Toronto/CMEDIA: As Service Canada reportedly reduces its workforce in anticipation of a decrease in passport applications, approximately 800 jobs are being eliminated at the passport office by the end of June.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) was reported to say that the impacted term employees will be at Service Canada offices across Canada.
“This decision was necessary and not taken lightly,” an ESDC spokesperson said in an email Friday night.
“As a federal department, ESDC has an obligation to ensure sound fiscal management throughout the organization based on forecasted workload volumes. Revenues must be balanced with costs, including costs for employee salaries.”
Service Canada continually assesses workforce levels to “align with forecasted volumes, to ensure adequate staffing capacity for processing,” The Service Canada spokesperson said.
“As a cost recovery program, Service Canada’s workforce levels for the Passport Program is being aligned as of the end of June 2025 to a decreased volume of passport applications now being forecasted by IRCC for 2025-26,” the spokesperson said.
“Nationally, approximately 800 term employees will be impacted by the reduced passport application forecast…As a result, impacted employees are located throughout the national network. All impacted employees are currently being notified and are being provided direct support.“
Since April 1, 99 per cent of completed passport applications were processed within the service standard, Service Canada said.
“Service Canada has measures in place to monitor performance against service standards, respond to unforeseen surges, and adapt to changing client needs,” a spokesperson for the department said.
This is the second job cuts announcement of the federal public service this week.
The Canada Revenue Agency informed employees on Thursday that up to 280 positions will be eliminated as part of “workforce adjustments.”
The agency also said that the reductions would mainly impact positions in Ottawa and Gatineau.
