or Internship programs at their educational institution. The student's academic institution determines the duration of each work assignment which traditionally varies from 4 to 18 months. Students can be hired throughout the year, and departments can contact educational institutions directly to identify students for consideration.

The PSC is responsible for approving Co-op and Internship programs from which managers in the Public Service of Canada may recruit students. Accordingly, the PSC has established guidelines for Co-op and Internship programs, and approval criteria against which Co-op and Internship programs are assessed. These criteria seek to ensure that the programs approved by the PSC are those which formally integrate, in a structured manner, academic learning with development through work experiences.

6.10.3 Re-Employment of Students

Hiring departments must obtain authorization for re-employment of students through the appropriate PSC office.

The PSC may authorize the re-employment of a student in an identical or similar job in the same department if he or she:

The PSC may authorize the re-employment of a FSWEP student in another department where the conditions noted above are met and the hiring department provides a rationale for re-employment e.g.:

The policy also provides for the re-employment of a Co-op or Internship student into a FSWEP position in the same or in a different department.

Re-employment of a Co-op or Internship student may occur when an additional work term is required as a condition of graduation. The department must seek the approval of the student's academic institution for an additional work placement.

6.10.4 Student Bridging Mechanisms

Student bridging mechanisms allow for the appointment of students, who have completed their post- secondary or vocational training programs, into the Federal Public Service. These mechanisms allow departments and agencies to consider student recruitment as a full-fledged recruitment strategy by facilitating the hiring of students who have demonstrated, through work assignments which took place during the course of their studies, that they would constitute an asset for the organization.

Bridging mechanisms include appointments made by closed competition and through appointments made without competition from outside the Public Service. The bridging mechanisms may be used for either indeterminate or term appointments, as well as appointments to Apprenticeship or Professional Training Programs (APTP's).

It is important to note that bridging mechanisms apply only to individuals recruited through FSWEP or Co-op/Internship programs, or to individuals who participated in student employment programs established by certain federal employers not governed by the PSEA who have signed a reciprocity agreement with the PSC. They do not apply to individuals hired through other methods, such as casual employment or contract hiring. In addition, student bridging is not excluded from the consideration of persons entitled to a priority for appointment and, therefore, priority clearance must first be obtained before bridging a student to a Public Service job for a period of more than twelve months.

Bridging mechanisms are intended to facilitate the hiring of former students to the Public Service. However, students should not be enticed away from their studies. Students are therefore required to complete their studies to be eligible for appointment to the Public Service through a bridging mechanism.

Completion of studies means that the student has successfully completed all of the necessary courses, work terms and conditions, and will graduate. Completion of studies would be substantiated by an official statement or transcript of marks received or credits earned. This is not to be confused with graduation. For example, a student may finish the required courses, thesis, and work terms in December, but graduation may not occur until May.

Annex A

Student Bridging Mechanisms

Two mechanisms are available for bridging students into the Public Service: (1) appointment by closed competition; and (2) appointment without competition from outside the Public Service.

6.A.1 Closed Competition (Mechanism 1)

This mechanism permits students to apply in closed competitions when the following conditions are met:

6.A.1.1 Area of Selection

"Student" is considered to be an occupational criterion. The following are examples of an area of selection designed to include students.

It is the student's responsibility to provide information to confirm that he or she is able to complete the study program within the stipulated period. For example, a student could present an official program outline which states how many credits are needed for completing the program, accompanied by an official transcript that indicates the number of credits completed to date.

The length of time provided to students to complete their studies is left to the manager's discretion. In determining the appropriate length of time, the manager may wish to consider such things as the likelihood of changing requirements, possible changes to the candidate pool, and the urgency to fill the position.

6.A.1.2 Eligibility List

If successful completion of the post-secondary education or vocational training program is a requirement reflected on the Statement of Qualifications, a student's name may only be placed on an eligibility list after the program has been completed successfully.

In some cases a student may possess the academic qualifications on the Statement of Qualifications (e.g. a Bachelor's degree from a recognized Canadian university), without having yet met the conditions set out in the Student Employment Programs Regulations, i.e. the student is in the process of completing a Master's degree. If the student is qualified in all respects, his or her name may be placed on the eligibility list and a notice of right of appeal may be issued pending completion of the Master's degree. His or her appointment may not be finalized until the Master's degree has been completed.

If a student is among other qualified employees, an eligibility list may be established and a notice of right of appeal may be issued for all those who meet all the position requirements, including education. If post-secondary education is not a requirement on the Statement of Qualifications, the student's name may be placed on the eligibility list and a notice of right to appeal may be issued; however, the student may not be appointed until he or she meets the condition of appointment. The student's name on the eligibility list may be bypassed because he or she is not available for appointment at that time; however, the department should keep a position open for the student on completion of his or her studies. A department may remove the name of a student from an eligibility list if he or she fails to complete his or her post-secondary program.

6.A.1.3 Appointment

Departments may make conditional offers to qualified students prior to the completion of their study program. Before doing so, departments should ensure that the student is likely to complete the program by the date specified on the competition notice. The offer must indicate that an appointment is conditional on the student successfully completing his or her post-secondary education or vocational training program, as appropriate.

6.A.1.4 Probationary Period

The appointment of a student made as a result of a closed competition is considered to be from within the Public Service even though there is a break in service, i.e. while the student completes the post-secondary education or vocational training program. To be eligible for appointment, the student must be on strength with the department at the time that he or she applies to the closed competition. It is important to note, however, that the Student Employment Programs Regulations provide that a student appointed as a result of a closed competition will be on probation from the date of the appointment until the end of the relevant period set out in Schedule 2 of the Public Service Employment Regulations (PSER).

6.A.2 Appointment without Competition (Mechanism 2)

This mechanism allows departments to appoint, without competition from outside the Public Service and subject to relative merit:

To be eligible for bridging, the students must have successfully completed their post-secondary education program or vocational training program in the 18-month period preceding the date of the without-competition appointment. As a general rule, students should be bridged to jobs requiring similar competencies to those acquired or displayed in their work assignments.

This mechanism can be used when the Deputy Head has determined the circumstances in which it is appropriate to make an appointment without competition, in line with business needs, and has consulted appropriately with employee representatives.

In determining the circumstances in which it would be appropriate to make an appointment without competition from outside the Public Service, the Deputy Head should consider the following:

In situations where more than one student has previously worked with the department, the without competition process may be used. However, the manager must first establish which of the previous students is the best qualified for the position in question.

In some cases, the bridging department may not be the most recent employer but may have employed the student previously. This might be the case where two or more departments are collaborating in the operation of a student development program.

It is also possible that the bridging department never employed the student. This might be the case:

With respect to the latter point, "federal employers not governed by the PSEA" include those organizations identified on Lists B-1, B-2 and B-3 of Chapter 4 of the Staffing Manual. Any non-PSEA federal employer student recruitment program which would, overall, reflect the following attributes could qualify for reciprocity:

This feature is intended to ensure that the training and experience gained in both PSEA and non-PSEA organizational environments will not be lost when individual organizations are not in a position to employ the former student themselves. Departments will be informed of reciprocity agreements between the PSC and federal employers not governed by the PSEA through periodic updates to this Annex.

The authority to make appointments without competition in the context of student bridging is delegated to the Deputy Head, and may be sub-delegated. However, given the nature of this authority, the Deputy Head may wish to subdelegate it to levels or positions within the organization which provide a broad-based appreciation for its impact on the values of fairness, equity, transparency and non-partisanship. It is recommended that the authority be exercised at the Assistant Deputy Minister level or equivalent when the student that a manager wishes to bridge:

6.A.2.1 Probationary Period

The appointment without competition of a student in the context of this bridging mechanism is considered to be an appointment from outside the Public Service. Consequently, in accordance with the Student Employment Programs Regulations, a student appointed without competition from outside the Public Service will be on probation from the date of the appointment until the end of the relevant period set out in Schedule 2 of the PSER.

6.A.2.2 Reciprocity Agreements (as of March 2004)

To date, the PSC has signed one reciprocity agreement and it is with the Parks Canada Agency. This agreement is effective for an indefinite period. At any time and at the request of either party, the agreement may be modified or revoked once both parties are in agreement.

On the one hand, this agreement allows departments and agencies governed by the PSEA to appoint without competitions, within 18 months of completion of their post-secondary education program or vocational training program, individuals who participated in student employment programs established by the Parks Canada Agency, during the validity period of the agreement. The agreement recognizes that there is evidence that the student recruitment program at the Parks Canada Agency meets the attributes identified in this annex.

On the other hand, the Parks Canada Agency is willing to hire, within 18 months of completion of their post-secondary education program or vocational training program, individuals who participated in the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) or the Co-op/Internship Programs (Co-op), during the validity period of the agreement.

Annex B

Credential Evaluation Agencies

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) assists persons who wish to obtain an assessment of their educational, professional, and occupational credentials by referring them to the appropriate bodies. The CICIC does not itself grant equivalencies or assess credentials, nor does it intervene on behalf of individuals or in appeals. The CICIC can be contacted at http://www.cicic.ca/

The associations listed below will assess education credentials from universities located outside Canada. It is the responsibility of the person seeking employment with the Public Service to obtain the necessary certification that their education credentials are accepted by a recognized Canadian educational institution. The person seeking employment is also responsible for any costs associated with the procurement of such a certificate.

Comparative Education Service
University of Toronto
315 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A3
Tel: (416) 978-2185
Fax: (416) 978-6089
Duration: 2-3 weeks for Regular and within 1 week for Rush Service

Academic Credentials Evaluation Service
Office of Admissions
York University
4700 Keele Street
North York, Ontario, M3J 1P3
Tel: (416) 736-5787
Fax: (416) 736-5536
E-mail: dstandic@yorku.ca
Duration: 2-3 weeks

International Credential Assessment Service of Canada
35 Harvard Road, P.O. Box 21001
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 4T3
Toll-free in Canada: 1-800-321-6021
Tel: (519) 763-7282
Fax: (519) 763-6964
E-mail: icas@sympatico.ca
http://www.icascanada.ca/

International Credential Evaluation Service
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC, V5G 3H2
Tel: (604) 432-8800
Fax: (604) 435-7033
E-mail: icesinfo@bcit.ca
http://www.bcit.ca/ices

Le Service des équivalences
Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'immigration
454, place Jacques Cartier, 5e étage
Montréal, Québec, H2Y 3B3
Tel: (514) 873-5647Fax: (514) 873-8701
E-mail: equivalences@mrci.gouv.qc.ca

Le Service des équivalences
Ministère des Relations avec les citoyens et de l'immigration
890, avenue de Lévis
Québec (Québec) G1S 3E1
Tel: (418) 643-1473
Fax: (418) 643-7460
E-mail: jacques.drouin@mrci.gouv.qc.ca
http://www.mrci.gouv.qc.ca/
Duration: 4-6 weeks and 8-10 weeks if translation or verification is required

Annex C

Recruitment Advertising Guidelines

I. Introduction

Recruitment is a key element in rejuvenating the Public Service of Canada. The Public Service Commission (PSC) and its Recruitment Advertising Agency of Record (AOR) have developed this advertising guide to set out the guidelines and parameters to ensure effectiveness as well as efficiency when using external advertising as part of a recruitment strategy.

These Guidelines outline the minimum mandatory requirements in external recruitment advertising and supersede all others previously issued. The attached appendix contains a sample of the advertising format, a list of contacts, a glossary of industry terms, sample forms to be used and, finally, a series of questions and answers that outline many considerations and procedural details that are helpful in conducting effective recruitment advertising.

II. Roles and Responsibilities of the Public Service Commission (PSC)

The PSC, as Parliament's agent, is responsible for the overall content, quality, consistency, design and placement of all Public Service external recruitment advertising.

III. Employment Opportunities

All Public Service employment opportunities publicly advertised in such media as newspapers or journals must also be advertised on the PSC's recruitment web site in English and in French. This includes opportunities advertised by departments with delegated external recruitment authority. Departments with delegated recruitment authority can contact their local PSC office to arrange for placement on the website.

IV. Placement of Advertisements by Departments

Departments Without Recruitment Authority:

These departments are required to use the services of the PSC which will then call upon the services of the AOR. If departments were to deal directly with the media for the placement of recruitment advertisements, it would contravene the contract between the PSC and its AOR.

Departments With Recruitment Authority:

These departments have the option of using the services of their departmental advertising agency, or of the PSC's AOR, which will necessitate working through a PSC office. In this latter instance, the department is not required to initiate a contract with an advertising agency.

V. Letter of Commitment

Whenever a department, including a department with external recruitment authority which chooses to use the PSC's AOR, is responsible for payment of an advertisement, in whole or in part, the responsible PSC office must prepare a Letter of Commitment [pdf file]. This Letter of Commitment requires the signature of both PSC and departmental representatives who have the necessary financial signing authorities.

VI. Mandatory Elements of Advertisement

In an effort to maintain image consistency and adherence to all Federal Identity Program (FIP) guidelines, the following elements are mandatory in all print advertisements:

Design Formats

The English and/or bilingual design formats must be used by departments when using print advertisements. In certain circumstances, however, the format may be altered with the approval of the PSC Regional Director.

Position Title

The position title should be clear and meaningful to the external audience as many readers scan the employment pages and focus on the title. In certain circumstances, alternatives to standard job description titles should be used so that the public really understands what the job is about.

Note that jobs or roles cannot be defined specifically for males, females or members of minority groups. However, when recruiting via an approved employment equity program, the competition may be restricted to members of one or more employment equity groups.
In French advertising, both genders must be used in titles and the body of the advertisement. For example, when advertising for the position of "Director", the French-language equivalent is "Directrice ou Directeur", and not "Directeur(trice)".

Employment Equity Statement

All Public Service advertising must have an employment equity statement. You have a choice of the following:

Duty to Accommodate Statement

All Public Service advertising must have a statement to the effect that candidates are entitled to accommodation measures. Please include the following statement:

"The Public Service of Canada is committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted regarding this competition, please advise the departmental official of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner."

Official Languages Statement

All advertising must have the official languages statement. In an English-language advertisement, the statement must read: "Vous pouvez obtenir ces renseignements en français." French-language advertisements must include "This information is available in English."
In the case of bilingual advertisements, or when placing both English and French language ads in the same publication on the same day, neither of these statements is necessary.

Language Requirements

It is essential to include the language requirements of the position(s). You have a choice of the following statements which must be used:

Invitation to Apply and Closing Date

The closing of an advertisement is the target audience's invitation to apply and provides a deadline by which all applications must be received. Although the preferred method of response is on-line, it is important to also include a complete address for applicants who are sending hard copy applications. As the website address is an integral part of the advertisement design, it does not need to be repeated in the closing paragraph. Following is a good example of a closing statement:

Corporate Identity

The "Canada" wordmark is mandatory in all Public Service advertising. The PSC Federal Identity Program (FIP) symbol must also be used in advertising for departments without delegated recruitment authority. Departments with delegated external recruitment authority may use their own FIP symbol.

VII. What Cannot be Used in Advertisements

The use of a Minister's name is prohibited in any recruitment advertising. Advertisements must never discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, age, sex, national or ethnic origin, marital status, family status or disability except where there are bonafide occupational requirements or where the operation of a special measure employment equity program has been approved by the PSC.

VIII. Optional Elements of Advertisements

IX. Official Languages Advertising Requirements

External advertising must be done in conformity with the Official Languages Act, more specifically sections 11 and 30. This means that all external advertising must be made available in both official languages in the area of selection regardless of the language requirements of the position to be filled. This requirement also applies to advertising on the website. Departments with delegated external recruitment authority must also adhere to the Official Languages Act.

The availability of jobs must be communicated by the medium or media that will most effectively reach members of the public in the official language of their choice.

The same medium, however, does not have to be used in both official languages, as the most effective and efficient medium to use in one language may not be the best choice in the other language. The decision should be based on factors such as the size of the official language minority group in the area of selection, advertising costs, the area covered by the media or medium, the type of position to be staffed and time constraints.

As a general rule, bilingual advertising in a medium should be avoided unless the medium itself is bilingual.

When advertising in an English-language "national" newspaper, such as the Globe and Mail or the National Post, and where the area of selection is national, there are very few options in terms of media that will reach the French-language population on a national scale as well. Outside Quebec, French-language weekly, or monthly, newspapers exist in all provinces and territories and must be used to ensure national coverage. The AOR works closely with the PSC to ensure the media options are reasonable and meet the requirements of the Official Languages Act.

In cases where the area of selection is not national, and the advertisement is placed in the Globe and Mail or the National Post, the french equivalent press need only to cover the area of selection.

Also, in some instances, an advertised position's area of selection, or part of the area of selection, may not be covered by a minority language publication, in which case, alternatives will be required to meet Official Languages Act's obligations.

Example:
A stated area of selection may encompass cities A, B and C, but only cities A and B are serviced by a minority language paper. Where these situations occur, a bilingual advertisement must be placed in the medium serving city C, in order that PSC external advertising remain in accordance with sections 11 and 30 of the Official Languages Act.

Bearing this in mind, the best method of simultaneously advertising jobs in both English and French must be chosen.

Appendix C1

Frequently Asked Questions About Recruitment Advertising

When should recruitment from outside the Public Service be used?

The initial question that a department should ask is: "Should this position to be staffed from within the Public Service or is it preferable to recruit from outside?" Recruitment from outside the Public Service may be initiated when it is considered to be in the best interests of the Public Service.

Who are the different parties involved in the placement of advertising and what are their roles?

Departments with delegated external recruitment authority are responsible for:

The primary role of the PSC's Recruitment Advertising Agency of Record (AOR) is the production and placement of all external recruitment advertisements. The AOR is a full service agency providing services including copywriting/editing, advice on media selection, cost estimating and consolidated billing and reporting.

What is the advertisement placement process?

Departments:

The departments should also be ready to discuss the area of selection for the competition.

PSC:

The PSC will provide the AOR with the documentation received from the department. Often, a copy of the Internet ad is also sent to the AOR. In these cases, it would be important that the PSC Officer indicate to the AOR which elements of the Internet ad should not be included in the advertisement other than the mandatory elements.

When media placement for recruitment is anticipated, the PSC contacts its AOR representative. The "Advertising Insertion Order [pdf file]" form is used as a request for service. As much as possible, this form should be sent by e-mail. However, it can also be faxed if electronic transmission is not possible.

The "Advertising Insertion Order" form has been re-designed to ensure that critical information such as services required and billing instructions are effectively communicated to the AOR. Receipt of the request will be confirmed by the AOR.

The agency will write/edit the ad copy, produce it and fax the proof back to the requestor along with the "Advertising Estimate [pdf file]" form, which contains the full media recommendations and cost estimates and confirms, in writing, the media, insertion date(s) and deadlines. The PSC Officer ensures that the ad meets with the department's approval. Space is provided on the "Advertising Estimate" form for written approval of the proof by the responsible PSC Officer and for the approval of the expenditure by the appropriate PSC financial authority, and must be returned to the AOR, via fax, before material will be released to the media.

Which media will best reach potential candidates?

The way Canadians have looked for work over the past two decades is a mixture of stability and change. Knowing the media options available as well as the employment markets is essential in ensuring that advertising expenditures are cost-efficient and most effective in reaching the target audience.

Recruitment via the Internet has gained popularity over the last few years and has proven to be an effective medium for a variety of positions at various groups and levels. Job opportunities can also be placed in certain newsgroups for a more targeted recruitment. The PSC district offices and the AOR offer services to departments in this area. However, until the accessibility of the Internet grows, other means of advertising will generally need to be used.

Infotel, the PSC automated telephone service, is another advertising method which is especially effective in reaching those members of the public who are not Internet users. For the time being, the Infotel system is providing this service locally, and therefore may not be suitable to advertise job opportunities that are open to a geographical area wider than the region or district. The PSC is in the process of implementing a national, toll-free Infotel that will allow broader access to the system.

For certain targeted groups, job ads in daily newspapers continue to be an effective vehicle in reaching large percentages of the Canadian population. Generally speaking, new or recent graduates in many disciplines prefer electronic methods such as job sites on the Internet.
Another option is the use of Voiceprint, to target candidates who are visually impaired or are generally print-restricted. The system delivers published news and information in audio format via cable TV and/or cable FM. Advertising opportunities exist across the country and could be well-suited for certain positions.

Other vehicles might include trade journals, weekly or community newspapers, minority language press, association newsletters and designated employment equity targeted print or electronic media.

The AOR is fully conversant with all media and will make the most appropriate media recommendations.

If an advertisement is placed outside a single region, are there any special requirements to follow?

When a department has vacancies in two or more regions, these regions should coordinate their efforts to produce one advertisement.

When a department has vacancies in the National Capital Region and other regions across the country, the PSC's National Capital and Eastern Ontario regional office normally coordinates all these recruitment activities.

Are there any pointers on how to write effective and targeted recruitment advertisements?

Use plain language, which means writing precisely, clearly and simply. Everyone should be able to understand what you have written. Plain language uses familiar words and a straightforward style. Avoid wordiness and jargon. Clear language also reaches a wider audience, including those whose first language is neither English nor French. By using precise and attractive language, the ads reinforce the idea that government jobs are exciting, accessible and challenging.

The Recruitment Advertising Guidelines contain the mandatory elements of an advertisement. Are there other elements that are optional?

The following elements are optional and can be included to enhance the effectiveness of your advertisements:

Department(s):

The name of the hiring department(s) is usually included in the ad. The name of directorate, division or branch should be avoided as they add no value to the external population in terms of understanding the job.

Location:

The location (city and province/territory) of the position should be included, as this may be a determining factor in attracting potential candidates or discouraging candidates who are not mobile to that location.

Compensation:

The salary range may be included in the advertisement, if the salary is an attracting "feature". Specific salary levels should be avoided. Here is an example of a salary range: "Depending on your qualifications, your salary will range between $42,204 and $51,776."

Area of Selection:

Specifying who is eligible to apply in the advertisement is recommended. Public Service advertisements that do not specify an area of selection are considered national (even international) advertisements.

For further information on establishing areas of selection please consult the Staffing Manual, Chapter 4, Area of Selection.

Area of Selection When Using the PSC's External Employment Equity (EE) Recruitment Program (Commonly Referred to as the "Ad-hoc" EE Program) or a Departmental Approved EE Recruitment Program:

When a recruitment process is confined to EE designated group(s) using the above-noted programs, the following statement should be used:

Department X, as an equal opportunity employer, is committed to achieving a skilled workforce that reflects the diversity of the Canadian population. Accordingly, this position is being staffed under the Public Service Commission's or department X's External Employment Equity Recruitment Program, approved pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Public Service Employment Act and is limited to persons belonging to EE group(s) X residing or working in (define the geographic, organizational and/or occupational criteria). The Employment Equity Act defines members of EE group(s).

For further information on the PSC's External Employment Equity (EE) Recruitment Program please consult the Staffing Manual, Chapter 2, Employment Equity.

Duties:

If the duties are self-evident (e.g., Customs officer, nurse, tax auditor), they may be omitted. When duties are deemed necessary, only the most important functions should be used and described in a non-bureaucratic language. This is your chance to "sell" your job.

Qualifications:

Qualifications that are mandatory, such as education, experience and professional memberships should be included in the advertisement - see Standards for Selection and Assessment.

Security:

This condition of employment should be used only if absolutely required. The recommended statement is as follows: "Security level required".

Benefits:

The benefits of any position may be an important deciding factor the target audience uses to determine whether or not a job is attractive. This may be especially true when the supply of candidates is low. A few examples are provided:

Exclusion of unqualified applicants statement:

To reduce the number of inquiries from unqualified applicants, a statement may be added to the advertisement to inform potential candidates that only qualified applicants will be contacted, for example: We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Citizenship Statement:

In recruitment from outside the Public Service, there is a provision (paragraph 16(4)(c) in the Public Service Employment Act that allows the selection of qualified candidates to be confined to persons who are Canadian citizens.

In cases where a sufficient number of Canadian citizens are expected to apply, a statement like "Preference will be given to Canadian citizens" is recommended to avoid creating false expectations for applicants who are not Canadian citizens.

Foreign Education Credentials:

Potential candidates may have questions about foreign educational credentials, therefore a statement may be included in the advertisement. A few examples follow:

Candidates with foreign educational credentials are required to provide proof of Canadian equivalency. You may consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information.

Local Preference:

When an appointment is made to a local office, resulting from recruitment from outside the Public Service, there is a legal provision that allows giving preference in appointment to qualified candidates who reside in the area served by the department's local office (section 19 of the PSEA). If a department thinks that it might want to use this provision, a statement as follows may be added to the ad: Preference in appointment may be given to qualified candidates who reside in the area served by the local office.

Alternate Formats:

A statement such as: Alternate formats available upon request may also be included in the ad. Including a statement like this one would be a method of communication to reach persons with disabilities, which is an under represented group in the Public Service.

Who is responsible for the payment for the advertisements?

When both the PSC and the department are in agreement that external advertising (beyond the use of the web site and/or Infotel) is required, negotiations will take place to decide if and/or how the costs will be shared. Under circumstances where the PSC is of the view that advertising is not required, the department is responsible for all costs. Also, when a department requests additional advertising that the PSC judges to be beyond that required to recruit, the extra costs will be charged in totality to the department.

Departments with delegated external recruitment authority are responsible for payment of all advertising costs.

Who will be billed for the advertisements?

The PSC will provide the AOR with complete billing instructions, allowing them to issue timely and accurate billing to either the PSC or department, or both, as the case may be. The PSC will receive a copy of all departmental invoices.

Glossary of Terms

Agate line: most often used to measure the depth of an ad in newspapers (14 agate line/inch)
Column: most often used to measure the width of an ad in most newspapers
Copy: ad text in raw form
Proof: the artwork or ad as it will appear in the publication
Booking deadline: the date and time the media space must be reserved at the publication for insertion
Material deadline: the date and time the camera ready material must be received at the publication
Stat/Velox: camera ready material
Circulation: the total number of print media printed/sold
Readership: the average number of readers per single copy of print medium
Distribution: the geographic distribution of a print publication
Letter of Commitment: formal agreement between the PSC and hiring department for services required
Insertion Order form: issued by the PSC to the AOR as official request for service(s)
Advertising Estimate form: issued by the AOR confirming media schedule(s) and cost estimates

Contacts

British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon

Primary Contact: Jim Barron - (604) 684-2166
Back-Up Support: Jennifer Fernandes - (604) 684-2166
Fax: (604) 684-0128
E-mail: info@dayadvertising.com

Day Advertising Inc.
1188 West Georgia Street
Suite 1080
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6E 4A2

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and National Capital and Eastern Ontario

Primary Contact: Helena Lourenço Dorata - (416) 480-6567
Back-Up Support: Martine Bélanger - (416) 480-6571
Fax : (416) 487-6121
E-mail: hlourenco@dayadvertising.com

Primary Contact: Suzanne David - (514) 845-7777
Back-Up Support: Elsa Michy-Turcotte - (514) 845-7777
Fax: (514) 849-2202
E-mail: info@dayadvertising.com

Primary Contact : Helen Assad
E-mail : hassad@dayadvertising.com
Toronto :
Day Advertising Inc.
1920, rue Yonge, Suite 501
Toronto (Ontario)
M4S 3E6

Annex D

Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) Tracking and Priority Administration

In order for the Public Service Commission (PSC) to capture all Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) appointments effective June 1^st, 2001, we request that you submit a newly modified electronic Service Request (Robot) for each PSR appointment (including term appointments which may occur on occasion).

All unused clearance numbers obtained prior to June 1^st, 2001 will no longer be valid and block clearance numbers will no longer be issued for PSR appointments.

1. Access to the Electronic Service Request (Robot)

2. Process Overview

Submit the electronic Service Request form to obtain priority clearance prior to the offer to the PSR candidate. Select 'Service Request Type 2' (both clearance and recruitment) and selection process '6.1'. After the clearance process has been completed, the service request will be forwarded to the 'recruitment' officer responsible for the PSR Program for administrative purposes.

b) When a priority clearance number is not required: (eg: terms under 12 months) submit the electronic Service Request form and select 'Service Request Type 3' (Recruitment Services only) and selection process '6.1'. The service request will be automatically forwarded to the 'recruitment' officer responsible for the PSR Program for administrative purposes.

A new Selection Process (6.1) has been added to the electronic Service Request. This section applies uniquely to PSR appointments and requires that the hiring department provide the following mandatory information:

Should the proposed appointee refuse the offer of employment, the department must 'cancel' the original Service Request by using the electronic form and submit a 'new' Service Request for the appointment of another candidate.

By using the electronic Service Request (Robot), you are ensuring the successful tracking of all appointments of PSR candidates therefore preempting the need for the PSC to request departmental ad hoc reports.

3. Send the Service Request Form

Note: Please ensure that your E-mail address is correct. It is very important that the

Originator correctly enters his or her Internet (or Intranet) E-mail address on the

Service Request Form in order to receive an E-mail response from the Robot program.

4. Questions

Should you have questions concerning the above, contact Jean Chery at (613) 995-8044 or at: jean.chery@psc-cfp.gc.ca. For any questions regarding the electronic service request (Robot), contact Anne Lacelle at (613) 947-2450 or at: anne.lacelle@psc-cfp.gc.ca.


	Updated: 2006-02-24	Important Notices

Chapter 6 - Recruitment

6.1 Sources of Information

6.1.1 Legislation

6.1.2 Other References

6.2 Policy Statement