The federal government's decision to terminate 800 term employees from the Passport program effective June 27 contradicts its commitment to improve passport processing times and will directly impact service quality for Canadians.

“The government is setting workers up to fail,” said Rubina Boucher, National President of the Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU). “They have promised Canadians faster passport processing, yet they are cutting the very staff needed to deliver these vital services. These job cuts will inevitably result in longer delays and reduced accessibility for Canadians.”

CEIU has not yet received detailed information about which specific areas of the Passport program are being impacted, or which employees will be affected. CEIU stands in solidarity with colleagues from the Union of National Employees (UNE), who are also impacted by these cuts.

CEIU continues advocating for comprehensive supports for affected employees beyond the Employee Assistance Program, including career development resources and targeted training to help members and their teams through this challenging transition.

Unified union response 

These recent cuts at Employment and Social Development Canada follow a broader pattern of federal staffing reductions, including 1,300 job losses at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and recent announcements of 300 job cuts at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), with an additional 300 positions currently under review.

The cumulative impact of these cuts, now totaling over 3,000 positions at CRA alone, underscores the critical need for unions to collaborate and advocate collectively for the public service.

Given Canada's fragile economy, ongoing recession risks, growing demands on Employment Insurance, and persistent immigration backlogs, investing in—not cutting—public services is essential.

CEIU joins the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) in urging Prime Minister Carney to immediately halt these job cuts, engage meaningfully with unions, and develop a strategic plan to strengthen public services. Hastily implemented cuts without proper consultation will harm Canadians who rely on these vital services.