Student rates of pay

For assignments requiring secondary school education, managers may offer the assignment to post-secondary students and pay them the secondary school rate of pay only when secondary school students are not available.

Pay notes for the 2024 rates of pay for post-secondary students

1. Rates of pay are determined at the initial appointment or reappointment stage and are based on the student's current academic level.
2. Management, in accordance with the Human Resources Delegation of Authority, offer students a salary within a salary range for a particular academic level. It is recommended that managers support uniformity in student rates of pay within the organization. The rate of pay selected should allow for a meaningful progression in the salary range on subsequent assignments. Progression could be based on students developing knowledge and competence with experience.
3. The rates of pay are designed to provide management with a certain amount of flexibility, which means that management can pay the students at any step above the minimum rate, under the following circumstances:
   • 3.1 When the students are re-hired (as per the CRA Staffing Program);
   • 3.2 When the students have relevant previous work experience;
   • 3.3 When the students have completed more than one (1) year of study in their present academic program;
   • 3.4 When there is a shortage of students in the field of study required;
   • 3.5 When the students are undergoing a second college or university undergraduate degree; or
   • 3.6 When a university degree or year of study is required as a prerequisite for another program, such as a bachelor of law, education, medicine, pharmacy or veterinary sciences program.
4. Managers must have a clear rationale for using the ultimate and penultimate job rates for university, college and CEGEP and pre-university students, such as labour shortages, specialized skills.
5. Movement of more than one incremental step should only occur in limited circumstances, where there is a clear rationale.
6. Students enrolled at a university in a pre-university year are to be paid at the college/CEGEP level.
7. Students attending college who are participating in a recognized university degree program (such as a bachelor’s degree) may be paid at the appropriate university rate.
8. Students who:
   • have completed a university degree, and
   • continue their studies at a college in a related field of study
   are to be paid at the step in the salary range for university undergraduate studies which is not less than the salary earned in the previous year.
9. If the applicable provincial or territorial minimum wage rate is higher than the current maximum offered for the corresponding academic level of the student, the provincial or territorial minimum wage rate is to be applied.

Transition considerations in the implementation of the new 2024 salary structure

In consideration that progression by more than one increment should occur only in limited circumstances, there will be circumstances in which newly-hired students are paid the same as returning students. For example, when a returning student’s previous pay rate was below the newly-established minimums.