Canada Revenue Agency to eliminate 450 jobs in March

What’s going on at the CRA?

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has informed 450 of its term employees that their contracts won’t be renewed at the end of March.

Spokesperson Etienne Biram told The Canadian Press that the agency regularly reviews its financial resources to “ensure sustainable operations and alignment with government priorities.”

The update comes after the CRA said in November that was restricting certain hiring activities, freezing “non-critical” overtime, and eliminating the agreements of approximately 600 temporary workers.

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Major employers slashing staff

The workforce reduction at the CRA comes amid a flurry of job cuts in 2025.

To date, MLSE, Disney, Town of Cochrane, Autodesk, Mohawk College, JPMorgan, Chevron, Vale, Meta, Canada Post, Workday, ADM, Amazon, Shopify, Stripe, BP, and Microsoft are among the big names that have pulled out the axe.

SEE ALSO
• ‘We lost our agility’: Estée Lauder planning to slash up to 7,000 jobs
• Canada’s immigration department slashing workforce by 25%
• Where are layoffs happening in Canada?

While it remains unclear if the move will affect both unionized and non-unionized workers at the CRA, it’s crucial for non-unionized individuals to understand their rights when they’re fired or let go.

Your rights

Non-unionized CRA employees are entitled to full severance pay when they lose their jobs due to downsizing, corporate restructuring, or the closure of the business.

This applies to individuals working full-time, part-time, or hourly in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

In some cases, this can also apply to independent contractors.

Key severance facts:

• Severance can be as much as 24 months’ pay — depending on age, length of service, position at the company, and other factors.
• In addition to salary, severance may cover bonuses, commissions, and other compensation.
• You have up to two years from the date of your termination to pursue full severance pay — regardless of any employer-imposed deadlines, which aren’t legally enforceable.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains severance rights if you’ve been downsized on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Before you sign a severance package

Use our firm’s free Severance Pay Calculator to confirm that the offer you received from your employer is fair.

This interactive tool has helped millions of Canadians determine their severance entitlements.

In the event that your employer’s offer falls short of what our calculator says you’re owed, it’s very likely you’ve been wrongfully dismissed and should contact an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

If you’ve already accepted a severance offer, don’t panic. Connect with a member of our team as soon as possible.

LEARN MORE
• Severance pay for federally regulated employees
• Rights to severance for provincially regulated staff
• Are severance packages different during mass layoffs?
• Severance entitlements in a recession

Lost your job? Contact us

If you’ve been fired or let go for any reason, contact the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. have successfully represented tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals.

In addition to severance package negotiations, we can assist you on a broad range of employment matters, including:

If you’re a non-unionized employee who needs help with a workplace issue, contact us or call 1-855-821-5900 to get the advice you need and the compensation you deserve.

Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is not specific to any one company and SHOULD NOT be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.