Front-line officers and staff in operational roles at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are not eligible to apply for the early retirement incentive (ERI) being offered as part of a plan to trim the size of the federal public service.
Approximately 68,000 notices were issued to federal public servants last December, informing them they could be eligible to retire early with no penalty. As of April 17, 4,788 federal public servants have applied for the early retirement incentive.
The federal government’s 2025 budget outlined a plan to cut the size of the federal public service by 28,000 positions by 2029, including 12,000 employees and 350 executive positions cut through attrition and early retirement packages.
RCMP
The RCMP tells CTV News Ottawa regular or civilian members are not eligible for the ERI, which includes police officers and specialized civilian members hired under the RCMP Act.
Public service employees with the RCMP are eligible to apply for the early retirement incentive.
The RCMP says in addition to age, pensionable service and years of employment eligibility for the early retirement incentive, the RCMP commissioner is required to attest that:
- the organization needs to reduce its workforce
- services to Canadians will be maintained
- current and future operational or business needs will continue to be met
“The RCMP will review all ERI applications in accordance with the established criteria,” an RCMP spokesperson said in a statement on Friday. “Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, ensuring a fair, consistent and transparent review process.”
As part of the federal government’s comprehensive expenditure review, the RCMP plans to eliminate 63 employees and 13 executive positions at its national headquarters in Ottawa. The RCMP told CTV News Ottawa in March that 285 employees received affected letters, “signaling their area of work is being impacted.”
Canada Border Services Agency
Canada Border Services Agency employees working on the front line at the border or inland, or in “other operational roles” with the agency “will not be considered for early retirement incentive program,” according to the CBSA.
Employees in operational roles not eligible to apply for the ERI include enforcement, intelligence, risk assessment, national screening, trade compliance and certain IT and science positions.
The CBSA tells CTV News Ottawa that early retirement incentive applications from employees in non-operational areas “may be accepted on a case-by-case basis as the agency ensures the organization remains well positioned to meet its responsibilities.”
Frontline CBSA officers may be eligible to retire through the expanded Operational Service Early Retirement Program, which allows eligible members to retire at any age with 25 years of “actual operational service” with no penalty, according to the CBSA.
The federal government has committed to hiring up to 1,000 new border officers as part of a $1.3 billion border plan that was announced in 2024.
The Canada Border Services Agency has said it plans to reduce its workforce by 330 employees and 18 executives through the comprehensive expenditure review. In February, 708 employees received workforce adjustment notices.
The early retirement incentive plan
The federal government says to be eligible for early retirement, public servants must meet the following parameters on the day they retire.
Group 1: Members who joined the public service pension plan on or before Dec. 31, 2012, and who:
- Are at least 50 years old
- Have at least two years of pensionable service
- Have at least 10 years of employment in the public service
Group 2: Members who joined the public service pension plan on or after Jan. 1, 2013, and who:
- Are at least 55 years old
- Have at least two years of pensionable service
- Have at least 10 years of employment in the public service
According to the government’s website, meeting the eligibility parameters for the Early Retirement Incentive “does not guarantee you will be approved.”
“Your Deputy Head (or equivalent) will review your application to confirm whether the following Treasury Board-approved criteria have been met — the organization needs to reduce its workforce, services to Canadians will be maintained, and current and future operational or business needs will continue to be met.”
As part of the early retirement incentive, employees must retire no later than Jan. 20, 2027.
