Student Employment

Student employment programs enable managers to hire students pursuing full-time studies for temporary work.

Renew your workforce and bring new energy, ideas and approaches to your workplace. Access a diverse talent pool with the Employment Opportunity for Student with Disabilities (EOSD) and Indigenous Student Employment Opportunity (ISEO) inventories.

  • Why consider this staffing action
    • To meet the federal public service's commitment to offer employment opportunities for Canadian students.
    • Hire members of employment equity groups to ensure the public service is representative of the people it serves.
    • To provide students with meaningful work that:
      • allows them to learn and contribute to the objectives of the organization;
      • aligns with their area of study and career interests;
      • gives them the opportunity to network and to build contacts within government;
      • allows them to work on projects/initiatives that can be advanced or completed during the work term; and,
      • enables them to develop transferable skills and acquire valuable work experiences.
  • What you need to know
    • Student Employment Programs and Eligibility Requirements
      • Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP, EOSD and ISEO)

        Hire students year-round for temporary jobs from ongoing and targeted inventories in a variety of fields. The inventories are the primary vehicle through which you can recruit students from all educational levels, from secondary school to university.

        FSWEP includes inventories for the following national recruitment initiatives.

        Student Eligibility: The student must be enrolled as a full-time student and be returning to full-time studies in the next academic term (or be in their final academic term).

        • To confirm eligibility, review the student’s registration confirmation for the current academic term (or previous if being hired for the summer) and their registration for the next semester.
        • If their registration for the next semester is not available or if the student is currently in their final academic term, the student can provide a signed student declaration of eligibility form (DOC, 29 KB) (a declaration by email is also acceptable). The student is to provide you with a copy of their registration once it is available.
        • Students registered on a part-time basis with multiple recognized educational institutions can also be considered as having an overall full-time status.
        • Students with a disability could be considered full-time by their school even if they are studying part-time (less than 4 courses per semester).
      • Co-operative Education and Internship Program (Co-op)

        Co-operative Education (Co-op) is a program in which classroom instruction is alternated with semesters of work placement related to the field of study. The Internship Program is a supervised, on-the-job training assignment designed to give students skills and knowledge for entry into a trade or profession.

        These programs are only available to post-secondary students who are pursuing full-time studies in a Public Service Commission (PSC)-approved Co-op or Internship Program.

        The educational institution determines the duration of each work term and students normally work full-time (37.5 hours per week).

        Student Eligibility: The student must be enrolled as a full-time student in a post-secondary co-op/internship program that is on the list of validated institutions and programs and the work term must be mandatory for graduation.

        • To confirm eligibility, review the student’s registration confirmation for the current academic term and the confirmation from the Co-op coordinator that the work term is required.
        • Back-to-back work terms are possible with approval from the educational institution.
        • The Co-op student can be re-hired part-time as an FSWEP student during their academic term if they meet the FSWEP eligibility requirements.
      • Research Affiliate Program (RAP)

        Designed specifically to recruit post-secondary students, who require experience in research related to their degree program, to work on a part-time basis throughout the year. The RAP matches a student's specific research interests with ongoing projects conducted by federal organizations.

        The research project must be related to the student’s degree program and help develop specific knowledge and research skills, including design, execution and evaluation.

        Student Eligibility: The student must be enrolled as a full-time student in a post-secondary institution and their academic program must require research as part of their curriculum.

        • To confirm eligibility, the manager reviews the student’s registration confirmation for the current academic term (or previous if hired for the summer) and a confirmation that their program requires research as part of the curriculum.
        • A student's RAP placement may continue for the duration of the research project, as long as the student meets the program's eligibility requirements.
    • Security
      • Employees must have a valid security clearance that meets the security level required for the position being staffed.
      • For new hires to ESDC or employees moving into a position requiring a security clearance at a higher level than the level they currently possess, submit security clearance requests to the appropriate Regional Security Office (RSO) as early as possible to avoid delays in the processing of your staffing action.
      • Refer to the Validation of Security for Staffing Requests Chart to know the security confirmation process for your staffing action.
    • Vaccination Requirement
    • Employment and Schedule
      • The start and end date cannot be on a statutory holiday or on a weekend (unless the person is actually required to work on that day). Further, the start date must be a day worked.
      • The employment offer can cover more than one academic term as long as the student meets the eligibility requirements for the duration of the employment.
      • Students should work part-time during academic terms to balance their work, studies and personal lives unless their course load permits full-time work.
      • For information on work schedules, consult the Guidance Document on Work Schedules for Employment Offers.
      • Change in hours: During the course of a contract, if a long-term change in hours of work is required, refer to the Glossary entries on Change in Hours. A new employment offer is not required.
      • Extension: Occurs when the offer extends the current student employment, without a break in continuous service, but does not go beyond the current academic term.
      • Re-employment: Occurs when the offer is for a new academic term with or without a break in continuous service. Re-employment also applies to students who were previously hired in other departments.
      • Though rare, persons employed as students can be in dual employment or dual remuneration situations. For dual remuneration situations, ensure to consider work-life-school balance.
    • Continuous Service
      • Continuous service may allow a student to become eligible for specific benefits. Visit the Compensation & Benefit Reference Guide for Students for more information.
      • A break in continuous service occurs when employment ceases for at least one compensation day between two periods of employment. Note that a statutory holiday is considered a compensation day.
      • To avoid a break in continuous service, plan an end date that does not precede a statutory holiday (i.e., select December 30) allowing the next contract to start on December 31 since a January 1st start date is not possible.
    • Pay
      • The manager may offer a salary that is within the rates of pay established by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS).
      • The salary should allow for pay progression between contracts.
      • Consult the notes on the application of rates of pay as well as the minimum wage requirements for the province of work to determine an appropriate rate of pay.
    • Entitlements

      Visit the TBS Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students and the Compensation & Benefit Reference Guide for Students.

    • Non-paid Student Assignments

      The Treasury Board Secretariat web page on Student Employment Programs in the Federal Government states that “managers are not to use free student labour, except when academic credit programs (…) preclude payment of a salary, allowance, stipend or honorarium.”

      Non-paid assignments are therefore only possible where the student’s academic credit program precludes payment of a salary.

      • The educational institution provides a letter of agreement to be signed by all parties. The letter should include a confirmation of the institution's liability insurance, the duration and expected experience to be gained from the assignment and expectations related to information/privacy or disclosure of information, etc.
      • The student would require the appropriate security clearance.
      • The agreement is between the hiring manager, the educational institution and the student, therefore, no requests need to be submitted in the HRSC Portal.
    • Additional Information
      • Consult the PSC’s Student Bridging Website if you plan on hiring your student as a term or indeterminate employee upon completion of their studies.
      • Students can apply to internal advertised processes when the job advertisement specifies that they are eligible.
        • They will need to demonstrate that they will complete their current studies program within the timeframe indicated on the job advertisement and provide proof of having completed their studies prior to appointment.
  • Required documentation
    • Student (Initial, Re-employment, Extension)

      Required verification (documentation does not need to be submitted)

      • Student Eligibility: Refer to the Student Employment Programs and Eligibility Requirements section above for eligibility requirements.
      • Canadian Citizenship: Preference must be given to Canadian students therefore; verification of Canadian citizenship is required. If a non-Canadian citizen is hired, after preference has been applied, the student must have a valid permit to work/study in Canada for the duration of their student employment. All international students require a specific co-op or intern work permit to work as a co-op student or intern.
    • If applicable
      • Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form (AAAF): The student must complete and sign the AAAF prior to appointment if they are hired through the ISEO inventory or if they have self-declared as being aboriginal and are hired from the regular FSWEP inventory.
      • Re-employment only (if the student was not previously employed by ESDC): Proof of previous employment under a student employment program (i.e., letter of offer or PeopleSoft print screen from the other department).
      • Dual remuneration: A written certification from the delegated authority of the organization in which the person occupies their substantive position that the performance of additional service in another organization does not impair the person's effectiveness in their substantive position.
  • Submitting your request

    Step 1: Request Referrals and Complete Assessment

    For an extension or a re-employment, skip to step 2

    • FSWEP (including EOSD and ISEO)

      To hire through the FSWEP (including EOSD and ISEO) request for referrals process

      1. Complete a Request for Students. The Public Service Commission (PSC) will send randomly selected referrals within 24 and 48 hours. For fairness, named student referrals are not possible.
        • You can request students by Employment Equity (EE) group.
        • Indicate the number of students you wish to receive for assessment in the field for “How many students would you like us to send you?”
        • You can only select one specific area of study. If you are interested in more than one, select a general area of study to get referrals from all the specific fields of study linked to that general area.
        • If you need to change any selection criteria, submit a new request and send an email to the FSWEP address listed in your confirmation email to cancel your initial request (include your reference number).
      2. Add additional information such as conditions of employment, hours of work, and anticipated duration, in the sell your job section.
      3. Select students to assess according to your job requirements.
        • Although there is no requirement to assess all the students referred, it is an encouraged practice. If you decide not to assess all the students, select the option “not selected” in the drop-down menu when submitting the assessment results.
      4. Inform the students of the results of your assessment.
      5. Enter the assessment results in the "Student applications and process results" (a link to this page was included in an email from the PSC).
        • Note that you can hire more than one student per request as long as the location and the selection criteria remain the same even if, at the time you submitted the request, you indicated that you were only going to hire one (1) student.
    • COOP

      Option A: Hire through a COOP Job Advertisement

      1. Search the PSC approved programs.
        • You can choose several institutions to access a reasonable pool of qualified candidates.
        • Contact the Co-op/Internships Coordinator(s) listed on the approved programs search results page.
        • The Co-op/Internships Coordinator(s) will provide procedures for hiring a student.
      2. Post the job opportunity with the selected program(s) and assess the interested students.
      3. Inform the students of the results of your assessment.
      4. Inform the Co-op/Internships Coordinator of your intention to hire the student.

      Option B: Student Self-Referral

      1. Search the PSC approved programs to find the student's program, educational institution and Co-op/Internship Coordinator.
        • Contact the Co-op/Internships Coordinator to confirm student eligibility (proof of full-time enrollment in a Co-op program).
        • The Co-op/Internships Coordinator(s) will provide procedures for hiring a student.
      2. Assess the interested student.
      3. Inform the Co-op/Internships Coordinator of your intention to hire the student.
    • RAP

      Hire through a RAP Job Advertisement

      1. Submit a General HR Enquiry request in the HRSC Portal:
        • Category: Staffing, Sub-category: Student Employment Programs.
        • Add qualifications required (in a bilingual format) and other relevant information in the "Description of Request field".
        • An HR Consultant will contact you to prepare the job advertisement that will be posted on GC Jobs.
      2. HR will refer resumes to the hiring manager for further assessment.
      3. Inform the students of the results of your assessment.

    Step 2: Complete the request form

    Step 3: Submit your request form

    • The staffing sub-delegated manager with financial signing authority, for the identified cost centre, under the Financial Administration Act (FAA) assumes full responsibility for the request.

    Step 4: Contract and signatures

    • After HR review, a contract or letter of offer will be issued through the HRSC Portal request for signature.
    • Read the letter/contract carefully and return it along with any other pay-related documents once signed by all parties as per the provided instructions.
      • If any amendments are required, please advise HR. Do not make handwritten amendments or use a PDF editor.

    Tip for Initial Hire:

    If the student is new to ESDC or has a break in continuous service with ESDC of one workday or more, the following pay documents will be requested with the signed letter of offer. You can provide them to the student in advance while you wait for the letter of offer to be prepared.

HRSC Student Employment (opens in a new window)

Virtual Desktop – SAVE-D

  • Onboarding a student is even easier with the virtual office used on the student's personal computer.
  • See the SAVE-D information webpage for further information.

Prior to your student’s arrival:

During your student’s employment: