Federal Government Pay Scale Explained: A Complete Guide
When I got my first letter of offer from the Government of Saskatchewan (before I moved to the feds), it said my position was “EC-04 Step 1.” I had no idea what that meant. I didn't know what EC stood for, what a “step” was, or how my salary would change over time. The whole system felt intentionally opaque. It isn't — it's actually quite logical once someone explains it. Nobody just... explains it.
What Is a Classification?
Every federal public service position is assigned a classification group that identifies the type of work performed. There are over 60 classification groups, including:
- AS — Administrative Services
- PM — Programme Administration
- EC — Economics and Social Science Services
- IT — Information Technology
- FI — Financial Management
- CR — Clerical and Regulatory
- EX — Executive
Your classification determines which collective agreement covers your employment, which union represents you, and what pay scale applies. Browse all classification groups to see the full list.
What Are Levels?
Within each classification group, there are multiple levels that reflect increasing responsibility and complexity. For example, the AS group has 7 levels:
| Level | Steps | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS-01 | 4 | $61,786 | $69,106 |
| AS-02 | 3 | $68,849 | $74,180 |
| AS-03 | 3 | $73,798 | $79,511 |
| AS-04 | 3 | $80,612 | $87,108 |
| AS-05 | 3 | $96,235 | $104,044 |
| AS-06 | 3 | $107,193 | $115,642 |
| AS-07 | 5 | $112,834 | $129,017 |
Moving from one level to the next (e.g., AS-03 to AS-04) is a promotion and usually requires a competitive staffing process. You can look up the full pay scale for any level using the salary lookup tool.
What Are Steps (Increments)?
Each level has multiple pay steps. You start at step 1 when you're appointed to a position and advance one step per year on your anniversary date, as long as your performance is satisfactory. No promotion is required — step increases happen automatically.
For example, here are the 4 steps for AS-01:
| Step | Annual Salary | Biweekly |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $61,786 | $2,368 |
| Step 2 | $64,135 | $2,458 |
| Step 3 | $66,572 | $2,552 |
| Step 4 | $69,106 | $2,649 |
An AS-01 at step 1 earns $61,786 per year. After 3 years of satisfactory performance, they reach step 4 at $69,106 — a $7,320 increase without any promotion. After reaching the maximum step, your salary only increases when a new collective agreement provides an economic increase (raise).
How Do Collective Agreements Set Pay?
Federal public service salaries are not set arbitrarily. They're negotiated through collective bargaining between the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (the employer) and bargaining agents (unions) like:
- PSAC (Public Service Alliance of Canada) — covers PA group (AS, PM, CR, IS, WP, etc.)
- PIPSC (Professional Institute of the Public Service) — covers RE group (IT, AV, EN, etc.)
- CAPE (Canadian Association of Professional Employees) — covers EC and TR groups
- AJC (Association of Justice Counsel) — covers LP group
Collective agreements typically cover 3–4 year periods and include scheduled pay increases applied to all employees in the bargaining unit. When negotiations take longer than expected (which is common), employees receive retroactive pay once an agreement is signed.
How to Read a Pay Scale Table
When you look up a classification on FedPay.ca, you'll see a table like this:
- Rows = pay steps (step 1 at the top, maximum step at the bottom)
- Annual salary = your gross yearly pay before any deductions
- Biweekly = your annual salary divided by 26.088 (the number of pay periods per year)
To find your current salary: look up your classification and level (shown on your letter of offer or pay stub), then find your step number. If you don't know your step, count the number of years since your appointment date — that's approximately your step (step 1 in year 1, step 2 in year 2, etc.).
What Is Acting Pay?
When you temporarily perform the duties of a higher-level position, you receive acting pay at the rate of the higher classification. Your acting rate is set at the step in the higher level that gives you at least a pay increase over your substantive (permanent) salary.
For example, if you're an AS-03 at step 3 ($79,511) acting as an AS-04, you'd be paid at AS-04 step 1 ($80,612) since that's the first step that exceeds your substantive salary.
Annual vs. Hourly Rates
Most federal classifications use annual salary rates. However, some operational groups (like GL, GS, HP, and others) use hourly rates instead. The classification page on FedPay.ca clearly indicates which rate type applies.
Next Steps
- Look up your salary by classification and level
- Calculate your take-home pay after taxes and deductions
- Compare classifications side by side
- Track your raise history against inflation