Major Changes
New Official Languages Policies
(effective April 1st, 2004)

Imperative staffing

• Is the norm for all bilingual positions.

• Is mandatory for all positions or functions that are indispensable in providing services to the public or to employees in both official languages.

• Is mandatory when staffing bilingual positions at the EX-03 level since 2005 and in 2007 at the EX-02 level:

  • in regions designated bilingual for language-of-work purposes;

  • in unilingual regions when functions include the supervision of incumbents of bilingual positions in bilingual regions.

Non-imperative staffing

• Is used exceptionally with a written justification and approval by the Deputy Minister for executive positions or by an Assistant Deputy Minister for other positions for:

  • all positions open to the public at all levels;

  • EX-1 positions and below.

Language Training

• Is taken upon appointment or deployment of EXs to bilingual positions staffed non imperatively; exceptionally, it may start at a later date when an institution has an important and immediate operational need or in a unilingual region if it is not immediately available.

• Is recommended as soon as possible after the appointment or deployment of incumbents of positions at other levels.

• Is integrated into career development and recruitment and development programs.

• Hour limits are increased and apply to all employees, including EXs and CAP participants:

  • 1,210 hours for level A (approximately 32 weeks);

  • 1,710 hours for level B (approximately 46 weeks);

  • 2,270 hours for level C (approximately 61 weeks).