Top Employer: Employment and Social Development Canada

Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025), National Capital Region's Top Employers (2025), Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2025) and Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2025):

By Richard Yerema and Kristina Leung, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 14, 2024)

Here are some of the reasons why Employment and Social Development Canada was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025), National Capital Region's Top Employers (2025), Canada's Top Family-Friendly Employers (2025) and Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2025):

Employment and Social Development Canada offers exceptional family-friendly benefits, including generous maternity and parental leave top-up payments for new parents, options to extend their leave into an unpaid leave of absence, access to subsidized on-site child care services at the Gatineau head office, and paid family leave time (to 37.5 hours annually) to help with medical appointments, stay home with a sick child, and other responsibilities
Employment and Social Development Canada helps employees plan securely for the future with a defined benefit pension plan, pre-retirement workshops available to employees and their spouses (includes information on financial planning, health and nutrition and psychological aspects of retirement) and an option to embark on a pre-retirement transition leave (a special working arrangement whereby eligible employees who are within two years of retirement have their workweek reduced by up to 40 per cent)
Employment and Social Development Canada offers activities to improve general wellness through a Wellness Wednesday initiative, with past activities including chair yoga, board games, dance breaks, and guided meditation -- the organization also offers generous coverage for mental health care as part of its benefits plan, to a maximum of $5,000 per year

Employment and Social Development Canada employees collaborate

Employer Background

Industry	Federal government, social development, employment insurance, passport services
Established in Canada	2005
Major Canadian locations	Ottawa ON, St. John's NL, Toronto ON, Victoria BC, Winnipeg MB, Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Bathurst NB, Dartmouth NS, Gatineau QC, Montréal QC
Full-time employees in Canada	40,482
Part-time employees in Canada	1,498
Workforce engaged on a contract basis	9.8%
Average age of employees in Canada	43 years
Longest serving employee	54 years

Work Environment Rating: B+

Flexible work options	hybrid work option, flexible work hours, shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), compressed work week, reduced summer hours, earned days off program, (flexible work options vary by position)
Commuter amenities	walk to public transit, electric vehicle charging stations, secure/sheltered bicycle parking, nearby bike sharing station
Onsite workplace features	head office is situated minutes from the Canadian War Museum, the Canadian Museum of History, and the historical Chaudière Islands, inside, the workplace features telecommuter workstations, telecommuter workstations, sit-stand workstations, private phone booth, religious observance room, self-serve lunchroom, outdoor patio
Employee lounge amenities	comfortable seating
Onsite cafeteria	healthy menus, special diet menus

Work Atmosphere & Communications Rating: B

Past social events	National Public Service Week, Mental Health Week
Cultural aspects	business-casual dress daily, casual dress (e.g. jeans) daily, employee sports teams
Employee communications	company newsletter, traditional/email suggestion box
Other in-house communications	podcasts hosted by executives, "Two Cents" senior management blog

Financial Benefits & Compensation Rating: A

Long-term savings	defined-benefit (DB) pension
Long-term planning	retirement planning assistance, phased-in retirement work options
Additional financial benefits	year-end bonuses for some employees, workshops for employees and their spouses on the public service pension plan, financial planning, estate planning, and health and nutrition

Health & Family-Friendly Benefits Rating: A+

Health plan premium	as part of the health plan, the employer pays up to 50% of the premiums
Minimum hours worked for coverage	12 hours per week
Waiting period for coverage	60 days
Family coverage option	yes
Dental coverage	routine, restorative, orthodontics
Eyecare	$400 every 2 years
Paid sick days	employees receive 3 days off each year
Health plan includes	traditional coverage (e.g. prescription drugs), employee assistance (EAP) plan, semi-private hospital room, physiotherapy, medical travel insurance, medical equipment and supplies, massage therapy, podiatrist, osteopathy, chiropractor, alternative coverage (e.g. acupuncture, naturopathy)
Mental health practitioner benefit	up to $5,000 each year
Additional health and wellness initiatives	mental health learning path for all employees, wellness initiatives such as the Walk and Roll club (to encourage employees to move and get fresh air), hybrid fitness events, and Wellness Wednesday programming (chair yoga, board games, dance breaks and guided meditation)
Maternity top-up (mothers)	up to 93% of salary for 18 weeks
Parental top-up (mothers)	up to 93% of salary for 34 weeks
Parental top-up (fathers)	up to 93% of salary for 18 weeks
Adoption top-up	up to 93% of salary for 37 weeks
Additional family-friendly benefits	extended parental leave to unpaid leave, child care onsite
Additional family-friendly information	up to 37.5 hours of paid leave for family responsibilities per year (includes taking family members to medical appointments, providing care for a sick family member, and providing child care in the case of unforeseeable closure)

Vacation & Personal Time-Off Rating: B

Vacation note	Employment and Social Development Canada has multiple employee groups, vacation policies may vary by position
Vacation allowance	new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job
Vacation jump	vacation increases after 7 years of employment
Maximum vacation allowance	employees move to a maximum of 6 weeks of vacation over their career
Personal paid days off	employees can schedule 2 personal days off each year, as needed
Unpaid leave maximum	60 months
Self-funded/deferred salary leave maximum	3 months
Additional time-off information	paid education leave is provided at management's discretion (up to 52 weeks)

Employee Engagement & Performance Rating: B

Employee performance reviews	employees receive individual performance reviews every 6 months
Managers receive performance review training	yes
Confidential employee feedback	employees can also provide confidential feedback on their manager's performance
Exit interview	exit interview option is available for departing employees
Performance recognition	individual performance bonuses, peer-to-peer recognition awards, long-service awards, tailored and unique rewards (e.g. travel), Deputy Ministers' Awards of Excellence (celebrates employee employees who have performed above and beyond their regular duties to support the department's priorities), Assistant Deputy Minister Awards of Excellence (recognizes the performance and achievements of employees), Public Service Awards of Excellence (categories include excellence in profession, exemplary contribution under extraordinary circumstances, public sector values in the workplace, and outstanding career)

Training & Skills Development Rating: A

Career planning	online employee skills inventory
In-house training initiatives	apprenticeship/skilled trades programs, mentoring, in-house training, online training, leadership development programs, paid internships
Related tuition subsidies	employer covers up to 100% of tuition per year
Unrelated tuition subsidies	employer covers up to 100% of tuition per year for courses unrelated to current position
Unique training & development programs	College@ESDC initiative across all branches and regions, career mobility pilot project (employees and managers discuss career development paths and aspirations)

Community Involvement Rating: A

Scope of charitable involvement	local, national
Employee charitable involvement	employees are involved in selection of charities
Total number of charities supported last year	approximately 85,000 charitable and community organizations were supported last year
Some of the community organizations supported	United Way, Health Partners
Community highlight	Employment and Social Development Canada participates in the Government of Canada's Workplace Charitable Campaign, raising over $1.9-million in the past year

Recognized as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2025):

By Kristina Leung, Chantel Watkins, and Cypress Weston, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Feb 24, 2025)

Here are some of the reasons why Employment and Social Development Canada was selected as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2025):

Employment and Social Development Canada supports a dedicated Indigenous recruitment, retention and advancement team that ensures Indigenous perspectives inform the work of the organization, as well as a Black engagement and advancement team that focuses on career coaching, mentoring and sponsorship (to name a few)
Employment and Social Development Canada recently introduced a new two-year diverse leadership development program designed to increase representation in leadership roles -- participants of the program gain exposure to leadership networks, mentorship, developmental tools, and language training
Developed in consultation with employees, Employment and Social Development Canada supports a "Guide to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Employees who are Transitioning" -- the guide provides a comprehensive overview of what it means to be transgender, non-binary, two spirit and gender diverse, and provides employees and managers with guidance for various situations that may arise when transitioning

Employment and Social Development Canada team members

Highlights

Industry	Federal government, social development, employment insurance, passport services
Major Canadian locations	Ottawa ON, St. John's NL, Toronto ON, Victoria BC, Winnipeg MB, Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Bathurst NB, Dartmouth NS, Gatineau QC, Montréal QC
Full-time employees in Canada	40,482
Management of diversity and inclusion initiatives	champions who are responsible for communities of practice and networks, diversity and inclusion action plan (one pillar of the plan is to improve recruitment, retention, and advancement of employment equity groups), diversity outreach, recruitment, retention and advancement team (removes and prevents barriers for employment equity groups), council for Indigenous Peoples (meets monthly to discuss reconciliation with leaders and raise awareness of the labour program's mandate)
Performance management and accountability	employment equity dashboards are published at the portfolio and regional level on a quarterly basis to help inform gaps at the occupational group level and associated strategies to address them, inclusion and organizational culture survey (results presented to members of people management and the leadership committee)
Employee resource groups	Visible Minority Network, Employees with Disabilities Network, Pride Network (consultative body and safe forum for LGBTQ2+ employees and their allies to connect), Indigenous Employees' Circle, Black Employee Network, Women's Network
Noteworthy diversity strategies and policies	3-year accessibility plan and commitment to hiring over 1,100 persons with disabilities by 2025, 4-year diversity and inclusion action plan
Recruitment initiatives	dedicated Black engagement and advancement team (focuses on recruitment and retention, mental health, learning and awareness building, career coaching, mentorship and sponsorship), dedicated Indigenous recruitment, retention and advancement team (Indigenous-led unit that supports the organization's Indigenous recruitment strategy), IT apprenticeship program for Indigenous peoples (offered by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives), participates in the Federal Internship for Newcomers Program, the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities, and the Public Service Commission’s first ever post-secondary recruitment process targeting persons with disabilities, Indigenous talent resource centre
Retention and development programs	Indigenous peer support and onboarding program, Building Black Leaders program (created by Service Canada Atlantic Region and sponsored by the Atlantic Federal Council), group mentoring program for Indigenous and visible minority aspiring managers, pink career program (6-month coaching program for advancing women in IT), 2-year diverse leadership development program (designed to increase representation in leadership roles through networks, mentorship, developmental tools, and language training)
Training and awareness initiatives	unconscious bias training for managers, guide to support transgender and gender diverse employees who are transitioning, mental health learning paths

The Career Directory

Employment and Social Development Canada has been selected for The Career Directory, our guide to entry-level recruitment for recent college and university graduates.

Staff at Employment and Social Development Canada

Highlights for New Grads

Industry	Federal government, social development, employment insurance, passport services
Full-time employees in Canada	25,001 to 50,000
Major Canadian locations	Ottawa ON, St. John's NL, Toronto ON, Victoria BC, Winnipeg MB, Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Bathurst NB, Dartmouth NS, Gatineau QC, Montréal QC
Student opportunities	paid internships, summer jobs, co-op opportunities
Training	orientation program, online training, in-house training, mentoring, leadership training
Tuition subsidies (related to job)	yes
Typical new grad positions	Policy Analyst, IT Technician, Financial Analyst, Junior Researcher, Program Officer, Assistant, Communications Advisor, Data Analyst, Junior Evaluation Officer, Support Clerk
Starting salary	$50K to $55K
Work benefits	health benefits for new employees, flexible work hours
Vacation allowance	new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job

Academic fields recruited

Bachelor of Arts
- Archeology
- Architecture - Design/History
- Architecture - Landscape
- Business
- Criminology
- Economics
- English
- French
- Geography
- Graphic / Fine Arts
- History
- Human Resources
- Industrial Relations
- Journalism
- Languages (Other)
- Museum Studies
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Relations / Communications
- Recreation Studies
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Urban Geography / Planning

Recruits at these schools

Acadia University

Algoma University

Algonquin College

Assiniboine Community College

Athabasca University

Bishop's University

Bow Valley College

Brandon University

British Columbia Institute of Technology

Brock University

Cambrian College

Camosun College

Canadore College

Cape Breton University

Capilano University

Carleton University

Carlton Trail Regional College

Centennial College

Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick

College of New Caledonia

College of the North Atlantic

College of the Rockies

Concordia University

Conestoga College

Confederation College

Dalhousie University

Douglas College

Durham College

Eastern College

École de technologie supérieure

Emily Carr University of Art and Design

Fanshawe College

First Nations University of Canada

Fleming College

George Brown College

Georgian College

Grande Prairie Regional College

Great Plains College

HEC Montréal

Holland College

Humber College

Keyano College

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

La Cité collégiale

Lakehead University

Lakeland College

Lambton College

Langara College

LaSalle College

Laurentian University

Lethbridge College

Loyalist College

MacEwan University

McGill University

McMaster University

Medicine Hat College

Memorial University

Mohawk College

Mount Allison University

Mount Royal University

Mount Saint Vincent University

New Brunswick Community College

Niagara College Canada

Nicola Valley Institute of Technology

Nipissing University

NorQuest College

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology

Northern College

Northern Lights College

North Island College

Northlands College

Northwest Community College

Nova Scotia College of Art and Design

Nova Scotia Community College

Nunavut Arctic College

OCAD University

Okanagan College

Olds College

Oulton College

Parkland College

Polytechnique Montréal

Portage College

Queen's University

Red Deer College

Red River College

Rocky Mountain College

Royal Roads University

Saint Mary's University

Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies

Saskatchewan Polytechnic

Selkirk College

Seneca College

Sheridan College

Simon Fraser University

Southeast College

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

St. Clair College

St. Francis Xavier University

St. Lawrence College

St. Mary's University

St. Thomas University

The Michener Institute of Education at UHN

Thompson Rivers University

Toronto Metropolitan University

Trent University

Trinity Western University

Université de Moncton

Université de Montréal

Université de Saint-Boniface

Université de Sherbrooke

Université du Québec

Université du Québec à Montréal

Université Laval

Université Sainte-Anne

University College of the North

University of Alberta

University of British Columbia

University of Calgary

University of Guelph

University of King's College

University of Lethbridge

University of Manitoba

University of New Brunswick

University of Northern British Columbia

University of Ontario Institute of Technology

University of Ottawa

University of Prince Edward Island

University of Regina

University of Saskatchewan

University of the Fraser Valley

University of Toronto

University of Victoria

University of Waterloo

University of Windsor

University of Winnipeg

Vancouver Community College

Vancouver Island University

Visual College of Art and Design of Vancouver

Western University

Wilfrid Laurier University

York University

Employment and Social Development Canada

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