Career Transition Services

Formerly was two documents: Career Transition Services (CTS) – career plan (id 2666) and Career Transition Services – General Policy (id 2670)

Guiding Legislation & Regulations

Veterans Well-being Act and Veterans Well-being Regulations set out the authority, eligibility and other requirements for Career Transition Services

Care has been taken to ensure this policy accurately reflects the Act and Regulations. Should any inconsistencies be found, the Act and Regulations will prevail.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide an overview of Veterans Affairs Canada’s (VAC) Career Transition Services (CTS). This policy provides direction on CTS governing principles, eligibility, duration of eligibility, application and Canadian residency requirements, delayed applications,  waiver of application, effective date, assessment of needs, development and implementation of a Career Transition Plan, suspension, cancellation, rights of review, and participant expenses

Policy General

1. The intent of the Career Transition Services (CTS) is to ensure that eligible CAF members, members of the Supplementary Reserve, Veterans, spouses, common-law partners and survivors have access to services that will help them develop the skills and tools they need to effectively search, apply for and obtain civilian employment. With increased knowledge and skills, participants will be prepared to navigate the civilian labour market not only on their initial transition out of the CAF, but also at any point where they may be faced with the transition from one type of employment to another.

The CTS will be delivered by a contracted service provider with policy guidance from the Department.

Governing Principles

2. The governing principles of CTS include:
   1. The provision of support is based on need and eligibility for services;
   2. The provision of services will build on transition supports provided by the CAF, as well as services and programs available through other government departments and agencies; and
   3. The provision of support is contingent on the participant’s ongoing involvement in developing and completing their career transition plan.

Eligibility

3. Subsection 3(1) of the Act provides that the Minister may, on application, provide CTS to:
   1. a member who has completed basic training;
   2. Veteran who completed basic training and who was released from the CAF on or after April 1, 2006;
   3. a Veteran who is entitled to a Canadian Forces Income Support benefit;
   4. a survivor of a member who completed basic training and who died on or after April 1, 2006;
   5. a survivor of a Veteran who completed basic training and who was released from the CAF and who died on or after April 1, 2006; or
   6. a survivor who is entitled to a Canadian Forces Income Support benefit.
   7. a spouse or common-law partner of a Veteran who completed basic training and who was released from the CAF on or after April 1, 2006;
4. For the purposes of this policy, members of the Supplementary Reserve are eligible for all the services provided to Veterans, and subject to all the same requirements and limitations. Spouses and common-law partners of members of the Supplementary Reserve may also receive services as outlined, paragraph 3 g.

Duration of Eligibility

5. A Veteran or survivor who is eligible for CTS on March 31, 2018 will maintain eligibility as long as they continue to meet the requirements of eligibility on April 1, 2018.
6. A spouse or common-law partner (of a Veteran who completed basic training and who was released from the CAF on or after April 1, 2006) may receive CTS until the later of:
   1. March 31, 2020; or
   2. the second anniversary of the day on which the Veteran was released.
7. A spouse or common-law partner of a member of Supplementary Reserve may receive CTS until the later of:
   1. July 4, 2021; or
   2. the second anniversary of the day on which the member was transferred to the Supplementary Reserve.
8. For the purposes of this policy, if the Veteran and his or her spouse or common-law partner legally separate or divorce after the spouse or common-law partner has been found eligible for CTS, the spouse or common-law partner continues to be eligible for CTS until the expiry of eligibility, as outlined in paragraph 6.

Application Requirements

9. CTS may be provided to a member only if:
   1. the member resides in Canada; and
   2. the Minister is satisfied that the member requires assistance in making the transition to the civilian labour force.
10. CTS may be provided to a Veteran only if:
    1. the Veteran resides in Canada;
    2. the Minister is satisfied that the Veteran requires assistance in making the transition to the civilian labour force; and
    3. the Veteran is not receiving rehabilitation services or vocational assistance under Part 2 of the Act.
11. CTS may be provided to a spouse, common-law partner or survivor only if:
    1. the spouse, common-law partner or survivor resides in Canada; and
    2. the spouse, common-law partner or survivor is not receiving rehabilitation services under Part 2 of the Act.

Canadian Residence Requirement

12. For the purposes of CTS, a Veteran, spouse, common-law partner or survivor may be absent from Canada for a total of 183 days or less in a calendar year. Still-serving members of the CAF must also meet the Canadian residency requirement. For still-serving CAF members, all absences from Canada, while stationed overseas, for example, are deemed not to have interrupted residence in Canada.

Delayed Applications

13. Spouses and common-law partners must apply for CTS within time limits described in paragraph 6 and 7, unless a delayed application is reasonable in the circumstances. Each ‘delayed application’ will be considered on its own merits under subsection 76(3) of the Act.
14. In cases where eligibility is granted after a delayed CTS application, the duration of eligibility of the spouse or common-law partner will extend only for the period of time required to address their CTS needs.

Waiver of Application

15. Subsection 78.1 of the Act provides that VAC may waive the requirement for an application. See policy on Waiver for Requirement of Application for additional information.

Effective Date

16. The effective date of CTS eligibility is the date the eligibility decision is made.

Assessment of Needs

17. Under subsection 4(1) of the Act, the Minister, on approving an application for CTS, must assess the needs of the still-serving member, Veteran, spouse, common-law partner or survivor with respect to the services that may be provided. The Contractor will utilize industry practices to assess and identify these needs

Career Transition Plan

18. A Career Transition Plan will be developed to identify civilian employment and education goals, the services required to achieve these goals, any required training and anticipated timelines.
19. The objective of a Plan is career transition, which includes career exploration, and will depend on the needs of the participant. The plan will identify the services needed, including the identification of education and training needs. The plan will set out steps/goals to be achieved as well as an expected outcome.
20. A career transition plan for still serving members will have a focus on career exploration. This may include labour market information and online resources and instruction.
21. A plan for releasing members, spouses/common-law partners, survivors and Veterans will have a focus on career transition. 

1. 1. A plan may include the following services for releasing members and spouses/common-law partners: educational counseling, labour market information, online resources and instruction, one-on-one career counselling, and referrals to other organizations.
   2. A plan for survivors and veterans may include educational counseling, labour market information, online resources and instruction, one-on-one career counselling, referrals to other organizations, and job finding assistance (including job placement).

Details of the service components provided are further outlined within the contracted service provider agreement. 

22. A CTS plan for a releasing CAF member, Veteran, spouse, common-law partner or survivor will be individualized, depending upon the participant’s needs and goals but may include:

23. 1. employment goal(s);
    2. the identification and sequencing of activities and/or resources required to reach those goals (e.g. CTS services, courses or training);
    3. sources of funding to support the implementation of the plan;
    4. a timeframe for completion; and
    5. anticipated date of plan completion.
24. In the development of the plan, the Contractor will outline specific expectations for the participant regarding their participation in the plan. 
25. The Contractor, in consultation with the participant, will update the plan at regular intervals to document progress against the plan and when:
    1. identified goals change;
    2. activities are completed, removed, added or changed;
    3. there are changes in the sources of funding to support the plan; and
    4. the anticipated date of plan completion has changed.
    5. VAC has otherwise terminated a person’s eligibility for CTS.

Completion of a Career Transition Plan

25. There is no prescribed timeline for the duration of a plan. The duration of the plan will be set out in the plan and will be based on the needs identified in the assessment, the goals established by the participant and the Contractor, and the CTS required to achieve established goals.
26. A CTS plan may be completed when:
    1. the outcomes are achieved;
    2. the participant no longer wishes to participate in the plan;
    3. the participant is unable to participate in their plan;
    4. the participant becomes eligible for the Rehabilitation Services and Vocational Assistance Program;
    5. the participant no longer resides in Canada; or VAC has otherwise terminated a person's eligibility for CTS.
27. Once a plan has been completed, a new plan will be developed if an eligible person re-engages in CTS.

Suspension of CTS

28. The Minister may suspend the provision of CTS if the person does not participate in the activities in order to meet the objectives of their career transition plan.
29. Before suspending the provision of CTS, the Minister must provide the person with written notification of the reasons for the suspension and the effective date of the suspension. 

Cancellation of CTS

30. The Minister may cancel the provision of CTS in two circumstances:
    1. the person’s eligibility for CTS was based on a misrepresentation or the concealment of a material fact; or
    2. a suspension of CTS continues for at least six months.
31. On cancelling the provisions of CTS, the Minister must provide the person with written notification of the reasons for the cancellation, the effective date of the cancellation and their rights of review.
32. Notwithstanding a previous cancellation of eligibility for CTS, a participant may submit an application for CTS at a later date and may become eligible for the services again. 

Rights of Review

33. Section 83 of the Act authorizes the Minister, on application or on the Minister’s own motion, to review a CTS decision.
34. For more information on rights of review, please see the policy entitled Review of Part 1, Part 1.1, Part 2 and Part 3.1 Decisions under the Veterans Well-being Act.

Participant Expenses

35. Participants in CTS will not be reimbursed for travel or any other expenses incurred (e.g. supplies such as paper/ink, travel to attend interviews, etc.) as a result of their participation in the services.

References

 

 

Veterans Well-being Act, sections 3, 4, 5, 5.1

Veterans Well-being Regulations, sections 2, 3, 4, 4.1, 4.2

Review of Part 1, Part 1.1, Part 2 and Part 3.1 Decisions under the Veterans Well-being Act