General Competency Test: Level 2 Abridged (GCT-2A-324)

There is a 180-day waiting period before you can retake the test, regardless of the format (in-person on the Candidate Assessment Tool or paper). If you retake the test during the waiting period, your result will not be valid, and a new retest period will be set from the most recent test date.

Once you receive an email invitation, you can book your in-person supervised test session on the Candidate Assessment Tool.

To cancel or reschedule your test, log in to your account and modify your reservation.

You can get used to the test environment (for example, selecting the official language of your choice) and test format (for example, adjusting font size) by practising with the General Competency Test: Level 2 Abridged sample test on the Candidate Assessment Tool.

You can also review the sample questions below to help you prepare.

Sample questions

Number and letter series

Find the rule used to produce each series, then select the answer (number or letter) that would logically complete the series.

Question 1

2, 3, 6, 11, 18, 27,

• (1) 36
• (2) 29
• (3) 31
• (4) 38
• (5) 34

Question 2

50A, 60C, 55E, 65G, 60I, 70K, 65M, 75__

• (1) L
• (2) N
• (3) O
• (4) P
• (5) Q

Numerical problems

The numerical questions require you to use basic arithmetic skills. You can use a calculator and rough paper to arrive at your answers.

Question 3

Using a 100-litre can of gasoline, a person fills 3 smaller cans equally and has a quarter of the original amount left over. How may litres does each of the smaller cans hold?

• (1) 25
• (2) 20
• (3) 16
• (4) 30
• (5) 33⅓

Analytical reasoning

In this section, you read a short passage and then answer a set of related questions.

“A new book on Intergroup Relations will contain 7 chapters (Theories, Reducing Prejudice, Values, Movements, Cross-Cultural Research, The Legal System and Education), which can be assembled in a variety of orders. However, the first and second chapters must be Theories and The Legal System respectively. Furthermore, the Values and Movements chapters must not be separated by another topic.”

Question 4

If the Cross-Cultural Research chapter is placed third, in how many ways can the book be organized?

• (1) 4
• (2) 8
• (3) 12
• (4) 16
• (5) 32

Answers

• Question 1: (4)
• Question 2: (3)
• Question 3: (1)
• Question 4: (3)

If you encounter barriers in assessment that could affect your performance on the test, you can request assessment accommodations directly in the Candidate Assessment Tool as soon as you receive your invitation to book an in-person supervised test session.

You can also contact the Assessment Accommodation Unit directly with your questions: ae-aa@cfp-psc.gc.ca.

• Bring one piece of signature identification with photo, and your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) if you’re a federal public servant
• For this test, you can use a calculator:
• if you take the test in-person on the Candidate Assessment Tool, a virtual on-screen calculator is provided
• if you take the paper version, a handheld calculator is provided
• you can also use your own calculator as long as it’s not part of a cellphone, personal digital assistant or other electronic device that may have internet access or the ability to record or transmit testing material (for example, a scientific calculator)
• refer to Acceptable calculators to find out which calculators can be used
• Arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled test time
• Don’t be late: you won’t be allowed into the room after the test session has started
• Budget your time during the test:
• you have 120 minutes to complete the test (add 20 to 30 minutes for administrative procedures)
• answer all test questions: some answers will earn you partial marks
• don’t spend too much time on a question you find difficult
• guess when you are unsure: choose the best response by first eliminating the choices that seem the least likely; there is no penalty for guessing

• If you feel unwell before or during the test, tell the test administrator; otherwise, if you complete the test, you must accept the test result and the retest restrictions

If you believe that the test was administered under unfavourable conditions, inform the hiring department or agency. The situation will be assessed and, if a retest is necessary, it will be granted.

Tests taken on the Candidate Assessment Tool cannot be rescored, as a scoring key is automatically applied for each test.

Your result will be provided as a pass/fail and as a raw score; no detailed feedback can be provided.

As a test taker, you play a crucial role in protecting the integrity of the testing process. Before taking the test, you must read, understand and accept the terms of use.

For more information about how the Public Service Commission of Canada ensures its testing is reliable, valid and fair, visit the Test integrity web page.