Canada mandates 5-day office week for federal executives

OTTAWA Federal public service executives must now work in the office five days a week, marking the latest step in the government's push to end widespread remote work arrangements.

The Treasury Board, which oversees core federal departments and agencies, implemented the policy on Monday. It requires all executives to report onsite full time, while other employees in those organizations will need to be in the office at least four days a week starting July 6. Separate agencies such as the Canada Revenue Agency and the National Research Council have indicated they plan to adopt the same schedule.

The directive builds on a series of incremental increases in required office attendance. Most public servants shifted to remote work in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In-office requirements gradually rose, reaching two days a week before advancing to three days in September 2024. Officials have cited improved collaboration and productivity as reasons for the changes, though specific data supporting these claims was not detailed in the announcement.

As of the end of March 2025, the federal government employed 9,340 executives among its total of 357,965 public servants,...