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Make a difference! Become a Correctional Officer I (cfp-psc.gc.ca)
We offer permanent and full-time positions, full training including an allowance, competitive salaries, excellent benefits including a pension plan, and opportunities for employment across Canada.


To get the right people in the right job, at the right time and at the right place, CSC uses a merit-based selection process that ensures:

Eligibility requirements to work for CSC

Persons residing in Canada and Canadian citizens and Permanent residents abroad can work for CSC. If you are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident but are still interested in working in Canada, you can find more information here:

You can also find more information about immigrating to Canada here:

CSC's hiring process

CSC may look at your education, knowledge, experience, competencies, abilities and/or personal suitability for the job. CSC advertises its current job opportunities on the Government of Canada (GC) jobs site.

The selection process steps with CSC are:

  1. create a GC jobs account
  2. search for a job
  3. review the requirements of the position
  4. apply
  5. screening
  6. assessment
  7. pre-employment psychological and medical assessments (for correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions only)
  8. security screening
  9. Correctional Training Program (for correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions only)
  10. job offer provided (appointment)
     

There is a more detailed application process for the positions of correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw.

If you are interested in the correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions, you are encouraged to complete the self-assessment questionnaire before you apply. It will give you a better understanding of the job’s requirements and expectations. It describes day-to-day situations you might encounter on the job and can help determine if you’re the right fit.

These self-assessment questionnaires can help you decide if you are suited to be a:

Step 1: create a GC jobs account

You will need a GC jobs account to apply for a job opportunity that is advertised on the GC Jobs website. Follow these instructions to create your account:

Having an account also allows you to:

Note: The email address you use to create your account is a unique identifier. It helps us to maintain the confidentiality of your application. Therefore, two people cannot use the same email address to apply.

Step 2: search for a job

When you have a GC jobs account you can search CSC's job advertisements:

You can filter these lists by using the Refine search fields in the left-hand column.

Tip: You can sign up for e-mail alerts or create a saved search to simplify your job search. These functions are on the left-hand side of the GC jobs – Job Search page.

Step 3: review the requirements of the position

Review information about the position extensively before you apply to CSC. The requirements of the position are included in its advertisement on the GC jobs website. These requirements usually include:

You should also be aware that CSC's operating environment could present some complex challenges. This includes interaction with an offender population that may have:

Additional information for correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions

Correctional officers and primary workers/kimisinaw:

Various opportunities for career development are also available, such as:

Primary workers/ kimisinaws also have a caseload and perform case management functions.

Are you suitable for a correctional officer or primary worker/kimisinaw position?

These self-assessment questionnaires can help you decide if you are suited to be a:

Tip: You are encouraged to complete the self-assessment questionnaire before you apply. It will give you a better understanding of the job’s requirements and expectations. It describes day-to-day situations you might encounter on the job and can help determine if the position is a right fit for you. (The self-assessment questionnaire is not an official assessment tool used by CSC for hiring. Do not send this questionnaire with your application).

Other information about federal jobs

Before applying, you may also be interested in reviewing the:

Step 4: apply

You can apply for as many positions as you want. All positions require separate applications.

When you find a job advertisement that interests you, follow these steps to apply for the job:

  1. select the Apply online link in the advertisement: applying online allows you to:
    • quickly get all of the relevant information to the right people
    • update your profile at any time to ensure that your information is readily up-to-date
  2. complete each section in the list of Requirements
  3. select Submit application when you have completed all requirements
  4. to edit your application before the closing date, select Retrieve application
  5. after editing your application, repeat step 3 to resubmit your application

You must submit your application before the closing date and time indicated on the job advertisement. You are encouraged to complete and submit your application as soon as possible and not wait until the closing date. 

For information on alternate application procedures for persons with disabilities, or for Indigenous/Inuit persons living in remote areas, contact 1-800-645-5605.

Your application stays in the Submitted job applications section of your account until the closing date. After the closing date, your application moves to the Status of job applications page.

For information on the nearest public internet access location, you can call:

If you cannot access the internet in your area, contact the:

Tips for applying

Update your resume before you apply.

Pay particular attention to each job advertisement. The job advertisement may provide details about what to include in your application. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your suitability for the position. You must provide concrete and detailed examples to clearly demonstrate how you meet the education and experience requirements listed in the essential qualifications section. The screening board will not make any assumptions about your experience. It is not sufficient to say that you have the required qualifications or to list your current duties. The recommended approach is to use the wording of each experience criterion as a heading and then write one or two paragraphs demonstrating that you have the required experience and ensure that clear and accurate details are provided.

For additional information on how to apply for government of Canada jobs:

Step 5: screening

Applications are screened on areas such as area of selection, citizenship, education, occupational certification and experience where applicable.

If you are screened into the selection process, you may be contacted for further assessment.

For correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions: if selected for further assessment, you must complete and return the mandatory questionnaire. Afterwards, applications are further referred and considered based on organizational needs. Should your application be given further consideration, CSC will invite you to undergo various assessments. 

Step 6: assessment

CSC may use different forms of assessment to evaluate if you meet the requirements of the position. Written testing, interviews and reference checks are common forms of assessment used. For bilingual imperative positions that require proficiency in both official languages, English and French, you may be invited for second language evaluation. For more information:

Extra information for correctional officer positions

If selected for further assessment, correctional officer candidates will be invited to undergo the Situational Judgement Test.

Step 7: pre-employment psychological and medical assessments (for correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions only)

Pre-employment psychological assessments are reliable and valid predictors of personal suitability and job performance. Their objective is to evaluate specific personality characteristics that will ensure a candidate's suitability for correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions. Candidates will need to complete a questionnaire and then a structured clinical interview.

This assessment follows the standards of both the Canadian Psychological Association and American Psychological Association. Licensed clinical psychologists conduct the psychological assessments.

For correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions, there will also be a pre-placement medical assessment that will be administered to ensure that you meet the current standards for correctional officers in Canada. A physician designated by Health Canada completes an Occupational Health Assessment Report. This assessment evaluates your physical ability to perform the duties of a correctional officer or primary worker/kimisinaw. The doctor's decision determines if you are able to perform the physical duties of a correctional officer or primary worker/kimisinaw. Results are valid for 1 year.

Step 8: security screening

Candidates that have successfully passed the assessment phase may be asked to complete a Personnel Screening Consent and Authorization Form and fingerprinting. Candidates must also produce two (2) pieces of identification – foundational (record of birth, immigration of citizenship) and supporting (driver’s license or health card, record of marriage of name change).

Security screening involves the collection of personal information from individuals, with their informed consent, and verification from law enforcement and intelligence sources and other sources and methods to assess and individual’s reliability and loyalty to Canada.

Can I apply with a criminal record?

Anyone who is legally eligible to work in Canada can apply for a position with Correctional Service Canada. Applications from candidates that have a criminal record are considered based on factors such as for the position applied for, the date of the conviction and any mitigating information available.

Step 9: Correctional Training Program (CTP) (for correctional officer and primary worker/kimisinaw positions only)

Candidates will need to complete the Correctional Training Program (CTP).  This program is divided into three stages:

CTP content includes technical and theoretical components such as:

During the third stage of the Correctional Training Program (CTP), recruits receive an allowance* of $400/week, up to a maximum of $5,600 for 14 weeks. This allowance, paid bi-weekly, is in addition to the meals and lodging provided to recruits during stage 3. Administrative procedures for payment of the allowance are initiated upon arrival at the Training Academy.

*Individuals who receive a salary as a public servant are not eligible. Recruits who already receive a salary or financial compensation through another program while they participate in CTP are responsible to inform the parties concerned.

Stages of CTP

CSC divides CTP into three stages:

Stage 1: online learning

Stage 1 is an online program consisting of about 80 hours of learning done in four weeks. The online learning activities orient a new candidate to:

This stage is accessible via an external website.

If you successfully complete all steps of the assessment, including stage 1, you may be selected to participate in Stages 2 and 3 of CTP based on CSC organizational and hiring needs. If selected you will get a conditional offer of employment indicating where you will be working if you successfully complete stage three of CTP.

The following conditions of employment and occupational certification must be met and maintained during employment:

Note: If your license expires, is removed or suspended during the CTP you must immediately notify CSC.

Stage 2: pre-session learning activities (online and reading material)

Stage 2 is an online program of about 40 hours of learning done in three to four weeks. This stage encompasses learning activities that prepare the recruits to effectively engage in the practical application and skill development components of Stage 3. Candidates must complete these learning activities virtually via the external website before attending the in-class portion at one of the CTP training locations.

Stage 3: in-class training at a CSC training location

Stage 3 is delivered at one of the designated training locations and is approximately fourteen (14) weeks in duration.

During this stage, the focus is on acquiring skills and putting into practice the knowledge acquired in the first two stages. Stage 3 emphasizes the development of judgment and assessment of the level of risk, to engage and intervene with offenders in the most effective and humane way possible. Much of Stage 3 is devoted to decision-based training (scenarios) in which trainers and/or recruits play different roles in simulation areas. The various scenarios are designed to replicate different situations that may occur in a correctional facility. The simulation areas resemble a real correctional environment as closely as possible.

During stage 3, you will be evaluated on technical and theoretical components and must achieve the specified minimum score prescribed for each evaluation.

Candidates will also be evaluated on the following competencies:

If you are an Indigenous candidate, you may be eligible for an allowance for your participation in the CTP Stage-3 through an Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Strategy (ISET) stakeholder. For more information on how to access training support dollars, please consult the following website to access a service delivery organization at:

Step 10: job offer provided (appointment)

CSC may present you with a letter of offer of employment if you:

This letter of offer confirms the start date and location of employment as well as all terms and conditions of employment.

Relocation assistance

CSC may offer relocation assistance to employees who need to move to live within a reasonable distance of their work location. The amount equals up to $5,000 for moving expenses. For details, refer to:

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