General

In this section, you will find questions and answers relating to the qualification standards, in general, and to specific occupational group qualification standards.

As qualification standards are established or reviewed and updated, relevant questions and answers will be added.

1. What are qualification standards?
2. Why has the responsibility for the qualification standards (formerly known as standards for selection and assessment) moved from the Public Service Commission (PSC) to the Canada Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer?
3. What is the difference between qualification standards and classification standards?
4. Will the qualification and classification standards be harmonized in one document?
5. Now that the employer has taken on the responsibility for qualification standards, will they change in the short term and the longer term?
6. Why were the group specific qualification standards put into a different order and how are they grouped?
7. How will departments participate in the development of new or amended qualification standards?
8. Do the qualification standards apply to all staffing situations?
9. Do qualification standards apply to the executive (EX) group? If so, what do they consist of?
10. Could memoranda of understanding be arranged between the employer and separate agencies that would grandparent individuals working in those agencies with regard to the qualification standards?
11. What does the term "degree" refer to?
12. What is a "recognized university" and how can I determine if an institution is 'recognized'?
13. If a manager asks for a baccalaureate degree from a recognized university (as an example) and a candidate has a higher-level degree without having completed a baccalaureate (e.g. some Master of Public Administration, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts degrees), would the candidate meet the educational requirement?
14. Can a manager request a higher educational level than the minimum level of education prescribed in a qualification standard?
15. Does the federal public service accept foreign educational credentials from candidates?
16. What is an "alternative" to education?
17. Where can I find information on employer-approved alternatives to education?
18. Under the section entitled "Alternatives to Education", what does "may be used at the manager's discretion" mean?
19. What does "an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience" actually mean?
20. Can managers accept alternative(s) to the minimum level of education for all occupational groups?
21. Are there instances when a manager must accept a candidate who has previously or already met the minimum level of education through one of the employer-approved alternatives?
22. Are there instances when it is mandatory that a candidate be offered the opportunity to be assessed by at least one of the employer-approved alternatives?
23. Can a manager accept an alternative to education when requesting higher than the minimum educational standard for a given occupational group?
24. Can a manager decide that two years of secondary school (as an example) is the minimum he/she is prepared to accept under "education", where an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience is used as an alternative to the minimum educational standard?
25. If a specific alternative is identified within a particular qualification standard, can a manager choose to use another alternative identified for that level of education from Section 2, Part1 of the Qualification Standards?

1. What are qualification standards?

Qualification standards outline the minimum requirements necessary to perform the work in a given occupational group (normally in terms of education or occupational certification), thereby ensuring a competent, non-partisan Public Service and upholding the staffing values of fairness, transparency, access and representativeness. Managers have the discretion to set the qualifications above the minimum standard when warranted for the position being staffed.

2. Why has the responsibility for the qualification standards (formerly known as standards for selection and assessment) moved from the Public Service Commission (PSC) to the Canada Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer?

This responsibility was transferred from the PSC to the employer in December 2005 by virtue of section 31(1) of the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA). The Act specifically states that "the employer may establish qualification standards, in relation to education, knowledge, experience, occupational certification, language or other qualifications that the employer considers necessary or desirable having regard to the nature of the work to be performed and the present and future needs of the public service." The Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer has been designated to carry out this function on behalf of the employer. The qualification standards include both the group specific and official language standards (also formerly under PSC jurisdiction).

The Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, on behalf of the employer, is responsible for the implementation of the government-wide program to modernize classification standards. This transfer of responsibility will ensure stronger linkages between qualification standards and classification standards. As new classification standards are developed and implemented in the context of classification modernization, new qualification standards for the corresponding groups will also be developed and implemented.

3. What is the difference between qualification standards and classification standards?

Qualification standards identify the minimum requirements (normally in terms of education or occupational certification) needed to competently perform the work. Deputy heads and managers must respect these standards when appointing or deploying an employee to a position in the core public administration. Classification standards describe the relative value of work characteristics within an occupational group and determine the levels of jobs in the hierarchy of that group. The link between the classification and qualification standards will ensure that the minimum qualifications identified to perform the work (in the qualification standards) are in line with the main functions of that work (as identified in the corresponding classification standard).

4. Will the qualification and classification standards be harmonized in one document?

At the moment, there is no plan to combine these documents.

5. Now that the employer has taken on the responsibility for qualification standards, will they change in the short term and the longer term?

In the short term, the individual group qualification standards and language standards will not change, thereby resulting in minimum disruption to the staffing community. However, all reference to the former classification categories has been removed and the standards have been re-ordered to coincide with the occupational group structure approved by the Treasury Board (TB) in 1999 (see Question 6). In addition, the wording of the "Conditions Applicable to Specific Standards" was amended to reflect the current occupational group structure.

In the longer term, when classification standards are established or amended in the context of the overall classification modernization program, the corresponding qualification standards will also be established or amended, as required. Qualification standards may also be reviewed if departments, or other interested parties, make a formal request to do so.

6. Why were the group specific qualification standards put into a different order and how are they grouped?

Traditionally, the group specific standards at the PSC were organized by occupational categories (for example, the Administrative and Foreign Services Category). These categories were repealed by the Public Service Reform Act in April 1993 and are no longer in use. In 1999, the Treasury Board approved a streamlined occupational group structure that amalgamated groups of similar types of work. For example, the Operational Services (SV) Group consists of the former (legacy) Firefighters (FR), General Labour and Trades (GL), General Services (GS), Senior System Software Programmer or Analyst (HP), Hospital Service (HS), Lightkeepers (LI), Ships' Crew (SC) and Personnel Resources (PR) groups. It is this streamlined occupational group structure that is currently in effect in the core public administration. The qualification standards are listed alphabetically according to these approved groups (e.g. the SV Group). The legacy occupational groups are then listed alphabetically under the streamlined occupational group.

As classification and qualification standards are established for the current occupational groups (e.g. SV Group), the qualification standards that exist for the individual legacy occupational groups will no longer be applicable.

For ease of reference, the index contained in the qualification standards refers to both the occupational groups approved by TB in 1999, and the legacy occupational groups.

7. How will departments participate in the development of new or amended qualification standards?

When amending or developing new qualification standards, the OCHRO will meet with main user departments and agencies to discuss their staffing requirements for the occupational group(s) in question and also to discuss their views on the content of the revised qualification standard(s). Once this information has been analyzed and options drafted, departments, agencies and other interested parties will again be consulted prior to the final determination of a qualification standard.

8. Do the qualification standards apply to all staffing situations?

Qualification standards identify the minimum requirements (normally in terms of education or occupational certification) to be used when staffing positions in the core public administration. They must be adhered to by deputy heads, and those with delegated staffing authority, for all appointment processes, intra-group and inter-group deployments and deployments from separate agencies, except for:

• student employment programs designated by the TB; and
• acting appointments of less than four months in duration.

In accordance with section 51(2) of the PSEA, before a deployment can take place from a separate agency that does not fall under the PSEA, the PSC must first have reviewed and approved the staffing program at that separate agency.

As noted in subsection 50(3) of the PSEA, qualification standards do not apply to casual employment.

9. Do qualification standards apply to the executive (EX) group? If so, what do they consist of?

Yes. A qualification standard exists for the EX Group. The EX Group Qualification Standard, approved in December 2005, consists mainly of the Key Leadership Competencies Profile.

10. Could memoranda of understanding be arranged between the employer and separate agencies that would grandparent individuals working in those agencies with regard to the qualification standards?

Memoranda of Understanding currently exist with certain separate agencies that are subject to the PSEA in relation to such qualification standards as the Personnel Administration (PE) and Financial Administration (FI) groups to extend grand-parenting provisions to individuals in those organizations who perform equivalent work.

Regarding separate agencies that do not staff under the authority of the PSEA, if the particular staffing program has been reviewed and approved by the PSC in accordance with section 51(2) of the new PSEA, upon request, we would investigate the possibility of entering into an MOU with that separate agency.

Education

11. What does the term "degree" refer to?

Unless it is otherwise specified in the relevant qualification standard (e.g. if a master's degree is specified), the term "degree" refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.

12. What is a "recognized university" and how can I determine if an institution is 'recognized'?

A "recognized university" is a Canadian university that has provincial or territorial degree-granting status, or a university outside of Canada, the programs/degrees of which are accepted by a recognized Canadian university.

To determine if an institution is registered and recognized, visit the Ministry of Education website for the province in question to obtain a list of registered institutes.

13. If a manager asks for a baccalaureate degree from a recognized university (as an example) and a candidate has a higher-level degree without having completed a baccalaureate (e.g. some Master of Public Administration, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts degrees), would the candidate meet the educational requirement?

Not automatically. The manager would need to determine if the higher level of education would meet the requirements of the position(s) being staffed. Factors to consider could include:

• whether the higher level of education was in a field relevant to the duties to be performed
• whether the duties to be performed require the possession of specialized technical knowledge that the candidate may not have acquired with the higher level of education

For purposes of transparency, the manager should be able to justify his/her decision either way. It may also be a good practice to indicate, on the Statement of Merit Criteria, that a higher level of education may be accepted.

As an aside, there is a specific note in the PE Qualification Standard that indicates that a "degree" refers to a baccalaureate or a higher-level degree. This note is meant to allow candidates who do not have a baccalaureate, but who may have a master's or doctoral degree, to still apply as long as the degree is in the required field(s) of study for the position(s) being staffed.

14. Can a manager request a higher educational level than the minimum level of education prescribed in a qualification standard?

Yes, Section 31(2) of the PSEA, gives manager the authority to request a higher educational level than that prescribed in a given qualification standard. However, the manager must be able to justify that raising the educational requirement is relevant to the nature of the work to be performed.

15. Does the federal public service accept foreign educational credentials from candidates?

The federal public service will accept foreign educational credentials as long as a recognized credential assessment service has deemed them comparable to Canadian standards. If the candidate was educated outside of Canada, he/she must have his/her certificates and/ or diplomas assessed against Canadian educational standards. This will enable him/her to provide proof of Canadian equivalency when applying for a job in the federal public service.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) assists persons who wish to obtain an assessment of their educational, professional and occupational credentials by referring them to the appropriate organizations. The CICIC does not itself grant equivalencies or assess credentials, nor does it intervene on behalf of individuals or in complaints to the Public Service Staffing Tribunal. For more information on the assessment of foreign educational credentials, visit the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials website.

 Alternatives to Education

16. What is an "alternative" to education?

An alternative to education is an option that a manager can accept in lieu of the requested level of education stated as an essential qualification on a Statement of Merit Criteria.

The intent is that the alternative accepted by a manager would result in the same outcome as would the actual educational level required. Essentially, the application of the alternative would mean that the candidate has acquired comparable skills as someone who has completed the required level of education. The types of skills could be elements such as: researching, analyzing and providing solutions for complex problems/issues, writing papers or reports, defending points of view, etc. It is the manager who determines whether an alternative will be accepted and also whether a specific combination of education, training and/or experience is comparable to the educational level requested.

17. Where can I find information on employer-approved alternatives to education?

Section 2, Part 1 of the Qualification Standards identifies employer-approved alternatives for the following levels of education

1. Two years of secondary school;
2. Secondary school diploma;
3. Post-secondary training;
4. University graduation

In addition, alternatives to education can be found within various specific Occupational Group Qualification Standards (e.g. CS, PE, EL).

18. Under the section entitled "Alternatives to Education", what does "may be used at the manager's discretion" mean?

 This wording, found in Section 2, Part 1 of the Qualification Standards, refers to deputy head or manager's authority to decide to accept an alternative in lieu of a level of education stated as an essential qualification on a Statement of Merit Criteria.

This means that, subject to any applications or restrictions noted within the qualification standards, the deputy head or manager has the authority to decide whether or not to accept an alternative. If it is decided that an alternative will be accepted, what will be acceptable in lieu of the education requested must be specified on the Statement of Merit Criteria, for transparency purposes.

As an example, if a manager is requesting a secondary school diploma as an essential qualification and decides to accept an alternative to that level of education, he/she would then have the authority to decide to accept the following alternatives:

• a satisfactory score on the PSC test ONLY,
• an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience ONLY,
• a satisfactory score on the PSC test OR an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience

Note: If a manager chooses to accept a combination of education, training and/or experience, he/she then has the authority to determine what that combination will consist of, as long as it respects what has been regulated by the employer (i.e. does not go below the minimum for the occupational group in question). Information on the acceptance of an alternative must be specified on the Statement of Merit Criteria. For additional information, see Q&A # 3 above.

19. What does "an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience" actually mean?

A "combination" is normally two or more things. An "acceptable combination" may be education and training, or education and experience, or training and experience. It may also be education, training and experience. The word "acceptable" refers to acceptability for a position as determined by the manager, unless otherwise regulated by the employer.

NOTE: The EX Group Qualification Standard requires that education be specifically defined and therefore the "acceptable combination" wording is not acceptable. For further information, visit the frequently asked questions page.

20. Can managers accept alternative(s) to the minimum level of education for all occupational groups?

No, alternatives to education are applicable for certain occupational groups. Information on restrictions can be found in Section 2, Part 1 of the Qualification Standards under the heading of "Alternatives to Education".

21. Are there instances when a manager must accept a candidate who has previously or already met the minimum level of education through one of the employer-approved alternatives?

Yes, see Section 2 Part 1 of the Qualification Standards under the headings of "2 years of Secondary School" and "Secondary School". These sections refer to situations where, for some occupational groups or portions of groups, candidates who have already met the minimum level of education through the achievement of a satisfactory score on the PSC test approved as an alternative for that level of education must always be accepted as having met that level of education.

It must be noted that these sections only apply when the minimum level of education is requested on a Statement of Merit Criteria. If a manager has determined that a higher level of education is required for the position being staffed, these sections do not apply.

22. Are there instances when it is mandatory that a candidate be offered the opportunity to be assessed by at least one of the employer-approved alternatives?

Yes, see Section 2 Part 1 of the Qualification Standards under the headings of "2 years of Secondary School" and "Secondary School". These sections refer to situation where, for some occupational groups or portions of groups, candidates, who have not already met the minimum educational requirement, must be offered the opportunity to be assessed by at least one of the employer-approved alternatives. If the manager does not specify which of the two employer-approved alternatives will be accepted in lieu of the minimum educational requirement on the Statement of Merit Criteria, the candidate may choose the alternative to be assessed against. It must be noted that these sections only apply when the minimum level of education is requested on a Statement of Merit Criteria. If the manager has determined that a higher level of education is required for the position being staffed, these sections do not apply.

23. Can a manager accept an alternative to education when requesting higher than the minimum educational standard for a given occupational group?

When requesting higher than the minimum educational standard for a given occupational group, the manager has the authority to accept an alternative as long as that alternative does not go below the minimum educational standard. When used, the alternative must be specified on the Statement of Merit Criteria.

Note: Employer-approved alternatives are not intended to be used in lieu of an alternative. As an example: a manager is staffing a CR position and decides to request the successful completion of secondary school diploma (this is higher than the minimum educational standard for a CR position) or an acceptable combination of education and experience. The manager determines that the acceptable combination must consist of 2 years of secondary school and 2 years of experience working in a field relevant to the position. For transparency purposes, all of the above will be noted on the poster and Statement of Merit Criteria.

Since the manager has indicated that the acceptable combination will consist of 2 years of secondary school plus 2 years of experience, he/she would not normally accept another "employer-approved alternative" in lieu of the 2 years of secondary school.

24. Can a manager decide that two years of secondary school (as an example) is the minimum he/she is prepared to accept under "education", where an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience is used as an alternative to the minimum educational standard?

Yes. If education is used as part of the combination (i.e. education and experience; education and training; education, training and experience), the manager may specify that candidates must possess at least two years of secondary school as long as that alternative does not go below the minimum educational standard. When used, the alternative must be specified on the Statement of Merit Criteria and the manager should be able to demonstrate that the alternative provision is comparable to the education level requested.

In this case, the manager would not normally accept another alternative for the 2 years of secondary school since that level of education already forms part of an alternative for a higher level of education. (see Q&A #24)

25. If a specific alternative is identified within a particular qualification standard, can a manager choose to use another alternative identified for that level of education from Section 2, Part1 of the Qualification Standards?

No, as an example, the minimum educational standard for the IS Group is "a degree from a recognized university". It also states in note # 2, that "For entry as an IS, an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience may serve as an alternative to university graduation at the manager's discretion". Therefore, a manager could decide to accept this alternative for candidates entering the group and, if so, would identify it on the Statement of Merit Criteria.

Even though Section 2, Part 1 of the Qualification Standards states that there is a PSC test approved as an alternative to a university graduation, the manager would not be able to accept it, on its own, as an alternative when staffing a position in the IS Group. The reason is that the IS Qualification Standard only provides managers with the option of accepting "an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience" in lieu of university graduation.

However, if a manager would like to consider candidates that have passed the approved PSC test, he/she could use it as an additional requirement, unless prescribed otherwise in the Qualification Standards. In the example above, a manager could accept candidates entering the group with an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience, plus a successful score on the PSC test.