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Cyclical Review - Foreign Service Directives – April 1, 2025

March 4, 2025

Communiqué - 2025 Cyclical Review of the Foreign Service Directives

The National Joint Council (NJC) is pleased to announce that the consultations led by the NJC Foreign Service Directives (FSD) Committee have resulted in a new version of the Foreign Service Directives. The NJC FSD Committee is composed of representatives from the Federal Public Service Bargaining Agents, the Employer and departments. The provisions of the FSD form part of the collective agreements of the participating parties under the By-Laws of the National Joint Council. The Executive Committee wishes to thank all members of the Foreign Service Directives Committee for their effort and commitment in this important review.

Implementation Date

The new version of the Foreign Service Directives is effective April 1, 2025.

Information

The full text of the FSD is available on the NJC website: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/fsd-dse/en

Highlights of the changes are presented below.

Questions and Answers are available in the "Communiqués" section of the NJC website: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/communique/25/905/en

It is important to note that many changes were made throughout the FSD to provide greater clarity, to simplify language and to ensure consistency. A detailed listing of all changes is available on the NJC website: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/communique/25/904/en

Enquiries

Employees should address any questions to their Designated Departmental FSD Coordinators or their bargaining agent.

Highlights of Changes

New Provisions

The following new provisions have been added:

  • General Section – Payment of expenses in exceptional circumstances – Provisions were added for the deputy head to consider payment of expenses in exceptional circumstances which may not be specifically identified in the FSD but which meet the intent and respect the principles of the FSD.
  • FSD 15 – Flexible Relocation Expenses Fund – New subsections 15.1.8 to 15.1.11 - A flexible relocation expenses fund may be created in accordance with the new Appendix G of FSD 15 – Relocation where an employee opts not to use or limit the use of one or more of the following provisions: storage of household effects, shipment of household effects, storage or shipment of a vehicle, and business class travel if applicable. The intent of the flexible fund is to support the employee’s relocation to the new place of duty by allowing other relocation expenses which are not otherwise payable under the FSD or for which amounts may not be sufficient for an employee’s personal situation. Admissible relocation expenses are specified in subsection 15.1.10.
  • FSD 49 – FSD Travel Bank - Amounts relating to the following travel allowances may now be provided at the commencement of the assignment, and ongoing as applicable, in an FSD Travel Bank: FSD 50 – Post Travel Assistance, FSD 51 – Family Reunion and FSD 56.11 – Post Specific Allowance. Employees must use FSD 50 and FSD 51 allowances for the intended purpose and certify the use of these allowances as applicable. Once certified, subsequent allowances will be issued.
  • FSD 58.5.1(e) – Additional Allowance due to Extraordinary Conditions - A new provision was added providing the authority, in case of an emergency, to a deputy head to establish or adjust a temporary post rating level in an extreme situation due to unexpected active hostilities or natural disaster, without the recommendation of the appropriate interdepartmental foreign service coordinating committee, where the Interdepartmental Hardship Post Committee cannot immediately assign a temporary post rating level. The rating level would require a full review by the Interdepartmental Hardship Post Committee within three months of the temporary post rating level being established.

Changes by FSD

General

  • General Section – Payment of expenses in exceptional circumstances – Provisions were added for the deputy head to consider payment of expenses in exceptional circumstances which may not be specifically identified in the FSD but which meet the intent and respect the principles of the FSD.

FSD 2 – Definitions

  • A new definition was added for the following terms:
    • Accommodation
    • Actively marketed
    • Actual and reasonable expenses
    • Dependent adult child
    • Unaccompanied basis

FSD 3 – Application

  • A new section 3.13 – Application of the FSD Provisions for an Employee or Dependant with a Disability or Special Needs was added to provide a list of FSD provisions which may apply for an employee or a dependant with a disability or special needs.

FSD 15 - Relocation

  • Subsection 15.20.8 – Househunting Trip was amended to refer to the provisions of FSD 56.11.5 – Post Specific Allowance to cover expenses for another person to accompany an employee on a house hunting trip or consider using funds received while at post via FSD 56.11.1 to cover expenses for another person to accompany them on a house hunting trip in Canada.
  • Subsection 15.23.1 relating to living expenses in temporary accommodation was amended to include situations where shipments have mold damage, and an employee cannot remain in the accommodation.
  • New subsection 15.26.6 outlines the relocation provisions of FSD 15 which apply when an employee relocates to or from a location which is not the place of duty.
  • New subsection 15.26.7 outlines the relocation provisions of FSD 15 which do not apply when an employee relocates to or from a location which is not the place of duty.

FSD 16 – Assistance for a Principal Residence

  • The maximum amount for a house inspection was removed from the directive and added to a new Appendix A of FSD 16. The amount increased from $300 to $500 to align with the NJC Relocation Directive. The amount in Appendix A will be amended as required if the amount changes under the NJC Relocation Directive.
  • Section 16.12 was amended to clarify that the amounts and rates which can be claimed for mortgage related expenses are specified in a new Appendix B of FSD 16 – Assistance for a Principal Residence.

FSD 17 – Assistance for Spouses

  • The provisions of paragraph 17.2.1(a) pertaining to the claiming of an allowance to assist in finding employment following a relocation were expanded from within one year of the relocation to three years.
  • The provisions of subsection 17.3.1 regarding the reimbursement for retraining for professional certification were expanded from one year prior to departure from Canada to within three years and the period of when retraining must have commenced was expanded from 12 months to 24 months.

FSD 25 – Shelter

  • Language was added as new subsection 25.1.6 to address situations where two employees at the same post share joint custody of one or more dependants, allowing for the employee who is not receiving benefits for the dependants to opt for electing a household size to recognize the dependants residing at the post full-time.
  • The provisions of FSD 28 – Safe Storage Expense Benefit During a Temporary Absence from Post were incorporated into new section 25.15.

FSD 30 – Post Transportation and Related Expenses

  • Language was added at the end of subsection 30.7.1 on Education Transportation to specify that the Directive applies for the education transportation of a dependent child with disabilities who needs accessible transportation.

FSD 32 – Daycare Assistance

  • Language was adjusted in section 32.3 – Daycare Allowance to reflect the revised methodology which was agreed to outside of cyclical review.

FSD 33 – Education Assistance at a Lycée in Canada

  • A new subsection 33.1.4 was added to clarify that only one employee of an employee couple may claim under FSD 33 and that the limitation specified in section 33.2 – Duration applies to the child.

FSD 34 – Education Allowances

  • A new subsection 34.5.3 was added to specify that where a request for an allowance for a field trip has not been authorized under subsection 34.1.4, the expenses incurred may be used to certify the use of FSD 50 – Post Travel Assistance.
  • A new section 34.10 – Allowance for Special Needs was added to provide an authority for an allowance for special needs.

FSD 35 – Education Travel

  • A new subsection 35.4.7 was added to recognize specific situations where the parent cannot travel with the student on education travel and allow the parent to travel separately within five calendar days of the student’s departure from post.

FSD 39 – Health Care Expenses

  • Language in subsection 39.1.6 was amended to include coverage for anesthesia services.
  • New language was added as subsection 39.1.10 to include that in certain situations when co-payment for vaccination is charged to the employee, it can be reimbursed under the provisions of FSD 39.

FSD 41 – Health Care Travel

  • New language was added to the introduction to include that in certain situations the provisions of FSD 15 – Relocation may apply to an employee or dependant that has travelled away from the post under the provisions of FSD 41, recognizing that the employee or dependant may not return to post.
  • A new subsection 41.1.10 was added to include a provision where an acute or emergency condition requires follow-up treatments, the provisions of FSD 41 can be applied, subject to subsection 41.1.2.
  • The provisions of section 41.6 – Health Care Travel Allowance to Attend the Birth of a Child were moved to a new section 51.14 of FSD 51 – Family Reunion and section 41.6 was deleted.

FSD 45 – Foreign Service Travel Credit Bank and Foreign Service Leave Credit Bank

  • This directive was deleted as transitional provisions in the 2019 FSD liquidated all remaining credits. The Directive is no longer needed.

FSD 50 – Post Travel Assistance

  • The language in subsection 50.8.1 – Change in Family Size was adjusted to address circumstances under which an allowance can be issued when a dependant arrives at post during the assignment.
  • A new provision was added as subsection 50.11.3 to provide authority in exceptional circumstances for the allowance to be used at post. Such situations could include a pandemic or other exceptional circumstances.

FSD 51 – Family Reunion

  • New subsection 51.3.3 was added to indicate that a minimum amount of time is not required between trips for family reunions and that if the dependant’s status changes during a 12-month period, the deputy head can recover funds.
  • The provisions under section 41.6 – Attending the Birth of a Child were integrated into a new subsection 51.14.1.
  • Provisions were added in new subsection 51.14.2 for adoption, including surrogacy.

FSD 54 – Compassionate Travel

  • A new provision was added as subsection 54.16.2 to allow authority to provide an additional amount when an employee or dependants incur additional expenses due to exceptional circumstances such as a quarantine requirement because of a public health measure.

FSD 56 – Foreign Service Incentive Allowances

  • Subsection 56.9.1 was amended to resume the foreign service premium following the temporary absence of a dependant on the first day following the return of the dependant to the post in lieu of the residence. This is to take into account situations where the dependant may be subject to a quarantine period during a public health situation.

FSD 58 – Post Differential Allowance

  • The language in subsection 58.5.1 was amended to include the possibility of implementing more than one measure in the event of extraordinary conditions arising out of active hostilities and/or natural disasters at a post.
  • A new paragraph 58.5.1(e) was added to provide an additional authority to the deputy head to establish or adjust a temporary post rating level without the recommendation of the interdepartmental coordinating committee, with a requirement for review within three months and a reporting requirement.
  • A new subsection 58.6.4 was added to clarify that when an employee or a dependant is absent from the post for a continuous period of more than 25 compensation days and must quarantine at a location other than the post, the Post Differential Allowance will resume on the first compensation day following the commencement of the quarantine period rather than the return to the employee’s post.

FSD 64 – Emergency Evacuation

  • Language was added to subsection 64.5.1 – Accountable Advance for Purchase of Essential Household Effects to clarify that authorization is considered on a case-by-case basis. Further clarification was added in subsection 64.5.1 to specify that subsection 64.10.2 – Compensation for Loss/Damage refers both to compensation and recovery of advances.
  • Language was added to subsection 64.7.1 – Safeguarding of Employees’ Household Effects to clarify that the provisions may be applied for employees who are evacuated as well as those who remain at post.

FSD 66 – Death Abroad of an Employee or Dependant

  • New language was added as subsection 66.1.4 – Application, outlining the various FSD provisions which may be impacted, invoked, or revoked when there is a death abroad of an employee or a dependant.