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The Employee Eligibility and Selection Process

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for employment at the House of Commons, candidates must:

  • be aged 16 or older;
  • be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, or hold a valid work permit in accordance with government requirements; and
  • meet the House of Commons pre-employment screening requirements

The House of Commons Administration is committed to being a leader in inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. We continuously evolve our practices and design them in such a way as to ensure that everyone can equitably participate to the upmost of their abilities. As “One House,” we leverage diversity in all its forms and recognize that everyone has valuable contributions to make and the potential for individual growth.

For questions, please contact Recruitment and Selection Services at hoccareers-carrierescdc@parl.gc.ca. We will respond to enquiries within a reasonable time frame

Learn About the Various Phases of a Recruitment and Selection Process

1- Advertised job opportunity

Recruitment and selection processes that are designed to attract and engage a workforce that is qualified and suited for job and organizational requirements.

An advertised job opportunity provides information regarding the essential and asset qualifications of a position as well as the outcome of the recruitment effort (e.g. length of employment). It allows all eligible candidates to express an interest to be considered for a position.

The application deadline is 11:59 pm, Eastern Time, on the Closing Date.

Language Requirements

The language requirements of the position are indicated on the advertised job opportunity. Bilingual positions are staffed on either an imperative or a non-imperative basis.

Bilingual imperative means that the candidate selected as qualified and suitable for the position must meet the language requirements at the time of the appointment.

Bilingual non-imperative means that the position can be staffed by a person who does not fully meet the required language proficiency levels of the position because administrative measures can be put in place to fulfill obligations under the Official Languages Policy. The person appointed must agree to attend and fully commit to language training in order to meet and maintain the second language proficiency level required for the position.

Each bilingual position is assigned a linguistic profile that identifies the level of second language proficiency for reading comprehension, written expression and oral interaction required.

  • Level A – minimum or basic;
  • Level B – intermediate or functional;
  • Level C – superior or good fluency.

For example, a CBC profile indicates the following:
C – Superior proficiency in reading comprehension
B – Intermediate proficiency in written expression
C – Superior proficiency in oral interaction

This profile also means that a person whose first official language is French must possess the CBC level in English and a person whose first official language is English must possess the CBC level in French.

2- Submission of Applications

Applications must be submitted through the Career Portal no later than the stipulated closing date. Candidates are responsible for completing the questionnaire and providing all the required information and documents, including a clear and accurate resume that demonstrates how they meet the qualifications outlined in the notice of job opportunity.

A confirmation email will be sent to the candidate once the application is successfully submitted.

Candidates should save a copy of the notice of job opportunity.

For questions or to request accommodation, please contact Recruitment and Selection Services at hoccareers-carrierescdc@parl.gc.ca. We will respond to enquiries within a reasonable time frame.

3- Screening

We carefully review all applications in a timely fashion.

During the screening phase, the Recruitment and Selection Services team will review information submitted as part of the application process to determine which candidates meet the eligibility requirements and have the required qualifications in order to receive further consideration in the process.

Candidates may be contacted for pre-screening purposes, to further discuss their qualifications.

4- Assessments

A variety of assessment tools may be used to assess candidates, including but not limited to:

Interview

A formal meeting in which a candidate is asked questions to determine their suitability for a particular job.

Exams and tests

The purpose of these tools is to assess candidates’ general reasoning skills; mathematical and problem-solving skills; technical or specific job-related knowledge; and proofreading and language skills.

Situational questions

These questions present a hypothetical situation that may be encountered in the work environment. Candidates must describe what they would do in a similar situation. When dealing with these types of questions, candidates must consider all aspects of the situation. If there are two or more possible solutions, they must briefly indicate the other possibilities and explain why they were rejected. This demonstrates that other alternatives were considered and analyzed to arrive at a solution.

Simulation exercises

These exercises place candidates in realistic situations where they are required to demonstrate job-related competencies such as using a piece of equipment in a real work environment or delivering an oral presentation to a group.

Behaviour-based questions

These questions require candidates to describe actions they have taken or behaviours they have demonstrated in similar past situations and provide concrete examples.

In-basket exercises

Although these exercises may vary, two types are more frequently used. The first requires candidates to process letters, memos, forms and other documents that would be found in the in-basket of someone doing the job. Candidates must make decisions, delegate responsibilities and ensure that the documents are processed as required within a set time limit. The second requires candidates to explain how they would react in management situations that could potentially be encountered in a work environment

Case studies

These activities usually involve the presentation of real situations or problems encountered by the incumbent of the position. Candidates must then describe the general approach they would take to deal with the matter and the factors they considered when analyzing the case.

Role-plays

During these exercises, members of the selection committee ask candidates to play a specific role in a particular situation, such as responding to a client who complains about a service or product.

Language evaluations

Selected candidates who do not have valid second language evaluation (SLE) results will be assessed.

The House of Commons Administration Competency Framework presents the competencies and behaviours that allow our employees to contribute to the achievement of common goals. This can help you prepare for assessments.

Candidates can expect to be contacted any time after submitting their application.

Assessments may be held in-person or virtually and the use of technology may be required.

After each assessment, candidates are informed in a timely manner if they move on to the next phase of the process.

Relocation and travel expenses incurred during the hiring process are the candidate's responsibility.

Essential Covid-19 information

Effective June 20, 2022, the requirement for all individuals to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to gain entry to the Parliamentary Precinct is being suspended. Please note, however, that the House of Commons reserves the right to reinstate the same or similar requirements at any time without further notice. Other preventative measures will continue to be taken to ensure health and safety during the recruitment process in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic until further notice.

5- Selection

Once the assessments are complete, candidates are informed of their status and whether they have qualified as part of the recruitment and selection process.

The hiring manager or a member of the Recruitment and Selection Services team will discuss the employment offer and potential start date with the chosen candidate.

Bilingual non-imperative appointments could also be considered.

Welcome to House of Commons Administration!

Here's what you can expect as a new hire:

  • A call from your manager,
  • A welcome kit,
  • Invitations to various information and training sessions,
  • An Onboarding Partner to show you the ropes and answer your questions,
  • Tools to help you get started!

These are a few elements of our Onboarding Program which supports the integration of new employees into the workplace, beginning with the acceptance of the job offer and continuing through the first months of employment.

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