Overview of OUTCAN deployments for CAF members

It is common for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members to serve as fully integrated members of a foreign military forces under predetermined conditions and in accordance with accepted authorities. The CAF currently have 1,667 Outside of Canada (OUTCAN) positions where CAF members are working with a foreign nation. 

CAF members can work with or within a foreign nation under different programs: exchange, attachment, secondment, studies, support to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the United Nations (UN), Defence Diplomacy and liaison or within the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF) Units and detachments geographically outside of Canada. 

• Exchange refers to a situation whereby the DND/CAF provides a member to be employed in a foreign force, and that force provides a member to be employed in a CAF position within Canada. While on exchange, CAF members are considered to be employed as members of the armed services of the host nation in accordance with predetermined conditions and authorities. An Exchange is a reciprocal arrangement. 

• Attachment, also referred to as embedded, is the assignment of DND/CAF personnel for continuous duty on the establishment of a Host Service, other government department (OGD) or agency, or any other body, where the duty or training is of advantage primarily to the DND/CAF. An attached/embedded posting is not a reciprocal arrangement. 

• Secondment refers to a situation whereby the DND/CAF assign personnel for continuous duty in the establishment of a Host Service, OGD or agency, or any other body, when the duty is not of advantage primarily to the DND/CAF. A secondment is not a reciprocal arrangement.  

• Studies refers to a situation whereby a CAF member is sent to complete or teach advanced studies in a foreign country. 

• Support to NATO, NORAD and UN refers to CAF personnel posted to one of these organizations. 

• Liaison refers to a situation whereby a CAF member acts as a liaison officer between Canada and the host country. 

• CAF Units - DND/CAF operates support units outside of Canada to provide and coordinate administrative, medical, technical, welfare and readiness support to DND and CAF personnel, their families, and Children’s Education Management Initiatives serving abroad. 

• Defence diplomacy falls under the authority of the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS). It encompasses the activities of the Canadian Defence Attachés and the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations in New York, which report through the Director of Foreign Liaison; as well as the Canadian Defence Liaison Staff in London and Washington, which report directly to the VCDS. These organizations are distinct from the broader OUTCAN enterprise due to their unique mandate. They are responsible for enabling defence diplomacy in support of Government of Canada priorities and direction from the Minister of National Defence (MND), the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and the Deputy Minister. At the same time, they provide support to a wide range of stakeholders across DND/CAF, and OGDs.

OUTCAN Programs	# of CAF Personnel  Last updated – 2026-02-02
Exchange	113
Attachment (or Embed)	98
Secondment	75
Studies	64
Liaison	77
NATO, NORAD, UN	582
CAF Units	494
Defence Diplomacy	166
Total:	1667

 
For routine activities such as training, exercises, and conferences, the host nation holds the authority to employ the CAF member assigned to it. However, VCDS OUTCAN reviews any activity that might go beyond routine work. If the activity could lead to real operational effects or help advance the host nation’s diplomacy goals, then it is no longer considered routine. In those cases, a National Authority to Deploy is requiredbefore the CAF member can participate. This is on recommendation of the CDS and approved by the Minister of National Defence. 

Deployments of CAF members while working with a foreign military force are routine and contribute greatly to the professionalization of our personnel. 
 
Providing that the authority is granted by the MND, the member is then authorized to deploy with his/her host unit, with specific conditions under which he/she can be employed. The standard process to obtain this authorization involves consultation with various organizations, including but not limited to:

Security Concerns 

When CAF members are asked to deployed to address security concerns related to their host nation, some or all of the following organizations may be involved in the decision-making process.  

• Level 1 (L1) Sponsors 

• Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC)

• The Strategic Joint Staff (SJS) for development of Rules of Engagement

• Office of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) for domestic and international legal protections;

• Assistant Deputy Minister for Policy (ADM(Pol))

 
Government of Canada (GC) Policy Alignment; 
 
The responsibility for overseeing that deployments are aligned with GC priorities fall to the following entities: 

• The CDS and CDS Office establishes concurrence between GC Policy and Strategic Objectives related to Defence. 

• The MND and MND Office establishes alignment of GC Objectives and the Exercise of Crown Prerogative to authorize the members participation with a Foreign Nation’s domestic or international operation.