FSD 32 - Day care assistance
Introduction
In recognition of the high costs of daycare at many missions, for which the Post Living Allowance does not provide compensation, this directive provides an allowance to assist single or working parents with the costs of enrolling children in accredited daycare or day-nursery institutions, which are in excess of costs for similar facilities in Ottawa. (For the purposes of this directive, the terms daycare and day-nursery are synonymous.)
Directive 32
Coverage
32.01 This directive provides assistance to employees at missions who are single parents or whose spouse or common-law partner is working at mission for:
(a) Infants (less than 18 months) enrolled in accredited daycare programs exceeding a cost of $1,447 per month (the deductible), in accordance with Section 32.04;
(b) Toddlers (18 months to less than 2½ years) enrolled in accredited daycare programs exceeding a cost of $1,241 per month (the deductible), in accordance with Section 32.04;
(c) Preschool-aged children (2½ years and over) enrolled in accredited daycare programs exceeding a cost of $935 per month (the deductible), in accordance with Section 32.04;
(d) Preschool-aged children (2 ½ years and over) enrolled in an educational institution, such as a Lycée outside Canada, exceeding a cost of $935 per month (the deductible), in accordance with Section 32.04.
(e) Assistance terminates when the child reaches the age for full-time enrolment in school.
(f) Employees who qualify for daycare support under Section 32.04 may receive a prorated allowance based on the number of half-day periods the child is enrolled in any given month. Half-day periods correspond to morning or afternoon periods on workdays. The full monthly deductible reflects the total number of half-day periods within that given month.
Where employees use less than the total number of half-day periods within the given month, both the deductible and mission ceiling will be prorated based on the number of periods per month the child attends.
Guideline
The number of periods in a given month will vary based on the number of working days at the post in that given month. The appendix to this directive provides a step by step process and example to follow when calculating the daycare allowance.
Conditions
32.02 Employees who qualify for day care support under Section 32.01 may claim an allowance to compensate for daycare costs in excess of average costs in Ottawa (the deductible) where:
(a) the daycare institution is a locally-accredited institution with its own facilities, staffed by recognized professionals;
(b) the mission certifies that the selected institution is of an acceptable standard; and
(c) except as provided under Section 32.01(d), no assistance is provided where an education allowance is payable under FSD 34 - Education.
Instructions
1. The three deductible amounts, established as $1,447 per month for infants in daycare, $1,241 for toddlers in daycare and $935 per month for preschool aged children, effective April 1, 2009, represent an average of daycare costs in 2009 at institutions in Ottawa. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, has been authorized to adjust these deductibles on April 1st of each year, to reflect rates/costs in effect for that calendar year.
2. The provisions of this directive apply where the spouse or common-law partner is working full days or half days outside the home.
3. Where both parents are working but one is working from home, a day care allowance will be authorized upon certification satisfactory to the deputy head that the parent working from home is engaged in work that precludes providing care for the daycare aged dependant(s), for at least as long as the day care period (i.e. half day or full day), and that there are no other care-givers in the home.
4. No assistance is provided in cases where nannies or live-in care-givers are used.
5. When there is no space in a licensed daycare centre, the employee may have the option of sending their child to an outside licensed private-home daycare. Private-home day care, also referred to as home-based child care, is child care that is provided in a private residence other than the home of the child or children.
Representative Daycare Ceiling
32.03 Where institutional daycare is available at a mission, and where employees qualify for daycare support, Missions will set a representative daycare ceiling, to reflect the average cost of accredited daycare facilities, typical of those used by Canadian parents at the mission.
Instruction
Annually on April 1st, Missions shall advise the deputy head of the recommended ceilings for daycare facilities, which is to reflect the average of three (where possible) typical accredited daycare institutions used by Canadian or other expatriates, for that calendar year.
Daycare Allowance
32.04 Employees who qualify for daycare support under Section 32.01, with children enrolled in daycare programs, may claim a monthly allowance for each child equivalent to the lesser of:
(a) the actual monthly cost of the program; or
(b) the mission representative daycare ceiling; or
(c) a maximum amount equal to three times the corresponding deductible for infants, toddlers or preschool aged children, in accordance with Section 32.01;
minus the corresponding deductible for infants, toddlers or preschool-aged children, as applicable, in accordance with Section 32.01.
Instructions
1. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, has been authorized to adjust the maximum amount in Section 32.04(c) on April 1st of each year, to reflect three times the average of costs/rates in effect for daycare at institutions in Ottawa for that calendar year.
2. To facilitate administration, assistance is provided as an allowance, which may be subject to verification. Employees are required to demonstrate that the allowance was spent for the purpose for which it was intended.
3. Once the representative daycare ceiling has been approved by the deputy head, employees may submit a proposal for daycare assistance to Mission administration. On approval, Missions are authorized to issue monthly allowances to the employee for daycare assistance for the coming year, commencing September 1.
4. Prior to obtaining the allowance for the next period, employees are required to submit, for retention by Mission administration, evidence that the child was enrolled in the daycare program for a sufficient period of time to justify the allowance. If this is not the case, employees will be required to refund an amount of the allowance in proportion to the period the child was not enrolled.
5. The allowance is intended to assist with daycare costs for which the employee is responsible. For example, if the employee is obliged to pay by the month, and the child is absent due to illness for several days, the employee would not be penalized. But if payment is by the day, and the child was absent for a period of one or more days, the allowance for the following month should be reduced accordingly.
6. An allowance shall normally be issued monthly, unless a longer payment period is standard. In no case, however, shall the payment period exceed six (6) months.
7. Proposals for assistance in excess of the prescribed amounts for daycare, due to exceptional circumstances, may be considered by the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee.
8. The costs of home dependant care, after school dependant care, or babysitting are not eligible for assistance under the provisions of this directive.
9. Transportation to and from the daycare or educational institution is the responsibility of the parent(s). No financial support for transportation will be provided under this directive.
10. When guaranteeing a space within a licensed daycare institution or a home-based daycare facility, an employee may be subject to a non-refundable registration fee. When supported by appropriate receipts or documentation showing such payment, a registration fee up to the cost of $250 will be reimbursed once per calendar year per child to employees who qualify for the daycare allowance under Section 32.01.
In contrast, non-refundable application fees, where the employee has applied to ensure the dependent child's registration in a daycare centre are the responsibility of the employee and will not be reimbursed.
Guidelines
1. Assistance is provided for institutional daycare, i.e., locally accredited organizations with their own facilities and professionally certified staff. Missions should be guided by the Ontario Regulations for Day Nurseries, a summary of which will be sent, on request, to all Missions. It is recognized that local standards will be different. These Ontario regulations are only provided as a guideline as to what constitutes an acceptable institution for assistance under this directive.
2. Employees are responsible for choosing appropriate daycare facilities meeting the required standards, for all administrative arrangements, and for providing full particulars, including schedules of fees, to Mission administration.
Appendix
Daycare Allowance - Pro-Rating Reference and Step by Step Guide
Effective April 1, 2009
Where employees use less than the total number of half-day periods within the given month, both the deductible and mission ceiling will be prorated based on the number of periods the child attends, in a given month.
Formula for Calculating Allowances
1. Determine total number of periods in the given month.
2. Determine the number of periods used in the month.
3. Divide the number of periods in a given month by the number of periods used.
4. Take the result (percentage) and apply it to the mission ceiling.
5. Apply the same percentage to the deductible.
6. The daycare allowance corresponds to the difference between the prorated deductible and the amount paid by the employee or the prorated monthly ceiling, whichever is the lessor.
Example - Daycare Allowance - Pro-Rating Reference
Example 1 - Where the amount claimed does not exceed the prorated mission ceiling.
In the month of June 2009, an employee sends their toddler to daycare Monday mornings, all-day on Tuesdays, and for the afternoon on Wednesdays.
Data
- Total number of periods in June 2009, at mission, is 44
- Number of periods used is 19
- Actual cost of daycare paid by employee for June (hypothetical): $750
- Deductible is $1,241 per month for toddlers
- Mission ceiling is $2000
| Total number of periods | 44 |
| Number of periods used | 19 |
| Rate | 43% |
| Amount claimed | $750 |
| Pro-rated mission ceiling | $860 |
| Pro-rated deductible | $534 |
| Daycare Allowance (difference between the prorated deductible and the amount claimed by the employee) | $216 |
Example 2 - Where the amount claimed exceeds the prorated mission ceiling.
In the month of June 2009, an employee sends their toddler to daycare Monday mornings, all-day on Tuesdays, and for the afternoon on Wednesdays.
Data
- Total number of periods in June 2009, at mission, is 44
- Number of periods used is 19
- Actual cost of daycare paid by employee for June (hypothetical): $900
- Deductible is $1,241 per month for toddlers
- Mission ceiling is $2000
| Total number of periods | 44 |
| Number of periods used | 19 |
| Rate | 43% |
| Amount claimed | $900 |
| Pro-rated mission ceiling | $860 |
| Pro-rated deductible | $534 |
| Daycare Allowance (difference between the prorated deductible and the prorated Mission ceiling | $326 |
FSD 33 - Education assistance at a Lycée in Canada
Introduction
The purpose of this directive is to provide financial assistance to career foreign service employees and RCMP Liaison Officers while serving in Canada in enrolling their dependent children in a Lycée in Canada, in order to ensure continuity in French language education while serving outside Canada.
Directive 33
33.01 The provisions of this directive are available to career foreign service employees as defined in FSD 3.01(a) and to RCMP Liaison Officers, while serving in Canada, in order to ensure continuity in French language education for their dependent children while serving outside Canada.
33.02 The deputy head may authorize payment of the cost of tuition, prescribed textbooks and school supplies (as determined under the provisions of FSD 34.01(c)(i)(A)(7) of FSD 34 - Education allowances) incurred at a Lycée in Canada in respect of:
(a) children who were registered in the French lycée system during the assignment of the employee abroad;
(b) children who commence kindergarten in the lycée system during the assignment of an employee in Canada following an assignment abroad; and
(c) children who are enrolled in a Lycée in Canada where an employee has not been offered an initial assignment outside Canada.
Instruction
For purposes of this section, a child must qualify for assistance in accordance with the provisions of FSD 34.02(a)(i), that is, the child must be aged 3 years and 8 months as of September 1 of the school year.
33.03 Payment authorized in accordance with Section 33.02 shall normally be limited to the two-year period immediately following:
(a) the employee's assignment to Canada from abroad, and/or
(b) the date on which the employee commences rotational employment.
33.04 Exceptions to the limitations prescribed by Section 33.03 may be considered on an individual basis by the deputy head of the employing department, who may approve extensions of up to one year at a time as a result of operational requirements. This deputy head discretion would also extend to situations where an employee is assigned to or from Canada during the academic year.
FSD 34 - Education allowances
Introduction
The object of this directive is to provide financial assistance to employees serving abroad to ensure that their dependent children obtain elementary and secondary education which approximates Canadian standards and which enables the child to re-enter the Canadian school system with as little disruption as possible.
An education allowance is provided to employees assigned outside Canada who incur costs necessary to obtain education for dependent children which would ordinarily be provided/obtained without charge in the public school system in Ontario or equivalent in other provinces. An education allowance will permit a student to complete a year of Junior Kindergarten, a year of Kindergarten, eight years of elementary education (six years of elementary in Quebec), and four years of secondary education (five years of secondary plus two years of general pre-university CEGEP I and II in Quebec) up to and including the school year of the 21st birthday.
Post secondary shelter assistance may be provided up to and including the school year of the 23rd birthday for a student in full-time attendance at a post secondary educational institution in Canada.
Definitions
34.01 For the purpose of this directive, the following definitions apply:
(a) compatible education (enseignement compatible) means an education system which provides an educational curriculum and services compatible with those normally provided without charge in schools in Ontario from junior kindergarten to secondary school graduation, taking into consideration:
(i) the desirability of continuation in the child's educational stream, and
(ii) the educational history and other personal factors pertinent to the child's education.
(b) education allowance (indemnité scolaire) is an allowance for admissible education expenses, provided on an annual basis to employees outside Canada with dependent students/children to obtain compatible schooling that will enable the dependant to continue in the chosen educational stream and will facilitate re-entry into the next higher grade level at a provincial public school system upon return to Canada.
(c) education expenses (frais de scolarité)
(i) admissible expenses (frais admissibles) means actual expenses which are necessary to accomplish the purpose of this directive, in respect of a dependent child/student. These include:
(A) fees, expenses and charges for courses, instruction, services or programs normally provided free as part of the educational program in Ontario or equivalent in other provinces when it is a compulsory condition of re-enrolment to public education in that province, but not provided free of charge at the school attended by the child, such as:
(1) tuition fees,
(2) fees for subjects normally on the school curriculum,
(3) non-refundable application fees, including fees at more than one school where the employee has applied to several to ensure the dependent child's/student's registration/acceptance in a school, as appropriate to the circumstances, notwithstanding this may exceed the established ceiling;
(4) non-refundable registration fees,
(5) entrance fees,
(6) charges for prescribed textbooks,
(7) school/craft supplies as determined by the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee on the basis of practice followed by:
- Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
- Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board
- Conseil des écoles catholiques de langue française du Centre-Est
- Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario
(8) examination fees, including compulsory fees associated with International Baccalaureate (IB) fees, Advanced Placement (AP) fees and Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) fees,
(9) library fees,
(10) laboratory charges,
(11) computer user fees,
(B) expenses when paid as a compulsory condition of enrolment, such as:
(1) graduation fees,
(2) military uniform rental,
(3) school building fund fee or similar specialized disbursement for this purpose, subject to the provisions of the Financial Administration Act,
(4) non-resident fee,
(5) athletic fee,
(6) identification cards and associated pictures,
(7) school foundation fee,
(8) medical examination and service fees,
(9) fees related to the security of the students and/or school,
(10) fees for courses, instruction, services, programs and/or field trips which are part of the curriculum of the school attended by the child/student, and which are not normally provided free of charge as part of the educational program in Ontario,
(11) mid-day meal service reduced by an amount determined by the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, which shall be deemed the parent's responsibility,
(12) accident liability insurance to protect the educational institution, and
(13) the cost of pre-testing for first entry to a lycée outside Canada;
(C) local transportation expenses provided by or for the school, such as school bus service, normally for one return school trip each school day between the child's/student's place of residence and place of education;
Instructions
1. An allowance for field trips will only be considered where the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee is satisfied that such trips are compulsory and costs are included in the school fee schedule or where failure to participate would result in failure of the grade (confirmed in a letter from the school principal).
2. In special situations, Post Management Committees may authorize expenses for local transportation provided by or for the school for more than one return school trip each school day. Special situations would include situations where:
(a) the child is not permitted to remain in school during the mid-day break,
(b) supervision is not provided during the mid-day break,
(c) instruction is scheduled to provide a mid-day break in which children are expected to return home.
3. Where an employee was required to pay school fees in advance of a school term at a private school in the headquarters city (e.g. Ashbury/Elmwood) and is subsequently posted prior to the commencement of that school term, the employer will make every effort possible to recover such fees from the school on behalf of the employee.
Guidelines
Transportation of dependent children to school in other situations is provided for in FSD 30 - Post transportation and related expenses.
(D) fees, expenses and charges for:
(1) supplementary courses or programs, or where a structured course or program is not available, private tutoring, undertaken after notification of posting at the old place of duty prior to relocation or at the new place of duty following relocation. Such courses must be recommended by a competent educational authority in order to meet a requirement for a compulsory course and/or to enable the student to meet the appropriate grade level at the school at the new place of duty. Such expenses will only be authorized where the academic deficiency is attributable to foreign service and is not due to the fault or choice of the student and/or employee;
(2) courses and/or private tutoring in subjects not provided by the school attended by the child/student but required on return to Canada by a Canadian provincial education system for secondary graduation;
(3) private tutoring in subjects where the educational level of the child/student is below that of the class, form or grade which is attended and such tutoring is recommended by competent educational authority to ensure compatibility of education, where the academic deficiency is attributable to foreign service and is not due to the fault or choice of the student and/or employee;
(4) private tutoring in the second official language to provide up to 50 hours of instruction in a school year for a child being educated at the post (except for junior kindergarten).
(E) Roman Catholic education comparable to that provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Where Roman Catholic education is not available, expenses for Roman Catholic religious instruction may be claimed.
(F) actual and reasonable expenses for board and lodging, laundering and mending during terms of scheduled instruction where elementary education has been authorized away from the post because schools at the post are not compatible, or for secondary education or equivalent away from the post;
(G) actual and reasonable commercial storage expenses for a dependent student's personal effects between consecutive school years;
(H) university application fees and academic course evaluation fees which are in excess of those paid by students residing in Ontario, where such costs are incurred while attending the final year of secondary schooling within 12 months of graduation from a secondary level educational institution.
(ii) inadmissible expenses (frais inadmissibles) include:
(A) school pictures,
(B) sports equipment,
(C) school magazines,
(D) refundable deposits including those for textbooks, sports equipment or similar items,
(E) school uniforms,
(F) pocket money,
(G) donations, grants or similar specialized disbursements (except for compulsory school building fund fees) unless authorized by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental coordinating committee.
(H) optional field trips,
(I) expenses for private music and dancing lessons, and
(J) purchase or rental of computer equipment.
(d) school year (for an education allowance) (année scolaire (pour une indemnité scolaire) is the actual academic year, which is normally September 1 to August 31 in the northern hemisphere and January 1 to December 31 in the southern hemisphere.
34.02
(a) The deputy head, in accordance with this directive, shall authorize the payment of an education allowance to an employee to provide a dependent child/student with an education up to and including the school year of the 21st birthday, which corresponds to:
(i) junior kindergarten/kindergarten school optional programs, as offered by the Ontario Ministry of Education, for students aged 3 years 8 months/4 years 8 months as of September 1 of the school year, or as of January 1 of the school year in the southern hemisphere;
(ii) elementary school programs equivalent to Ontario grades 1 to 8, or to Quebec grades 1 to 6, as applicable; and
(iii) secondary school programs equivalent to Ontario grades 9 to 12, or to Quebec Secondary I to Secondary V and general pre-university CEGEP I and II, as applicable.
Instruction
1. To ensure compatibility of education between Quebec and Ontario, the provisions of Sections 34.02(a)(ii) and (iii) shall be reviewed annually on September 1, and adjusted as necessary, by the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee.
(b) The deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, may authorize the payment of admissible education expenses directly to an educational institution on behalf of an employee or group of employees. The employee is obliged to inform Post management in writing, immediately on receipt of a bill from a school and/or when a child terminates schooling during the academic year for which an education allowance has been paid. Any advanced funding which may be refunded by the school under such circumstances must be made payable to the Receiver General for Canada. In the event that the school, in error, makes a refund directly to the employee, this must immediately be refunded to the Receiver General;
(c) Before authorizing an education allowance, the deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental coordinating committee, shall consider whether a foreign educational facility is compatible for a child. In forming an opinion on the compatibility of a school for a particular child, the deputy head shall take into account the advice of the senior officer at the Mission, the relevant experience of other departments represented at the Mission, and the opinion of the employee as to the compatibility of schools at the post, based on the educational history and other personal factors pertinent to the child's education. In particular, the deputy head shall be guided by the objective of providing access for the child of an employee to:
(i) instruction in the appropriate official language, i.e., English or French, consistent with Section 23 of the Minority Language Educational Rights prescribed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
(ii) schooling in a safe, healthy and secure environment;
(iii) a curriculum which is reasonably compatible with the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum;
(iv) a milieu free of problems arising from racial segregation or hostility to foreigners;
(v) schooling free from compulsory, incompatible religious instruction;
(vi) Roman Catholic education, comparable to that provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education, which right is confirmed in the Constitution of Canada;
(vii) schooling where there is no lack of confidence in the school staff, or in the prevailing climate of morality among the school's student population;
(viii) schooling which will enable continuation in the child's educational stream.
(d) notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this directive, an education allowance or related expenses on behalf of a dependent child/student who resides with the employee's spouse or common-law partner who has chosen not to accompany the employee on posting shall not be authorized without the approval of the President of the Treasury Board as requested by the deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental coordinating committee.
Instruction
The provisions of Section 34.02(d) are designed for unusual situations, such as attendance at a Lycée in Canada, which justify payment of an allowance at a fee-paying school.
Elementary and secondary education at the post
34.03
(a) Where a dependent child is being educated at the elementary or secondary level at a compatible educational facility at the employee's post, an education allowance for admissible education expenses shall be authorized in accordance with this section.
(b) The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, shall establish a post ceiling to reflect the cost of admissible education expenses at a representative school for each post where non-fee paying schools are not compatible. The representative school shall be taken from the roster of compatible schools, as recommended by the Post to the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee. Once a school has been approved as representative for a post, the deputy head may approve an allowance for admissible education expenses at any school on the post roster of compatible schools, up to the post ceiling established for the representative school.
(c) The deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, shall establish a supplementary allowance, in addition to the post ceiling, for private tutoring and Roman Catholic instruction, on an individual basis.
(d) The deputy head may establish an education allowance, on an individual basis, where the representative school is not compatible for a particular child, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, for those posts where a post ceiling is not adequate for a particular child or has not been established because the representative school is a non-fee paying school.
(e) The deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, may authorize an education allowance for home schooling (textbooks, school supplies and other expenses that would be authorized under the Home Schooling Program) up to the post ceiling, or, where a post ceiling has not been established, the Ontario non-resident school fee, where:
(i) an employee chooses to have a child educated at home, in accordance with a Provincial Home Schooling Program; and
(ii) an "education plan" is provided that meets a provincial requirement.
Instructions
1. It is expected that the majority of children at the elementary and secondary level will be educated at post.
2. Where facilities at the post are not compatible, or it is in the best interest of the child to receive secondary level education in Canada or at a school offering a Canadian curriculum, an education allowance shall be authorized away from post, on an individual basis, in accordance with Sections 34.04 and 34.05.
3. For those posts where local non-fee paying schools are compatible, a representative ceiling will not normally be established and an education allowance will only be considered where it can be demonstrated that the appropriate non-fee paying school is not compatible for a particular child.
4. In establishing the roster of compatible schools, reference shall be made to Section 34.02(c).
5. In determining the representative school, the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee shall consider the appropriateness of a particular school for the majority of children at the post.
6. More than one post ceiling may be established for the same post. A representative school may be selected which provides instruction in English and a second representative school may be selected which provides instruction in French. Similarly, a post ceiling may be established for elementary education and a second post ceiling established for secondary education up to the equivalent of Ontario Grade 12. As well, more than one ceiling may be established for a post to recognize the location of various Crown accommodations in relation to compatible schools.
Elementary and secondary education in Canada
34.04
(a) Elementary Schooling in Canada
(i) Subject to Section 34.02(d), the deputy head may authorize an education allowance for elementary education in Canada where compatible education at the post is not available for a particular child, or living conditions at the post are unhealthy for that child. The education allowance shall include the following:
(A) non-resident school fees for attendance at a public school, and board and lodgings costs, as determined in accordance with Section 34.04(b), or
(B) admissible education expenses for attendance at a residential school where suitable board and lodging cannot be arranged for attendance at a public school, as determined in accordance with Section 34.04(b).
(ii) On assignment to a Post outside Canada, the deputy head may authorize an education allowance for elementary education in Canada for a dependent student, notwithstanding that compatible education at the post is available for a particular child or living conditions at the post are not unhealthy for that child, in accordance with section 34.04(a), where:
(A) the student attends an elementary educational institution in Canada, in order to complete the last year of elementary schooling; and
(B) the maximum amount of the allowance shall not exceed the lesser of the post education ceiling or the residential school ceiling in Canada.
Guidelines
1. Section 34.04(a)(ii) is designed to avoid unnecessary disruptions in a child's education in order to provide continuity in progressing to the secondary level in Canada.
2. Parents shall contact the appropriate school board to determine their obligation to pay fees, as non-resident school fees may not be payable beyond a dependent student's 18th birthday, in accordance with the Ontario Education Act.
3. Education travel, including shipment of personal effects, may be authorized in accordance with FSD 35 - Education travel.
4. Escort travel for one parent from post to an elementary or secondary school in Canada at the commencement of the first school year that the student is being educated away from the post may be authorized in accordance with FSD 35 - Education travel.
5. Family reunion travel may be authorized in accordance with FSD 51 - Family reunion.
(b) Secondary Schooling in Canada
(i) Subject to Section 34.02(d), where an employee chooses to have a dependent student receive secondary education in Canada, the deputy head may authorize an education allowance for this purpose. The education allowance shall include the following:
(A) non-resident school fees for attendance at a public school, and board and lodgings costs, as determined in accordance with this section, or
(B) admissible education expenses for attendance at a residential school, when suitable board and lodging cannot be arranged for attendance at a public school, as determined in accordance with this section; and
(C) board and lodging expenses for weekends, where a dependent student attends a five-day French residential school in Quebec (seven-day boarding facilities not available).
Instructions
1. The maximum education allowance payable under this directive for a student being educated at an elementary or a secondary residential school in Canada shall be determined annually by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, on the basis of actual aggregate costs for admissible education expenses at Ashbury College, Ottawa.
2. In the event that Ashbury College ceases to provide co-educational residential facilities, the methodology for the determination of the maximum education allowance payable under this directive for residential schooling in Canada shall be determined by the National Joint Council Committee on Foreign Service Directives.
3. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, shall also establish an allowance for commercial storage expenses for a dependent student's personal effects between consecutive school years.
At the discretion of the deputy head, and following the specific request of an employee, this allowance may include costs for packing and/or local transportation (pick-up and delivery) of the student's personal effects where it can be demonstrated that;
(a) no other option is available or practicable; or
(b) it is a requirement of the commercial storage facility, where other storage facilities or arrangements are not available or practicable; or
(c) the proposed arrangement is cost-effective, having regard to other possible arrangements for the storage of the student's effects.
4. The maximum allowance payable under this directive for board, lodging, laundering and mending for a student being educated at a public school in Canada shall be determined annually by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, to reflect 75% of the difference in cost between a boarding student and a day student at Ashbury College, less any surcharges.
5. The allowance for weekend board and lodging shall be determined annually by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, based on the weekend rate at Académie Laurentienne, Val David, QC.
6. Where a dependent student who has been enrolled in the French National curriculum system attends a Lycée in Canada, the employee may claim an allowance for actual admissible education expenses, including tuition in lieu of a non-resident school fee, up to the amount established for public education in Canada.
7. On the basis of comparability, an allowance for actual admissible education expenses may be claimed on behalf of a dependent student receiving technical or vocational training at the secondary school level in Canada, up to the amount established for public education in Canada.
8. Where a student is receiving vocational or technical training which is not normally provided free of charge to residents, the provisions for post secondary education shall apply.
Guidelines
1. Education travel, including shipment of personal effects, may be authorized in accordance with FSD 35 - Education travel.
2. Escort travel for one parent from post to a secondary school in Canada may be authorized in accordance with FSD 35 - Education travel.
3. Family reunion travel may be authorized in accordance with FSD 51 - Family reunion.
Secondary education away from post but not in Canada
34.05
(a) The deputy head may authorize an education allowance for a dependent child/student at the Canadian curriculum secondary school which is nearest to the employee's post, and which is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education, for employees posted outside North and South America. The allowance authorized under this section shall not exceed the education ceiling for secondary residential schooling in Canada, in accordance with Section 34.04.
(b) Where an employee is cross-posted, the deputy head may authorize an education allowance for a dependent child/student:
(i) in accordance with the provisions of Section 34.05(a); or
(ii) in accordance with Section 34.10.
(c) The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, shall establish a ceiling for attendance at the Sophia Antipolis School in Valbonne, France, where compatible educational facilities for instruction in the French National curriculum at the secondary level are not available at the post.
(d) Where a dependent student is being educated within the country of assignment but not at the employee's place of duty, or outside the country of assignment but not in Canada, which does not offer residential facilities, the details shall be reported to the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee to determine the amount of education allowance payable.
Instructions
1. The intent of this section is to provide financial assistance to ensure continuity of a dependent student's education and to avoid unnecessary disruption at the secondary level, notwithstanding that educational facilities at the post are compatible.
2. In authorizing assistance under this section, the deputy head shall consider the education needs of a child, which are a consequence of foreign service, including proximity to the employee's post.
3. In considering an education allowance for instruction in the French National curriculum, it should be noted that assistance may be available for secondary education in Canada in the lycée system under Section 34.04(b).
4. Section 34.05(d) applies to those situations where educational facilities at the post are not compatible/available, and may be extended to dependent students at the elementary level.
Guidelines
1. Education travel, including shipment of personal effects, may be authorized in accordance with FSD 35 - Education travel.
2. Escort travel for one parent from post to a secondary school in Canada may be authorized in accordance with FSD 35 - Education travel.
3. Family reunion travel may be authorized in accordance with FSD 51 - Family reunion.
Post-secondary education
34.06
Subject to Section 34.02(d), the deputy head may authorize an allowance for actual costs incurred by an employee on behalf of a dependent student who has graduated from secondary school in Canada or has obtained equivalent educational status abroad for:
(a) shelter for the full academic year where the dependent student is in full-time attendance at a post-secondary educational institution in Canada which has been approved by the deputy head; or
(b) shelter for the balance of the academic year where an employee is relocated from a post abroad during the course of the academic year and a dependent student, who resided with the employee and who is in full-time attendance at a post-secondary institution at the employee's post, chooses to remain at the old place of duty to complete the academic year;
where reimbursement shall be limited to the annual maximum established by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, on September 1st of each year, to reflect the cost of single occupancy on-campus residence at the University of Ottawa. In claiming shelter assistance, an employee shall provide evidence of actual costs and of full-time attendance until the end of the academic year. For periods of less than a complete academic year, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs shall establish a daily rate on the basis of the annual maximum; and
(c) actual and reasonable commercial storage expenses, as determined by the deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, for a dependent student's personal effects between consecutive school years.
Instructions
1. "Post-secondary education" means an education obtained from universities, community colleges and other related institutions in Canada.
2. The "academic year" referred to in Section 34.06 includes time for registration at the beginning of the term and for packing at the end of the term.
3. The provisions of this section do not apply to a student at the post secondary level in Canada where the employee's spouse or common-law partner has chosen not to accompany the employee on posting or the post secondary student is living with the other parent in Canada.
34.07 Subject to Section 34.06(b), the assistance authorized pursuant to Section 34.06 may, at the discretion of the deputy head, be paid until the end of the last academic year during which the dependent student attained the age of 23 years, except that reimbursement may only be authorized under Section 34.06(a) provided the employee remains abroad during this period.
Refundable deposit/accountable advance
34.08 Where it is a condition of enrolment of a dependent child/student of an employee who is posted outside Canada that a refundable deposit be paid to an elementary or secondary level educational institution, the deputy head may authorize an accountable advance equal to the amount of the deposit, which shall be accounted for within ten days from the date on which it is due to be refunded by the school.
Instructions
1. The accountable advance authorized pursuant to Section 34.08 is not meant to cover any deposit towards the dependent student's personal expenses.
2. Provisions related to the financing of advances made under Section 34.08 are contained in the Appendix to FSD 10 - Posting loan.
34.09 Blank
Relocation during an academic year
34.10 Where an employee is relocated from one post to another post or from a post to a place of duty in Canada during an academic year in respect of which an education allowance is being paid for elementary or secondary education for a dependent child/student, and;
(a) the dependent child remains at the old place of duty, the deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, shall authorize an allowance for actual admissible education expenses, including board and lodging expenses, for the balance of the school year;
(b) the dependent student has been educated at a location approved by the deputy head away from the employee's post, an allowance for actual admissible education expenses which had been approved shall continue for the balance of the school year; or
(c) where expenses are incurred at another educational institution, an allowance for actual admissible education expenses shall be authorized for the balance of the school year in accordance with the appropriate section of this directive.
34.11 Section 34.10 may also be applied at the discretion of the deputy head in exceptional circumstances, where
(a) a dependent child is evacuated under FSD 64, or
(b) the school being attended by a dependent child/student becomes incompatible.
Special education allowance
34.12 The deputy head, on the recommendation of the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee, may authorize a special education allowance for a dependent child/student with special education needs, on an individual basis. This allowance, which may include board and lodging expenses, will be based on programs normally provided without charge by the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services for a dependent child/student with:
(a) a physical disability;
(b) special learning needs
(c) gifted learning needs.
Instructions
1. "Special education" refers to programs provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services.
2. It is the responsibility of the employee to provide documentation in support of the special education allowance, such as, but not limited to, an assessment and recommendation of appropriate professionals, to their FSD Administrator, for submission to the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee.
3. An allowance under this section may include hourly fees charged by a teaching aide/assistant normally provided in a classroom.
Application
34.13
(a) Entitlements under this directive are available any time after the date on which an employee is officially notified in writing of an impending posting and continue to be available until the end of the last academic year that commenced while the employee was stationed abroad, subject to the provisions of Section 34.10 and to limitations specified in Section 34.07.
(b) Section 34.13(a) shall apply to a Head of Mission designate any time after the date of official direction to proceed with posting arrangements.
Forms
FS34 FS35 TBC 330-36 (Rev. 87/08) Proposal - Education Allowance (FSD 34) - Family Reunion Travel (FSD 51)
Appendix
Summary of Education Provisions
| Allowances Payable in Respect of: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Education Taken | Educational Facilities at Post |
|
|
| At Post | Compatible | Admissible education expenses UP TO post ceiling Section 34.03 |
Admissible education expenses UP TO post ceiling Section 34.03 |
| Home Schooling | Admissible education expenses UP TO post ceiling Section 34.03(e) |
Admissible education expenses UP TO post ceiling Section 34.03(e) |
|
| In Canada | Not Compatible | Admissible education expenses UP TO Canadian maximum (Ashbury) Section 34.04(a)(i) |
Admissible education expenses UP TO Canadian maximum (Ashbury) Section 34.04(b)(i) |
| Compatible | For the last year of elementary schooling only - Admissible education expenses UP TO LESSER OF post education ceiling or Canadian maximum (Ashbury) Section 34.04(a)(ii)(A) |
Admissible education expenses UP TO Canadian maximum (Ashbury) Section 34.04(b) |
|
| Away from Post but not in Canada | Not Compatible | Sections 34.05(d) |
|
| Compatible | Sections 34.05(a), (b) | ||
FSD 35 - Education travel
Introduction
This directive enables an employee to claim an allowance for travelling expenses for a dependent student where neither FSD 15 - Relocation nor FSD 51 - Family reunion applies. It is not designed to supplement the provisions of these directives but to provide assistance for the payment of travelling expenses, which are normally incurred at the commencement and termination of an employee's assignment to a post, in sending a dependent student to an approved educational institution.
Directive 35
35.01 Where education allowances are being paid or will be paid pursuant to FSD 34.04 and/or 34.05, the deputy head may authorize payment of an allowance for the actual and reasonable travelling expenses incurred by an employee in sending a dependent child as defined in FSD 2.01(k)(ii) or a dependent student as defined in FSD 2.01(l) to an elementary or secondary school that has been approved by the deputy head pursuant to FSD 34.02:
(a) from the employee's place of duty, where the dependent child has been residing with the employee at the post; or
(b) from the employee's post, where relocation expenses on behalf of the dependent student have been authorized pursuant to FSD 15.38; or
(c) after notification in writing of an impending assignment to a post, from the employee's former place of duty in Canada, where the dependent student is not going to take up residence with the employee at the post but will be going directly from the former place of duty to the approved school; or
(d) after notification in writing of an impending cross-posting, from the employee's former post, where the dependent student is not going to take up residence with the employee at the new post but will be going directly from the former post to the approved school; or
(e) after notification in writing of an impending cross-posting, from the previously approved school, where the dependent student has been and will continue to be educated elsewhere than at the employee's post.
Guidelines
1. Travelling expenses, as defined in FSD 2.01(cc), means expenses for air transportation and local transportation to and from airports at the points of departure and destination and, when authorized in advance by the deputy head, for accommodation, meals and local transportation to and from the airport for a necessary stopover, where it is not possible or practicable to arrange an itinerary which will permit continuing travel to the approved destination.
2. In applying Section 35.01, where a dependent student is being educated away from the post but not in Canada, the travelling expenses shall normally be limited to the travelling expenses between the post and the employee's headquarters city.
35.02 Where an allowance for travelling expenses has been authorized pursuant to Section 35.01, the deputy head may also authorize payment of an allowance for actual and reasonable travelling expenses incurred by an employee in sending a dependent student from the approved school to the employee's place of duty in Canada, on the employee's return to duty in Canada, or, at the discretion of the deputy head, in advance of the employee's return to duty in Canada.
35.03 Where shelter assistance is or will be paid pursuant to FSD 34.06, the deputy head may authorize an allowance for payment of the travelling expenses incurred by an employee in sending a dependent student:
(a) from the employee's post to a post-secondary educational institution in Canada, where the student has been residing with the employee;
(b) from the employee's post to a post-secondary educational institution in Canada and return where a pre-enrollment examination or interview is mandatory at the educational institution;
(c) from a secondary school, outside Canada at a location other than the employee's post, where an education allowance has been authorized pursuant to FSD 34.05, to a post-secondary educational institution in Canada;
(d) from the employee's post, where relocation expenses on behalf of the dependent student have been authorized pursuant to FSD 15.38, to a post-secondary educational institution in Canada;
up to a limit of the travelling expenses that would have been incurred for a journey between the employee's post and the headquarters city;
(e) from a secondary school in Canada, where an education allowance has been authorized pursuant to FSD 34.04(b), to a post-secondary educational institution in Canada, up to a limit of the travelling expenses that would have been incurred for a journey between the secondary school and the headquarters city.
Guidelines
1. Directive 15 - Relocation, applies where:
(a) a dependent student is authorized to accompany an employee on relocation during the long school holiday recess, notwithstanding that the student will not be residing with the employee at the new place of duty;
(b) a dependent student is authorized to accompany an employee on relocation during the long school holiday recess, notwithstanding that the student has not been residing with the employee at the former place of duty;
(c) a dependent student, for whom education allowances have been authorized under FSD 34.04 and/or 34.05, is taking up residence with the employee at the employee's post, notwithstanding that relocation expenses to the post may have been authorized previously on behalf of that student.
2. FSD 51 - Family reunion, applies to travel from the approved school:
(a) to the employee's post, where the employee is authorized to relocate to Canada during the long school holiday recess; or
(b) to the employee's former post, where the employee is cross-posted during the long school holiday recess, and from the new post to the approved school.
3. Where a dependent student ceases to be a dependant while in full-time attendance at school outside Canada, relocation expenses to Canada are payable under FSD 15.39.
35.04 The deputy head may authorize an allowance for return travelling expenses for one parent to accompany the student from the employee's post to the student's school, at the commencement of the first school year that the student is being educated away from the post,
(a) where an education allowance is authorized for a student at an elementary or secondary school under FSD 34.04 and/or FSD 34.05, or
(b) where a student graduating from a secondary school outside Canada, who is under the age of 21 at the start of the school year at a post secondary educational institution in Canada, is in receipt of an education allowance authorized under FSD 34.06
except that,
(c) where travel for a parent has been authorized in accordance with Section 35.04(a) it may again be authorized under Section 35.04(b) where applicable.
Instructions
1. In applying Section 35.04, where a dependent student is being educated away from the post but not in Canada, the travelling expenses shall normally be limited to the travelling expenses between the post and the employee's headquarters city.
2. The provisions of this section do not apply to expenses incurred at the destination.
3. Return travelling expenses for the parent at post will not be authorized where a legal guardian of the dependant student resides in Canada.
35.05 Where an allowance for travelling expenses has been authorized under this directive, the deputy head may authorize an allowance for actual and reasonable costs of shipping the dependent student's personal articles provided:
(a) the weight of such articles does not exceed the appropriate weight limitation for an accompanying dependant in accordance with FSD 15.14, in addition to the maximum allowable weight of accompanying baggage transported free of charge by the carrier; and
(b) personal articles in excess of those transported free of charge by the carrier are transported by the most economical means,
unless exceptional circumstances justify an exception to these weight limitations in which case the details shall be reported to the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental co-ordinating committee.
35.06 The allowance for travelling expenses payable pursuant to this directive shall be computed on the basis of the most suitable form of transportation as determined by the deputy head.
Instructions
1. The standard for air travel is economy class and this includes APEX, charters and other reduced fares. The lowest available airfare appropriate to a particular itinerary shall be sought when making bookings. Discount and reduced fares shall be selected prior to full fare economy where these rates are available. Significant savings can be realized if flights are booked as far in advance as possible.
2. Provisions for the issue and verification of travel allowances are found in FSD 70 - Reporting requirements and verification of allowances.