How to apply
This page explains what you need to know to prepare your application and apply.
Notice of Appointment Opportunity pages are job advertisements for Governor in Council appointment opportunities. Notice of Appointment Opportunity pages are the starting point of the application process.
We accept applications submitted electronically through Notice of Appointment Opportunity pages on the Governor in Council Appointments website. If you require support or accommodation to submit your application, please contact us.
Click or tap the tab headings below to display details, by subject, about the application process.
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How to apply
Follow these steps to apply to Governor in Council appointment opportunities that are of interest to you.
| Step | Action | ||||||
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| 1 | Review the information and assessment criteria in the Notice of Appointment Opportunity:
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| 2 | Build your application package: Gather the required supporting documents. An application package includes your:
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| 3 | To start the online application process: Open a Notice of Appointment Opportunity from the Opportunities list. Click or tap the "Apply Now" button at the top or bottom of the Notice of Appointment Opportunity. If you are not signed in to your account, the "My profile" page displays:
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| 4 | Answer the pre-screening questions then click the “Apply now” button. The “My documents” page displays. You must answer all mandatory questions. Questions with asterisk (*) are mandatory. |
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| 5 | Upload and/or designate documents to your application package. Follow the on screen instructions. |
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| 6 | Submit your application: Click the "Save & Continue" button at the bottom of the "My documents" page. A confirmation “Opportunity Application” page displays. You will also receive an email confirming receipt of your application. If you do not receive a confirmation email in your inbox, please check your junk email or spam folder. If you still cannot find the confirmation email, visit our Frequently asked questions page. |
Create your account
To apply online, you must create an account:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to our Opportunities page and select “My profile” on the sidebar menu. |
| 2 | Enter your email address in the “Email” field under the “New applicant” heading and click the “Create Profile” button. The “Create profile” documents page displays. |
| 3 | Upload document(s) to your profile. Follow the on screen instructions. At minimum, you must upload a resume (curriculum vitae) document to register your account. |
| 4 | Click the “Save & Continue” button at the bottom of the page. |
| 5 | Fill each tab in the Profile registration form. Be sure to note your email address and password for future reference. They are case sensitive. |
| 6 | Read and accept the “Consent and Declaration” regarding our use of your personal information (checkbox 1) and email address (checkbox 2) below the Profile registration form. You can only create an account if you accept the first two terms of the “Consent and Declaration”. |
| 7 | Check checkbox 3 if you wish to have your candidacy considered for appointment opportunities other than those to which you apply yourself. |
| 8 | Click the “Save & Continue” button at the bottom of the page. The profile creation confirmation page displays. Your account is now created and you are logged in. |
Curriculum vitae, cover letter and other documents
Your application package documents: e.g. cover letter, curriculum vitae, etc. must be in PDF (.pdf), Rich Text (.rtf), Text (.txt) or Word (.doc/.docx) format (See: How to convert your curriculum vitae, cover letter and other documents into PDF or RTF)
In order for your application to be considered, please ensure that the information provided in your resume and cover letter clearly demonstrate how you meet each of the selection criteria outlined in the Notice of Appointment Opportunity of interest to you.
Your curriculum vitae is mandatory for all applications.
You are strongly encouraged to submit a cover letter as part of your application. It can be used to more effectively explain how you meet each of the selection criteria described in the Notice of Appointment Opportunity. Please address your cover letter as follows:
Director of Selection Processes
Senior Personnel Secretariat
Privy Council Office
You only need to submit application package documents deemed required in the Notice of Appointment Opportunity. If you wish to submit other documents, you can do so by uploading them and submitting them along with your curriculum vitae and cover letter and other required documents.
How to convert your curriculum vitae, cover letter and other documents to PDF or RTF
The following instructions aim to help you convert unsupported document types so you can use them in applications to appointment opportunities.
Most popular word processing software contains functionality to convert documents to PDF.
Use the below link(s) corresponding to your application package document(s) format to learn how to convert to PDF:
If the above links to do not help, you may be able to convert your document to PDF format using a PDF printer.
Print to PDF in Windows
The following instructions provide the steps necessary to convert a document to PDF format using a printer in Microsoft Windows:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the document in your word processor. |
| 2 | Click the “File” menu. |
| 3 | Click “Print”. |
| 4 | In the “Printer” selection field, choose your document converter (Adobe PDF, Microsoft Print to PDF, Universal Document Converter, CutePDF, etc.). |
| 5 | Specify the filename and location for your PDF file. |
| 6 | Click “Save”. |
Note: If you are using an older version of Windows, you will likely need to install 3rd party software to convert your document.
Print to PDF in OSX
Mac OS X includes a built in PDF export functionality. Follow the steps below to convert your word processor document to PDF format on Mac OS X.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the document. |
| 2 | Click the “File” menu. |
| 3 | Click “Print”. A "Print" window displays. |
| 4 | Click the PDF button at the bottom left corner of the “Print” window. |
| 5 | Click the “Save as PDF…” option. |
| 6 | Specify the filename and location for your PDF file. |
| 7 | Click “Save”. |
RTF
To save a file in Rich Text Format you will need:
- a word processor (WordPerfect, Wordpad, Pages, etc.); and
- your document.
To convert a document to RTF:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the document in your word processor. |
| 2 | Click the "File" menu. |
| 3 | Click "Save As". A "Save As" window displays. |
| 4 | Choose "Rich Text Format" from the dropdown menu in the "Save as type" field. |
| 5 | Specify the filename and location for your RTF file. |
| 6 | Click "Save". |
Update your documents / how to withdraw
You can update your application documents before the deadline indicated in the Notice of Appointment Opportunity. For Notices of Appointment Opportunity that do not have a hard deadline but rather a “review of applications” date, you can update your application documents at any time; however, you are strongly encouraged to apply before the “review of applications” date in order to ensure that your application is considered. After this date, your application is retained and may be considered up until an appointment to the position is made.
You can also update your profile information or withdraw your application at any time.
To update previously submitted application documents:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to our Opportunities page and select “My profile” on the sidebar menu. |
| 2 | Log in to your profile. |
| 3 | Click “My Opportunities” in the navigation menu. The “My Opportunities” page will open. It contains a list of your applications from the last 2 years. |
| 4 | Click on the “Designate documents for opportunity application…” (Document and magnifying glass) icon next to the Appointment Opportunity that you would like to modify. The “My Documents” page will open. All documents you have uploaded to the site display in the middle of the page. Documents associated with the specific application you are trying to modify appear with a checkmark next to their File Name. |
| 5 | Check or uncheck the boxes next to the File Names of documents you would like to associate with your application; and/or Upload new documents to add to your documents list or replace existing documents. Instructions for upload display on the page. |
| 6 | Click the “Save Document Designation” button. A success message displays in green above your documents list. |
How do I withdraw my application?
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to our Opportunities page and select “My profile” on the sidebar menu. |
| 2 | Log in to your profile. |
| 3 | Click “My Opportunities” in the navigation menu. The “My Opportunities” page will open. It contains a list of your applications from the last 2 years. |
| 4 | Click the “Withdraw” (garbage can) icon next to the Appointment Opportunity from which you would like to withdraw your candidacy. A message displays below the opportunities list. It prompts you to confirm your wish to withdraw. |
| 5 | If you wish to withdraw, toggle the “Yes” radio button. A dropdown menu displays below the confirmation and asks you to select your withdraw reason. |
| 6 | Select your withdraw reason and click the “Withdraw application” button. A green success message displays at the top of the page. Your profile will remain active, but your application will be withdrawn from the selection process. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to create a profile to apply for an appointment opportunity?
Yes. To apply for a Governor in Council appointment opportunity, you must first create your candidate profile by accessing the My Profile page. When you create your profile, you will be required to create a password. You will need to use your username and this password to access your profile and apply for opportunities of interest.
How do I apply for a Governor in Council appointment opportunity?
You can apply for appointment opportunities by following three steps:
- Browse the list of current Appointment Opportunities. When you find an appointment opportunity of interest, click the Opportunity title to learn more about the position.
- If you feel you meet the selection criteria, create or log in to your online profile by clicking Apply now within the Notice of Appointment Opportunity.
- Upload your curriculum vitae and cover letter, which should demonstrate how you meet the selection criteria. You may also need to complete a pre-screening questionnaire and/or an online assessment. If you need to complete an online assessment, you will receive an email with further instructions to guide you.
Do I have to create a new profile each time I apply for an appointment opportunity?
No. Once you log in to your online account, your profile will be automatically linked to every appointment opportunity you apply for. You may update your profile at any time before the assessment period for a particular appointment opportunity begins, after which time your application will be locked.
I missed the application deadline. Can you accept my application?
It is important to note that there are two types of application deadlines shown on Notices of Appointment Opportunity:
- closing dates; and
- application review dates.
Closing dates should be interpreted as being a firm deadline to submit your application. In fairness to all applicants, applications are not accepted after the closing date, nor are extensions granted.
Application review dates should be interpreted as being the date by which you should submit your application. This type of deadline is used for certain positions that are appointed by the Governor in Council to attract as many potential qualified applicants as possible. Applications received after the application review date are retained and may be considered up until an appointment to the position is made.
What will happen after I submit my application for a specific appointment opportunity?
Once the assessment period has begun, you will be assessed through different means at various points in the selection process.
The Government of Canada is committed to conducting competency-based appointments to support Governor in Council appointments, and to provide access to all Canadians by eliminating any undue barriers in the selection process. If you face a barrier to participation in a selection process due to a disability (including visual, hearing, communication and mobility impairments or other non-visible disability), please contact us to describe the nature of the barrier you face and describe the accommodation that you feel is required to remove the barrier. We will confirm with you through a written reply details of the accommodation to be provided.
What is the status of my application?
Status updates are not provided while a selection process is in progress. Applicants whose candidacy has been retained are advised of next steps in due course. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only candidates selected for further assessment will be contacted. Please ensure that your contact information remains up to date in your online profile on the Governor in Council Appointments website so you can be easily reached.
Would you consider my candidacy for Governor in Council appointment opportunities for which I did not apply?
Under the competency-based approach to Governor in Council appointments, the Government is seeking to maximize candidates’ opportunities to be considered for appointments for which they are deemed highly qualified. Candidates who have provided formal consent will be considered for other potential opportunities.
When you create a profile on the Governor in Council Appointments online application system, you are asked to review a Consent and Declaration Statement. After you have reviewed the statement, you are asked to confirm that you agree to have your personal information collected. You are also asked whether you would like to have your personal information shared with relevant selection committees for the purpose of assessing your candidacy for other Governor in Council appointment opportunities that may match your background and skills. In addition, during the course of every selection process, all candidates interviewed by a selection committee are asked whether they are willing to be considered for other Governor in Council appointment opportunities that match their qualifications.
This talent management approach not only maximizes opportunities for individual candidates, but also increases the number of qualified candidates eligible for recommendation by Ministers to the Governor in Council for appointment.
Due to the large volume of applications we receive, you will be contacted only if you are being considered by selection committee members for appointment opportunities that are suitable to your background and qualifications.
How long does the selection and appointment process take?
The duration of the Governor in Council selection and appointment process from start to finish is difficult to predict. The duration of the process is dependent on many factors, including – but not limited to:
- business continuity considerations, such as loss of quorum;
- the triage of selection processes;
- the nature and responsibilities of the position; and
- the availability of applicants and selection committee members for merit-based assessments.
I was not appointed. Can you provide feedback on my application?
At this time, we do not provide applicants with specific feedback on their candidacy for appointment opportunities to which they have applied.
Are there alternative ways to submit my application, besides online?
Online applications are preferred. If you require support or accommodation to submit your application, please contact us.
Residents of Canada’s territories who are interested in applying for a Governor in Council appointment opportunity (or any other job for which applications must be submitted online) may also visit their territorial Community Liaison Officer / Client Service Agent / Government Service Officer who is prepared to provide them with assistance and support to access the Internet. Community Liaison Officers / Client Service Agents / Government Service Officers are also able to support residents of Canada’s territories with the use of a computer, word processing software, etc.
Residents of Canada’s territories may also use the following contact information to contact the local federal regional office:
- Nunavut Regional Office of former Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
1-800-567-9604 (service provided in English and French)
867-975-4500 (service provided in English and Inuktitut)
- Yukon Regional Office of former Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
667-3888 (from within Whitehorse)
1-800-661-0451 (outside Whitehorse)
300 Main Street, Elijah Smith Building (main office in room 415C)
- Northwest Territories Regional Office of former Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
867-669-2500
I withdrew my application, but would like to apply to the position again. How do I do this?
Please contact us:
- Email address: candidate.njoynhelp@cgi.com
- Phone number: 1-877-427-7717
- Hours of operation: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET (except statutory holidays)