Questions and answers for human resources specialists in the context of COVID-19

Temporary measures provided departments and agencies with flexibility to staff bilingual positions during the pandemic. These have evolved over time. These apply to all appointments (indeterminate, term, acting) and deployments:

• Measure 1: Deputy heads are exempt from the requirement to use the Public Service Commission (PSC)’s second language evaluation (SLE) tests when assessing second language proficiency. Valid only for reading comprehension and written expression (no longer in effect).
• Measure 2: Extension of the validity period of expired SLE results for all appointments (no longer in effect).
• For all appointments over 12 months, appointees must have their official language proficiency confirmed through PSC SLE tests or an alternative assessment method by departments and agencies within 24 months of the appointment (see question 10).
• Although this measure is no longer in effect, organizations are still required to confirm the SLE results of employees appointed with this measure.
• Measure 3: Authorized deputy heads can use an alternative method for assessing second language proficiency.
  • Reading comprehension and written expression language skills can no longer be assessed with this measure as of September 1, 2023.
  • From September 1, 2023, only oral proficiency can be assessed using this measure.

The measures ensure that merit is respected with regard to official languages and linguistic obligations identified in the Official Languages Act. Deputy heads must ensure that their organization can continue to:

• Reading comprehension and written expression language skills can no longer be assessed with this measure as of September 1, 2023.
• From September 1, 2023, only oral proficiency can be assessed using this measure

For more information regarding measure 3, consult the Letter to Heads of Human Resources, and the guiding principles for alternate methods to second language evaluation tests: targeted policy exemption.
For assistance, contact your designated staffing support advisor.

• Measure 1 is no longer in effect since October 1, 2022.
• Measure 2 is no longer in effect since April 1, 2022.
• Measure 3 is effective only after the requesting organization gets approval from the PSC; it will be in effect until the PSC revokes the measure for these organizations.  
• As of September 1, 2023, language proficiency for reading comprehension and written expression can no longer be assessed using an alternative method of assessment. This alternative method can continue to be used for oral interaction only.

Yes. Measure 3 applies to appointments of persons with a priority entitlement.

Departments and agencies will need to track and report the following information for all measures in the Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument Annex D –Reporting Form:

• the number of employees appointed or deployed using measure 1 for reading comprehension and written expression (until September 30, 2022) and
• number of employees appointed or deployed using measure 3, based on the PSC’s authorization for your department or agency.

For measure 2 (no longer in effect), departments and agencies will need to:

• report on the number of employees appointed or deployed for more than 12 months since March 2020 who have not obtained their second language evaluation results confirmed within 24 months of the appointment/deployment
• track the following information for monitoring purposes:
• employee name
• group and level
• appointment or deployment date
• period of leave of more than 60 consecutive days (if applicable)
• end date of the 24-month period
• date of second language evaluation results confirmed within 24 months

No. This measure cannot be used in this case. Only second language tests from the Public Service Commission can be used for this purpose.

Yes, it can be used for deployments.

The requirement for the use of measure 2 has been modified to allow organizations to confirm their second language evaluation results with an alternative assessment method. See question 11 for additional information on alternative assessment methods.

No. However, leave periods of more than 60 consecutive calendar days are excluded from the 24-month period. As a result, if a person is on leave for more than 60 calendar days, the total number of leave days is not included in the 24-month period.

The person can take Public Service Commission second language tests, and organizations can use an alternative assessment method more than once during the 24-month period. If, at the end of the 24-month period, the person fails to obtain the results required for the position, they will have to be appointed or deployed to a position for which they meet the merit criteria, including official language proficiency.

The person’s second language evaluation results do not need to be confirmed if the person’s appointment ends within 24 months.

An alternative assessment method could include the personal knowledge or a work sample of the employee. If the hiring manager has been able to observe the employee in the course of their duties with respect to the use of their second official language and has acquired sufficient personal knowledge to assess the individual, the hiring manager may decide to use personal knowledge as an assessment method while respecting the guiding principles for alternate methods to second language evaluation tests. The assessment method and results must be documented. Please consult your human resources advisor for further details.

To support hiring managers with alternative assessment methods, the Public Service Commission has developed practical guides for written expression, reading comprehension and oral proficiency tests. These guides include suggestions on how to develop assessment content and how to rate candidates. They also provide sample rating guides that may be used “as is” or adapted to meet the unique needs of each hiring manager.

No. The questions in these self-assessment tests are not protected and the content is accessible to the public. These are practice tests meant to be used before taking the official Public Service Commission tests; the unofficial results cannot be used in a selection process.

Yes. Results obtained with an alternative method for reading comprehension and written expression will still be valid after August 31, 2023, as long as the person occupies the position for which the second language skills were assessed. However, the results for reading comprehension and written expression cannot be reused for appointments after this date.

No. Results obtained with alternative methods for reading comprehension and written expression will no longer be transferable within the same department or agency after August 31, 2023. Only results obtained with an alternative method for oral interaction will continue to be transferrable.

Yes. The results of those who have been assessed using measure 3 for reading comprehension and written expression as part of a hiring process, but who have not been appointed by August 31, 2023, can be applied. Once appointed to a position, the results of reading comprehension and written expression obtained with measure 3 cannot be reused for subsequent appointments.