Understanding the Recruiting Process

If you are interested in pursuing the Militia opportunity, we will refer you to the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre. Recruiting Centre personnel will oversee your enrolment process. We will help you complete all the documentation required for your application.

The following is a general outline of what you can expect during the process.

Conditional Offer of Enrolment

Enrolment processing will be carried out in the official language of your choice.

The Recruiting Centre will complete an enrolment application form with your help. You will then be asked to write a general learning aptitude test and, if you are successful, they will make you a conditional offer of enrolment.

This offer of enrolment is conditional only, and is based on the information available to the Recruiting Centre at the time it is made. If you are unable to meet any of the conditions set out in the offer, or if you change your mind, you will not be enrolled. You are free to accept or reject the offer. Acceptance of it does not bind you to enrolment in the Canadian Forces, or the Forces to enrol you. It simply allows you and the Canadian Forces to proceed with the process of determining whether or not we have the career for you.

Documentation

If you accept the conditional offer, the Recruiting Centre will request you to provide:

proof of previous military service (Regular, Reserve, cadet, or foreign), if applicable;
proof of trade training or qualifications, if applicable;
official transcripts of school marks, diploma, or degree, equated to the Canadian school system;
Social Insurance Number (SIN);
birth certificate (and those of any dependents you may have);
proof of marriage, if applicable; and
proof of citizenship or permanent residency status, if you were not born in Canada.

It could take some time to obtain these documents from official sources. You should start to obtain them early in the application process. Failure to provide these documents prior to your scheduled enrolment date could cause a delay or postponement of your enrolment.

Your Social Insurance Number is required to comply with legislation including the Income Tax Act, Canada Pension Plan, and the Employment Insurance Act. You cannot be enrolled without a Social Insurance Number.

Reliability Check

The security policy of the Canadian government requires a reliability check for all its employees. This policy is applicable to all government departments, including the Canadian Forces.

The reliability check will only be conducted with your consent. (Parental or guardian consent is required for applicants under 18 years of age.) However, if you do not give your consent (you will be asked to sign a Consent to the Disclosure of Personal Information form), your application will not be considered further.

Processing

Further processing includes:

for non-officer applicants, a series of aptitude tests to allow the Recruiting Centre to better evaluate which military occupations would best suit you;
a medical examination;
an interview with a Military Career Counsellor who will discuss, among other things:
- your background;
- your education;
- your attitude;
- your aptitudes;
- your employment preferences;
- the military occupations available
for officer applicants, examination by an environmental assessment/selection board.

Enrolment

Upon successful completion of your enrolment procedure at the Recruiting Centre, your file will be sent to your chosen unit for final selection. If selected, the unit will contact you with details concerning your formal enrolment ceremony. Your relatives and friends are encouraged to attend this ceremony.

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Last updated 23 June 2002.