Canada’s Free Agents: 1. About the program

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Get to know Canada’s Free Agent (CFA) Program, its history, and how you and your department can get involved.

Program overview

CFA is an innovative approach to talent mobility within the Government of Canada. This approach allows pre-qualified federal employees, known as “Free Agents,” to support Government of Canada departments quickly and easily with their work.

These Free Agents come from different personal and professional backgrounds, and leverage their experience, knowledge, and skills for projects of various duration across the federal public service. They are united by key personal attributes, including being quick learners, problem-solvers, and collaborators.

Free Agents are assigned to a Home Department that ensures they are talent managed and manages their pay and leave files, and they then move across the core public service as requested. Canada’s Free Agents Program operates on a cost-recovery basis. When Free Agents are on assignment, the departments where they are working are responsible for paying their salaries and some administrative costs to the Free Agent’s Home Department.

The program is supported by a small central team currently working out of Natural Resources Canada.

The CFA provides hiring managers with a vetted pool of skilled professionals beyond traditional staffing and professional service procurement methods. For participants, the program promises the flexibility to choose assignments that align with their skills and career growth, while receiving the support of a Home Department.

The CFA was inspired by Deloitte’s GovCloud model and started in May 2016 at Natural Resources Canada. Initially consisting of eight Free Agents, the program expanded to include more Home Departments and agents. It now features dozens of Free Agents who have completed hundreds of assignments in over 50 departments and agencies.

CFA Home Departments

CFA Home departments permanently house groups of 30 to 40 Free Agents (cells), who are then enabled to go on assignment in their home department or across the core public service.

The Home Department ensures that Free Agents are supported by a Talent Manager that liaises with the host organization to ensure that assignments are a winning combination and that all HR processes are in place for the Free Agent’s assignment. The Talent Manager’s role is to manage the Free Agent in their professional development journey through regular coaching, advice and training and development opportunities.

Current CFA Home Departments are:

  • Natural Resources Canada
  • Treasury Board Secretariat

Should your department be interested in exploring how it could become a partner in the program and host Free Agent positions, please contact us at the coordinates below.

Contact information

For more information, contact us at: freeagents-agentslibres@canada.ca and follow us on Canada’s Free Agents | LinkedIn to see our agents at work.

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