Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Do I have to submit a new Application for Employment form every year?

Yes.

• The application form is available on this site.
• If you're interested in securing employment for the summer of 2006, please visit our site regularly, starting in the Fall 2005.

2. How many jobs are available?

On average, 7,000 jobs are offered to students and over 90,000 applications are received each campaign.

3. What kinds of jobs are there?

There are many types of jobs being offered to both secondary and post-secondary students including office administration, field work, information technology, professional development, and research assignments.

4. What is ‘shift work'?

Shift work can be defined as those jobs that offer several shifts over the course of one day, rather than one regular, set time to report for work. For example, a regular day could mean starting at 9am and finishing at 5pm every day. Shift work, on the other hand, could require you to work from 11am to 6pm, or 12pm to 8pm. Your shifts may change every week, depending on your employer.

5. I am a non-Canadian. Am I eligible for FSWEP?

Yes. However, preference is given to Canadian citizens. A Canadian citizen is a person who was born in Canada or who has applied through Citizenship and Immigration Canada and has received a citizenship certificate.

6. If I finish high school in the fall semester and I am planning to return to full-time studies next Fall, am I eligible for FSWEP?

No. In order to be eligible for FSWEP, students must currently be a full-time student, returning to full-time studies in their next academic term. In this case, the next academic term would be the winter semester in high school. Students in this situation would become eligible once they have started their full-time studies the next fall.

7. I am a part-time student in my final year of academic study. Am I eligible for FSWEP?

No. Students must have full-time status at their academic institution in order to apply for FSWEP.

8. I am in my final year of academic study and I am not returning to full-time studies. Am I eligible for FSWEP?

Those students in their final year of academic study and are not returning to full-time studies in the next academic term, are only eligible to work part-time until the completion of their last academic term.

9. If my academic schedule permits and I can work full-time during the academic term, is it possible to do so?

No. The policy states that students employed under FSWEP can only work full-time during a non-academic term (e.g. summer break). During an academic term, students can only work part-time.

10. If I am selected for an interview, will the department pay for my travel costs to the interview?

• Generally not, but some departments/agencies may offer this option.
• Some departments do conduct telephone interviews.

11. What does it mean when I enter mobility codes on my Application for Employment?

• If you select mobility codes on your application, it means that you are willing to move to and work in all locations that you have selected.
• As mentioned previously, in most cases departments and agencies will not pay for your relocation, so choose your mobility locations carefully.

12. What if I require technical aids or alternative arrangements for exams or interviews?

Please advise us of your special needs when we contact you. We must be informed of your situation in order to make alternative arrangements.

13. If I am not interested in a job when the PSC contacts me, will I be contacted for other jobs in the future?

Students are not obligated to say yes when contacted for interest. When a student says they are not interested, their application still remains active in the inventory.

14. Why am I not being contacted?

The FSWEP computerized inventory is designed to search for and randomly select students who meet the job requirements determined by the hiring department. There is an average of 7,000 student jobs and over 90,000 applications in the inventory. Consequently, there is a possibility that you may not receive an interest call. Federal government student jobs are highly sought after and random selection is an equitable and fair method of searching for persons to be assessed.

15. I have previously worked for the federal government in a FSWEP job. Can I be re-hired?

Yes. If a manager so decides, you may be re-hired for the same or similar job. In order to be re-employed, you must:

• complete a 2005-2006 FSWEP on-line application for employment;
• meet all of the requirements for the job; and
• continue to meet the FSWEP eligibility criteria.

The PSC may also authorize the re-employment of a student who was originally hired in one department/agency to another department/agency when certain conditions are met and the hiring department provides a rationale for the re-employment.

16. I have previously worked for the federal government in a FSWEP/CO-OP job. Why wasn't I bridged after I completed my studies?

The bridging mechanism is one tool available to managers to appoint their FSWEP or CO-OP students into a temporary or permanent job once they have completed their studies. It must be noted that managers are not obligated to bridge their students.

17. What are the rates of pay for FSWEP jobs?

• Rates of pay for students are determined by the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada (part of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat) and are subject to change.
• Students working at an isolated post may be entitled to an isolated-post allowance.
• Hourly rates for secondary level students differ by region.
• Rates for post-secondary students are based on the student's current academic level. For example, a student pursuing a bachelor's degree is paid according to the university/undergraduate student pay structure, whereas students pursuing a college diploma will be paid according to the college/cégep structure.
• Some departments have negotiated different rates of pay with the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada. For these cases, the specific rates of pay are indicated in the "Departmental Programs" section and on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) website.
• For the student rates of pay or for more information, please refer to Student Pay Rates or contact the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada (PSHRMAC) at student.etudiant@tbs-sct.gc.ca

18. If I am a post-secondary student and I indicate that I am willing to take the secondary school rate of pay, what does this mean?

Post-secondary students who indicate that they will accept the secondary school rate of pay may be offered positions for which no secondary school students can be found. In this case, those post-secondary students will not be paid at the post-secondary level, but at the pre-determined secondary school rate of pay for the geographical area in which the job is located. Post-secondary students who are not willing to accept the secondary school rate of pay will not be considered for these jobs.

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