Attrition

Attrition is the process of employees and members leaving professional employment within DND/CAF. Retention refers to employees and members choosing to continue their careers within the organization. Attrition may be linked to factors such as low job satisfaction, lack of promotional opportunities, dissatisfaction with pay, poor organizational culture, feeling underappreciated, injury or illness, misconduct, and retirement.

Factors related to attrition can vary between specific demographics and occupations within DND and the CAF. Some attrition from the CAF is also due to members and veterans choosing to transition to the federal public service. To support this transition, the Public Service Employment Act is available to help CAF members and veterans access federal public service job opportunities.

The Canadian Armed Forces Retention Strategy has been developed to increase CAF retention. Low attrition (i.e., high retention) rates can indicate positive general morale and operational effectiveness.

DND public service employee attrition

This metric shows how many DND public service employees left the department for reasons such as retirement, transfer, discharge or ending temporary assignment.

*Total employees as of December 2024 (does not include Term, Casual, or Contract personnel)

Data Source: DND HR Management System (Last Updated: 2024/12/27)

Defence Team sentiment towards leaving DND/CAF

Defence Team

I am actively looking at leaving the CAF/DND:

category subcategory Year % Agree % Other
Overall Overall 2022 18% 82%
Gender All Men 2022 19% 81%
Gender All Women 2022 16% 84%
Gender DND public service employees Men 2022 16% 84%
Gender DND public service employees Women 2022 14% 86%
Gender Primary Reserve Men 2022 8% 92%
Gender Primary Reserve Women 2022 14% 86%
Gender Regular Force Men 2022 24% 76%
Gender Regular Force Women 2022 19% 81%
Component DND public service employees 2022 16% 85%
Component Primary Reserve 2022 9% 91%
Component Regular Force 2022 24% 77%
CAF Rank Overall Junior Non-Commissioned Member 2022 20% 80%
CAF Rank Overall Junior Officer 2022 16% 84%
CAF Rank Overall Senior Non-Commissioned Member 2022 20% 80%
CAF Rank Overall Senior Officer 2022 20% 80%
CAF Rank Primary Reserve Junior Non-Commissioned Member 2022 9% 91%
CAF Rank Primary Reserve Senior Non-Commissioned Member 2022 9% 91%
CAF Rank Regular Force Junior Non-Commissioned Member 2022 23% 77%
CAF Rank Regular Force Junior Officer 2022 22% 78%
CAF Rank Regular Force Senior Non-Commissioned Member 2022 25% 75%
CAF Rank Regular Force Senior Officer 2022 24% 76%

Data Source: Your Say Matters: Defence Team Well-Being Survey (2022)

DND public service employees leaving the department

This table shows the number of DND public service employees who left the department by gender, for reasons such as retirement, transfer, discharge, or ending temporary assignment. Note that only men and women are included as gender options; gender diverse individuals are not included as reporting on their limited number does not protect anonymity.

Gender Years of service Age Group Number of employees leaving
All All <25 14
All All 25-29 58
All All 30-34 71
All All 35-39 58
All All 40-44 74
All All 45-49 76
All All 50-54 91
All All 55-59 199
All All 60-64 318
All All 65-69 148
All All 70+ 57
All <2 <25 12
All <2 25-29 11
All <2 35-39 11
All <2 40-44 14
All <2 45-49 13
All 2-10 25-29 47
All 2-10 30-34 60
All 2-10 35-39 29
All 2-10 40-44 30
All 2-10 45-49 19
All 2-10 50-54 29
All 2-10 55-59 23
All 2-10 60-64 28
All 2-10 65-69 18
All 11-20 35-39 18
All 11-20 40-44 26
All 11-20 45-49 33
All 11-20 50-54 22
All 11-20 55-59 49
All 11-20 60-64 121
All 11-20 65-69 64
All 11-20 70+ 21
All 21-29 50-54 21
All 21-29 55-59 35
All 21-29 60-64 62
All 21-29 65-69 34
All 21-29 70+ 12
All 30-35 55-59 54
All 30-35 60-64 46
All 36+ 55-59 32
All 36+ 60-64 58
All 36+ 65-69 25
All 36+ 70+ 11
Men All 25-29 28
Men All 30-34 37
Men All 35-39 34
Men All 40-44 31
Men All 45-49 35
Men All 50-54 45
Men All 55-59 123
Men All 60-64 197
Men All 65-69 101
Men All 70+ 45
Men 2-10 25-29 22
Men 2-10 30-34 30
Men 2-10 35-39 16
Men 2-10 50-54 12
Men 2-10 55-59 17
Men 2-10 60-64 13
Men 11-20 35-39 12
Men 11-20 45-49 12
Men 11-20 50-54 13
Men 11-20 55-59 29
Men 11-20 60-64 82
Men 11-20 65-69 41
Men 11-20 70+ 16
Men 21-29 55-59 20
Men 21-29 60-64 27
Men 21-29 65-69 25
Men 30-35 55-59 32
Men 30-35 60-64 34
Men 36+ 55-59 24
Men 36+ 60-64 39
Men 36+ 65-69 20
Men 36+ 70+ 11
Women All 25-29 30
Women All 30-34 34
Women All 35-39 24
Women All 40-44 43
Women All 45-49 40
Women All 50-54 46
Women All 55-59 74
Women All 60-64 120
Women All 65-69 47
Women All 70+ 12
Women 2-10 25-29 25
Women 2-10 30-34 30
Women 2-10 35-39 13
Women 2-10 40-44 20
Women 2-10 50-54 17
Women 2-10 60-64 14
Women 11-20 40-44 17
Women 11-20 45-49 21
Women 11-20 55-59 20
Women 11-20 60-64 39
Women 11-20 65-69 23
Women 21-29 50-54 12
Women 21-29 55-59 15
Women 21-29 60-64 35
Women 30-35 55-59 20
Women 30-35 60-64 12
Women 36+ 60-64 19

Data Sources: DND HR Management System (Last Updated: 2024/12/27)

Data sources

For details on the methodology of data analysis, including descriptions of each data source, please visit the List of data sources page.

Page details

2025-10-03