Request for Public Service Commission Priority Referrals and Clearance

The purpose of the priority referrals and clearance process is to ensure that Persons with a Priority Entitlement (PPE) are considered ahead of others for permanent and term positions in the public service. It applies to all groups and levels (including EX positions), all regions and all organizations subject to the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and provides hiring managers with a pool of potentially qualified persons who can be appointed quickly and efficiently.

Appointing PPEs assists the public service in retaining skilled and experienced employees.

For advice related to priority administration outside of a priority referrals/clearance request (e.g., an employee in your organization is on long-term leave without pay) visit the PSC’s Information on Priority Entitlements and contact your HR Advisor.

  • What you need to know
    • Legal Foundation

      The Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and Public Service Employment Regulations (PSER) provide for several priority entitlements to help persons cope with career transitions due to various life and employment events such as Work Force Adjustment (WFA), becoming disabled, returning from extended leave and relocating with one's spouse or common-law partner.

    • Person with a Priority Entitlement (PPE), Merit and Recourse
      • There are Statutory and Regulatory priority entitlements:
        • Statutory priorities are appointed ahead of all others in a precise order whereas regulatory priorities are appointed after persons with a statutory priority, but in no relative order.
      • PPEs can be referred by the Public Service Commission (PSC) or self-refer for any position being staffed (including higher-level positions) at any stage of a selection process.
      • PPEs must be appointed to vacant positions ahead of all other candidates when they meet the essential qualifications and the conditions of employment.
        • They are not required to meet asset qualifications, operational requirements or organizational needs.
      • In an advertised appointment process, PPEs must be assessed prior to considering other candidates (with the exception of an anticipatory process) and areas of selection do not apply.
      • Priority appointments are not subject to recourse to the Public the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB).
    • Actions Requiring Priority Clearance
    • PSC Priority Clearance Request Process
      • The manager submits a request in the HRSC Portal.
      • HR submits a priority clearance request to the PSC based on the information provided in the HRSC Portal.
      • The PSC conducts a search of registered PPEs based on the information provided.

      If no PPEs are identified:

      • An automatic clearance will be issued.
      • A two-day waiting period is required before making an appointment to ensure that no PPE was inadvertently missed.

      If potential matches are identified:

      • The PSC refers the names of the PPEs to HR within 1-5 working days.
      • The PPEs are notified of the job opportunity and are asked to respond within a 2-day timeframe to confirm their interest. An extension may be requested.
      • If a PPE feels qualified, they provide their resume and a written explanation of how they meet the essential qualifications (education and experience).
      • The hiring manager communicates with and assesses all PPEs who have indicated their interest in being considered. The assessment and feedback must take place within 60 calendar days of the referral request; otherwise, the PSC will follow-up and may cancel the request.
      • Once HR has submitted the feedback results to the PSC and where no requests for additional feedback are made, a clearance number is issued by the PSC (usually after 3 working days).
    • Sub-Delegated Manager Responsibilities
      • Consider PPEs prior to assessing other candidates and provide timely information about the position being staffed and the means of assessment.
      • Assess PPEs in their official language of choice and in a fair, transparent and timely manner (with due consideration to the duration of priority entitlements).
      • Provide assessment accommodations when required in accordance with the Guide for Assessing Persons with Disabilities.
      • Provide clear assessment results demonstrating that the PPE meets or does not meet the essential qualifications.
      • Apply retraining rights as applicable to Surplus and Lay-off priority types.
    • Additional Information

      For more information, consult Information on Priority Entitlements.

  • Required Documents
    • Prior to Initiating an Advertised Process
      • Statement of Merit Criteria (SOMC) (DOCX, 522 KB): Bilingual Word format. It can be copied and pasted in the request in the SOMC field or attached to the request as a separate document. Ensure the SOMC is the same as the one used for your advertised process.
    • Prior to Proceeding with an Appointment from an Advertised Process

      Priority clearance is required prior to proceeding with an appointment from a pool into a position for which clearance has not yet been granted.

      • No documents are required - indicate the selection process number in the Selection Process Number field.
    • Prior to Proceeding with an Appointment from a Non-Advertised Process
  • Submitting a request
    • Step 1: Obtain the following  
      • Consult the Terms of Reference of your branch/regional Workforce Management Committee (WMC) to determine if WMC approval is required.
    • Step 2: Complete the request form
    • Step 3: Proceed with request
      • HR will be in contact with you regarding next steps.
HRSC Request for PSC Priority Referrals (opens in a new window)