DM/DMA Message: Increasing onsite presence in the public service

February 5, 2026 - Defence Stories

This is to inform you that the Government intends to increase the onsite presence of executives and employees who are eligible for hybrid work.

As a first step, executives will be required to work onsite 5 days per week by May 4, 2026. For all other employees, the intention is to increase onsite presence to 4 days per week as of July 6, 2026. Many federal public servants are already onsite full-time based on the nature of their work.

All Canadian Armed Forces supervisors should also implement these requirements for their public service employees. Note that the expectations for workplace attendance for CAF members have not changed.

The Government has put forward ambitious plans to deliver on priorities for Canadians and to strengthen our country. Working together onsite is an essential foundation of the strong teams, collaboration and culture needed during this pivotal moment and beyond.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat will be engaging with bargaining agents to seek their input on the implementation of this plan. These discussions will focus on important elements, such as the potential for assigned seating and occupational health and safety.

We will also work closely with Public Service and Procurement Canada to ensure that required office space is available and ready as we increase our onsite presence.

In the meantime, all provisions in the Direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace continue to apply until further notice and there are no changes to employees' existing telework arrangements/agreements.

We recognize that this decision is occurring during a challenging period where employees are already dealing with change, and in many departments, uncertainty about their jobs. Know that we remain committed to supporting you as we move forward together, and we will provide additional details as they become available. If you have specific circumstances that you would like to discuss, please reach out to your manager.

Thank you for your continued dedication.