Recognized as one of National Capital Region's Top Employers (2024):
Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Feb 5, 2024)
Here are some of the reasons why Health Canada / Santé Canada was selected as one of National Capital Region's Top Employers (2024):
- Health Canada supports upward career mobility through a number of professional development opportunities, including secondments, micro-missions (short-term assignments to help employees expand their skills or knowledge), and a new government-wide mentorship program to encourage employees to establish a connection with individuals working at other entities
- Health Canada honours individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the department through instant awards and deputy minister awards for excellence in a variety of categories (leadership, innovation and creativity, science, young professional, and workplace well-being, to name a few)
- Health Canada manages an internal Solutions Fund initiative, enabling employees to receive funding to develop and implement projects that will improve the health and safety of Canadians, while also enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization
Highlights
Industry | Federal government, administration of public health programs |
Established in Canada | 1919 |
Parent company | Government of Canada |
Parent company head office | Ottawa ON |
Major Canadian locations | Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Longueuil QC, Burnaby BC, Ottawa ON, Halifax NS, Winnipeg MB, Toronto ON, Montréal QC |
Full-time employees in Canada | 9,937 |
Part-time employees in Canada | 215 |
Average age of employees in Canada | 43 years |
Longest serving employee | 49 years |
Flexible work options | hybrid work option, flexible work hours, compressed work week, shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), telecommuting |
Long-term savings | defined-benefit (DB) pension |
Health plan premium | as part of the health plan, the employer pays up to 100% of the premiums |
Mental health practitioner benefit | up to $2,500 each year |
Maternity top-up (mothers) | up to 93% of salary for 15 weeks |
Parental top-up (mothers) | up to 93% of salary for 37 weeks |
Parental top-up (fathers) | up to 93% of salary for 37 weeks |
Adoption top-up | up to 93% of salary for 37 weeks |
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |
Employee performance reviews | employees receive individual performance reviews every 6 months |
In-house training initiatives | apprenticeship/skilled trades programs, in-house training, online training, mentoring, leadership development programs, paid internships |
Tuition subsidies (related to job) | yes |
Employee charitable involvement | employees are involved in selection of charities, employees receive paid time off to volunteer, (up to 1 paid day) |
Recognized as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2024):
Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Jan 22, 2024)
Here are some of the reasons why Health Canada / Santé Canada was selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2024):
- Health Canada manages the Solutions Fund, a unique departmental initiative that allows employees to identify, develop and implement projects that will improve the health and safety of Canadians
- Health Canada's Young Professionals Network hosts various events throughout the year for onboarding and networking, with a focus on supporting professional development, equipping current and future leaders, and amplifying the voices of early-career staff -- the network also hosts the MegaConnex event, providing students with opportunities to network with senior executives and share their experiences
- Health Canada also maintains a student bridging inventory that provides hiring managers with a pool of recent graduates with federal government experience to be considered for permanent roles (includes past participants in the Federal Student Work Experience Program, co-op opportunities and research affiliate programs)
Highlights
Industry | Federal government, administration of public health programs |
Major Canadian locations | Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Longueuil QC, Burnaby BC, Ottawa ON, Halifax NS, Winnipeg MB, Toronto ON, Montréal QC |
Full-time employees in Canada | 9,937 |
Student opportunities | summer jobs, co-op opportunities |
In-house training programs | orientation program, in-house training, online training, in-house career planning services, mentoring, leadership training, apprenticeship/skilled trades programs |
Tuition subsidies (related to job) | yes |
Unique training and development opportunities | paid internship opportunities include assignments, secondments, and micro-missions, student orientation guide (recently adapted to reflect work-from-home reality), Take Me With You initiative (employees can ask managers and peers to attend meetings that relate to interests, career goals and files) |
Additional highlights | participates in the Federal Internship for Newcomers Program and Federal Student Work Experience Program, Research Affiliate Program placements provide part-time opportunities for students to conduct innovative research, participates in the Post-Secondary Co-operative Education and Internship Program, Science Management Development Program (opportunities for employees with science backgrounds to broaden their work experience and leadership development), RISE student hiring inventory (database of students who have completed or are completing a period of employment through the Federal Student Work Experience program, co-op, or internship) |
Dedicated employee resource group | Young Professionals Network, Leadership for All Community of Practice (over 6,000 members from multiple departments and agencies, objectives are to inform management of employee needs, build leadership skills, and encourage employees to exercise leadership in their roles) |
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |
Recognized as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2024):
By Kristina Leung and Stephanie Leung, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Mar 4, 2024)
Here are some of the reasons why Health Canada / Santé Canada was selected as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2024):
- Health Canada launched its Accessibility Passport in 2019, which has since been adopted across the public service to help employees identify accommodation needs and support requirements -- the organization also established its first accessibility plan, with objectives and commitments for action in eight areas (employment, built environment, information and communication technologies, communications, procurement of goods, services and facilities, design and delivery of programs and services, transportation, and culture)
- Health Canada executives have formal diversity and inclusion commitments embedded in their performance agreements, including commitments to advancing anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion in the public service, implementing the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and applying a "by default" approach to the implementation of the public service accessibility strategy and the Accessible Canada Act
- Health Canada maintains three dedicated programs to support Indigenous employees at every stage of their career progression -- initiatives include an Aboriginal employee supports program (training and learning opportunities for Indigenous employees), dedicated career management services, and a management development program to help prepare high potential employees for careers in the executive cadre
Highlights
Industry | Federal government, administration of public health programs |
Major Canadian locations | Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Longueuil QC, Burnaby BC, Ottawa ON, Halifax NS, Winnipeg MB, Toronto ON, Montréal QC |
Full-time employees in Canada | 9,937 |
Management of diversity and inclusion initiatives | equity, diversity and inclusion office created in 2022, leadership council on diversity and inclusion, dedicated champion responsible for diversity and inclusiveness initiatives, senior executive diversity and inclusion champions (promote accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion within employee networks) |
Performance management and accountability | voluntary self-identification and applicant data, branches can access an interactive employment equity dashboard (updated monthly) to identify gaps and address them in HR planning, supervisors, managers and executives have commitments and performance objectives related to creating healthy, respectful, inclusive, safe, and productive work environments |
Employee resource groups | Indigenous Employees' Network, Persons with Disabilities Network, Gender and Sexual Diversity Network, Visible Minorities Network, Young Professionals Network, Black Employees Matter Network, Jewish Employees Network |
Noteworthy diversity strategies and policies | extensive mental health and wellness strategy, each branch supports a mental health and workplace wellness action plan, created a Workplace Wellness Service Centre (provides case management services, tools, resources and single window access to services related to disability management, duty to accommodate and occupational health and safety), sex and gender-based analysis plus policy and action plan |
Recruitment initiatives | established recruitment leads and staffing targets for all specialty groups such as veterans, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, racialized and other equity seeking groups, provides training on inclusive recruitment for managers and HR advisors, also offers a guide on assessing candidates with disabilities, works with LiveWorkPlay to provide employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in each branch, participates in the Employment Opportunities for Students with Disabilities initiative, the Indigenous Student Employment Opportunity program, and the Federal Internship for Newcomers Program |
Retention and development programs | Aboriginal Management Development Program (helps employees prepare for careers in the executive cadre by enhancing leadership skills and broadening experience), Aboriginal Career Management for Employees program (provides job training, coaching, workshops and guided self-assessments to help employees build competencies to advance their skills), Aboriginal Employee Supports program (provides training and learning opportunities for Indigenous employees throughout the year, such as language training), mentorship plus pilot program for persons with disabilities, racialized people, Indigenous peoples and participants who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community (offered through the Treasury Board Secretariat’s new Centre for Diversity and Inclusion) |
Training and awareness initiatives | mental health first aid toolkit, formal guide on creating a safe workplace experience for Indigenous peoples, Black and other racialized individuals as well as a guide on supporting gender diversity in the workplace, 17th annual Diversity and Inclusion Week (event focused on creating a barrier-free workplace) |
Diversity highlights | equitable access to language training program (specifically for Indigenous peoples, racialized persons and persons with disabilities), Inclusion Matters podcast (topics include anti-racism, reconciliation, and gender diversity), Indigenous Employee Network collaborated with the corporate anti-racism and anti-discrimination team and other employee networks to develop changes to executive, manager and supervisor performance management agreements, which focus on reconciliation, anti-racism, anti-discrimination, diversity and inclusion |
The Career Directory
Health Canada / Santé Canada has been selected for The Career Directory, our guide to entry-level recruitment for recent college and university graduates.
Highlights for New Grads
Industry | Federal government, administration of public health programs |
Full-time employees in Canada | 5,001 to 10,000 |
Parent company | Government of Canada |
Parent company head office | Ottawa ON |
Major Canadian locations | Vancouver BC, Edmonton AB, Longueuil QC, Burnaby BC, Ottawa ON, Halifax NS, Winnipeg MB, Toronto ON, Montréal QC |
Student opportunities | summer jobs, co-op opportunities |
Training | subsidies for professional accreditation, orientation program, online training, in-house training, mentoring, in-house career planning services, leadership training |
Tuition subsidies (related to job) | yes |
Typical new grad positions | Biologist, Scientific Regulator, Chemist Policy Analyst, Program Officer, Financial Analyst, Computer Analyst, Communications Officer |
Starting salary | $55K to $60K |
Work benefits | health benefits for new employees, flexible work hours, telecommuting, employees receive paid time off to volunteer, (up to 1 paid day) |
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |
Academic fields recruited
-
Bachelor of Arts
- Business
- Criminology
- Economics
- English
- French
- Graphic / Fine Arts
- Human Resources
- Industrial Relations
- Journalism
- Languages (Other)
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Relations / Communications
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Urban Geography / Planning
-
Bachelor of Commerce / Business Administration
- Accounting
- Finance
- Hotel / Food Services
- Human Resources
- Information Systems
- Marketing
- Public Administration
-
Bachelor of Education
- Adult
- Counselling
- Physical & Health
- Special Needs
-
Bachelor of Engineering
- Biomedical Electronics
- Biotechnology
- Chemical
- Civil
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental
- Food Processing
- Industrial Chemistry
-
Bachelor of Laws
- Copyright / Patent
- Corporate
- Environmental
- Labour
-
Bachelor of Science
- Actuarial / Statistics
- Agriculture / Horticulture
- Animal Sciences / Medicine
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Dentistry
- Environmental
- Epidemiology
- Health Sciences
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Occupational Therapy
- Optometry / Ophthalmology
- Pharmacy
- Physical Therapy
- Physics
- Psychology
- Speech Pathology
- Zoology
-
Community College Diploma
- Accounting
- Animal Health
- Business
- Communications / Public Relations
- Computer Science
- Financial Planning
- Health Sciences (Other)
- Human Resources
- Marketing / Sales
- Nursing (RN)
- Nursing (RNA / RPN)
- Office Administration
- Secretarial
- Ultrasound Technician
-
Doctorate (Arts)
- Economics
- English
- French
- Geography
- History
- Languages (Other)
- Philosophy
- Psychology
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Urban Geography / Planning
-
Doctorate (Education)
- Administration
- Teaching
-
Doctorate (Eng.)
- Aerospace
- Biotechnology
- Chemical
- Civil
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental
- Geological
- Industrial Engineering
- Materials Science
- Mechanical
- Production / Manufacturing
- Telecommunications
-
Doctorate (Science)
- Actuarial / Statistics
- Animal Sciences / Veterinary Medicine
- Audiology
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Environmental
- Epidemiology
- Geology
- Gerontology
- Health Sciences
- Immunology
- Materials Science
- Mathematics
- Medical Doctor
- Metallurgy
- Meteorology / Climatology
- Microbiology
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Occupational Therapy / Kinesiology
- Pharmacy
- Physical Therapy
- Physics
- Psychology
- Speech Pathology
-
Master of Arts
- Archeology
- 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
- Recreation Studies
- Social Work
- Sociology
- Urban Geography / Planning
-
Master of Business Administration
- Accounting
- Finance
- Human Resources
- Information Systems
- Marketing
- Public Administration
-
Master of Education
- Administration
- Counselling
- Teaching
-
Master of Engineering
- Aerospace
- Agriculture
- Architectural / Building / Construction
- Automation / Robotics
- Biomedical Electronics
- Biotechnology
- Chemical
- Civil
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical
- Engineering Physics
- Environmental
- Food Processing
- Forestry
- Geological
- Industrial Chemistry
- Industrial Design
- Industrial Engineering
- Instrumentation
- Marine
- Materials Science
- Mechanical
- Microelectronics
- Mining
- Nuclear
- Pollution Treatment
- Power / Hydro
- Production / Manufacturing
- Pulp & Paper
- Surveying / Geomatics
- Telecommunications
- Transportation
- Water Resources
- Welding
-
Master of Science
- Actuarial / Statistics
- Agriculture / Horticulture
- Animal Sciences / Medicine
- Anthropology
- Audiology
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Dentistry
- Ecology
- Environmental
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
- Geology
- Gerontology
- Health Sciences
- Immunology
- Information Studies / Library Science
- Kinesiology
- Materials Science
- Mathematics
- Metallurgy
- Meteorology / Climatology
- Microbiology
- Nursing / Health Administration
- Nutrition
- Occupational Therapy
- Pharmacy
- Physical Therapy
- Physics
- Psychology
- Speech Pathology
- Zoology
-
Professional Accreditation
- Accounting (CA)
- Accounting (CGA)
- Accounting (CMA)
- Financial Planning (CFP, FMA)
- Human Resources (CHRP, CEBS)
- Microsoft Certifications
- Novell Certifications
- Purchasing Management (PMAC, CPP)
- Quality Assurance (TQM)
Recruits at these schools
- Acadia University
- Algonquin College
- Carleton University
- Dalhousie University
- Humber College
- La Cité collégiale
- Lakehead University
- McGill University
- Nova Scotia Community College
- Queen's University
- Red River College
- Seneca College
- Sheridan College
- Simon Fraser University
- Université de Montréal
- Université Laval
- University of Alberta
- University of British Columbia
- University of Calgary
- University of Guelph
- University of Manitoba
- University of Ottawa
- University of Toronto
- University of Victoria
- University of Waterloo
- Wilfrid Laurier University