Amendments to the Public Service Employment Act strengthens diversity and inclusion in the Public Service hiring process

July 18, 2022 - Defence Stories

On June 29, 2021, the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) was amended to strengthen diversity and inclusion, and address biases and barriers faced by equity-seeking groups. One of the changes ensures that permanent residents benefit from the same hiring preference as Canadian citizens in external advertised appointment processes.

The Student Employment Programs Participants Regulations and the Policy on People Management have also been updated to align with the updates made to the PSEA. These amendments provide students who are permanent residents with a preference for appointment equal to those who are Canadian citizens.

The change applies to student employment for appointment processes that commence on or after June 24, 2022, including:

• Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)
• Post-Secondary Co-op/Internship Program
• Research Affiliate Program

This information has been updated on the public service student recruitment programs website. If you have questions about this change, reach out to your staffing advisor (accessible only on the National Defence network).

If you need help finding the right fit for your team, contact the Student Programs and Sourcing Team. If you are ready to hire a student candidate, contact and agent at HR Connect RH (accessible only on the National Defence network), who can guide you through the online staffing HR Request (accessible only on the National Defence network) process or complete it for you!

If you would like to prioritize a position for students from an identified Employment Equity group, include this in your request.