What to Expect

Thinking of joining the Army Team? Select a topic below to learn more about the Army experience.

Employment in the Army     Basic Training     Regular Force Pay and Benefits   Reserve Force Pay and Benefits     Physical Fitness

Regular Force Pay and Benefits

Pay
The Canadian Forces offer very competitive salaries and benefits. Rates of pay in the Canadian Forces are based on rank, occupation and experience.

Your pay will automatically be deposited into your bank account, on the 15th and 30th of each month. The usual deductions will be made for income taxes, Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance and the Canadian Forces pension plan. You will also be required to pay a small fee for room and board as long as you reside in military quarters.

Medical and Dental Care
Your medical and dental care will be free of charge (except orthodontic appliances such as braces). We have insurance plans to which you may subscribe for your family. These will cover things like hospitalization, prescription drugs, eye-glasses and dental care.

Pension
We have a very good pension plan. Every member of the Regular Force must participate in this plan and will be eligible to receive a pension after completing 20 years of service. If you should leave our team before your pension matures, you will be entitled to receive back all the money you have contributed.

Allowances
All military personnel are entitle2006-12-08zardous duties. Some examples include Field Operations Allowance and Paratroop Allowance. You will also receive extra allowances if you are travelling, or are deployed on an overseas mission. Here are a few examples:

Field Operations Allowance: (approx: $15.50/Day)
Specialist Allowance: (approx: $200.00/Month)
Paratroops Allowance: (approx: $195.00/Month)

Annual Vacation
You'll be entitled to 20 working days of vacation in each of the first five years of service and 25 days per year after that. You may request your vacation at any time, however training and operational requirements come first. You will never lose your vacation days due to these requirements. You may receive extra vacation time if you deploy on an overseas mission.

Uniforms and Equipment
All uniforms and equipment are provided free of charge. Everything you are issued is on loan and must be returned when you leave the military. You are responsible for keeping your gear clean and in good working order.

Recreational Facilities
Army personnel have free access to base gyms, weight rooms, and swimming pools. You will also have free use of all base libraries and resources (including internet access). Some bases have recreational clubs, auto-repair shops, wood-working shops, cinemas, arenas and many more activities that will help you keep your evenings and weekends busy.

Family Support
All major Army bases have family support centres that provide a variety of services to family members. Family members also have access to base recreational facilities during evening and weekend hours for a nominal fee.