Approximately 800 jobs are being eliminated at the passport office by the end of June, as Service Canada reduces its workforce in anticipation of a decrease in passport applications.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) tells CTV News Ottawa 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.”
The spokesperson says Service Canada continually assesses workforce levels to “align with forecasted volumes, to ensure adequate staffing capacity for processing.”
“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. Service Canada serves Canadians in every province and territory across Canada. As a result, impacted employees are located throughout the national network. All impacted employees are currently being notified and are being provided direct support.“
Service Canada says since April 1, 99 per cent of completed passport applications are processed within the service standard.
“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 announcement of job cuts in the federal public service this week. On Thursday, the Canada Revenue Agency informed employees that up to 280 positions will be eliminated as part of “workforce adjustments,” with the reductions mainly impacting positions in Ottawa and Gatineau.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mark Carney released his mandate letter to Canada’s Ministry, outlining seven priorities. The seventh priority on the list was, “Spending less on government operations so that Canadians can invest more in the people and businesses that will build the strongest economy in the G7.”
The Liberal Party platform released during the federal election campaign said the party is committed to “capping, not cutting public service employment.” The party promised a “comprehensive review of government spending in order to increase the federal government‘s productivity.”
