Eligibility lists
Last updated on April 3, 2024An eligibility list is an inventory of pre-qualified candidates in ranked order who have been assessed in a staffing action and are qualified to fill future vacancies in the BC Public Service. Hiring managers can also choose to create cross ministry eligibility lists where common hiring needs exist across different ministries.
If you're considering establishing an eligibility list, it must be clearly indicated in the job posting. You must also indicate if the eligibility list will be used to fill future temporary or permanent vacancies, vacancies in multiple locations or across ministries.
On this page
Why use an eligibility list
An eligibility list is used to fill future vacancies:
- At the same classification
- With the same job qualifications
- At the same location
- In the same business area
In some circumstances, an eligibility list may be used to fill vacancies in other locations, across organizational units, or across ministries. If an eligibility list is to be used for these circumstances, it should be transparently noted in the job posting.
For jobs that are common throughout your ministry, consider working with other hiring managers to establish eligibility lists for multiple vacancies, locations, organizational units, and/or ministries.
When to use an eligibility list
Eligibility lists are cost-effective and recommended whenever there are more qualified candidates than current vacancies, and in the following scenarios:
- Positions may be available in the near future due to program requirements or employee movements
- The classification, type of position or location traditionally has high turnover
- There are a large number of vacancies to fill and vacancies occur regularly
Cross ministry eligibility lists
Memorandum of Understanding 40: Cross Ministry Eligibility Lists is intended to increase the ability to hire through a one employer approach.
The cross ministry eligibility list that is established is a list of pre-qualified candidates that can be used by multiple ministries to hire for the same job which includes the same classification level, similar accountabilities, and job requirements.
Cross ministry eligibility lists increase the ability to hire in an expeditious manner, as well as increasing employees’ ability to access promotional opportunities across the BC Public Service
How to
- If you anticipate there may be more opportunities available in the near future, you may want to establish an eligibility list
- The job posting should clearly state how the eligibility list will be used and list the geographic areas
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To establish a cross ministry eligibility list, select ‘I need recruitment support and advice for this competition’ when submitting the Hiring Request and note your intent to establish a cross ministry eligibility list, or let your Recruiter know once the Hiring Request has been assigned. Your Recruiter will ensure that you are supported with your competition and will help manage the eligibility list
- Before placing any internal candidates on an eligibility lists, past work performance checks must be completed
- For BCNU, UPN and Crown Counsel positions the maximum term for an eligibility list is one year
- For BCGEU and excluded positions the maximum term for an eligibility list is 18 months
- For PEA, eligibility lists shall be in effect for a maximum of one year, however, when an eligibility list is established for a position that includes another bargaining unit where the maximum term is longer than one year, the eligibility list will remain active for the duration of the term.
- Eligibility lists may be established for a shorter term and extended up to their maximum length, prior to the expiration date of the eligibility list
- Once established, an eligibility list must be used to fill subsequent available vacancies that would otherwise be filled through a full staffing action, until the list expires
- As with any staffing action, an employee placement referral may take place for your vacancies (for example, rehab placement)
- Candidates are placed on an eligibility list in rank order
- The order is determined by calculating the total points in the competition including years of continuous service (if applicable)
- The term of an eligibility list starts on the day final regrets are sent
- Candidates on an eligibility list are advised of their own placement on the list in their regret letter
- Employee applicants not on the eligibility list are advised that an eligibility list has been established
- The hiring manager who established the eligibility list maintains a record of the list and ensures it is referred to when vacancies arise
- For a cross ministry eligibility list, your Recruiter will maintain a record of the list and ensure it is referred to when hiring requests arise.
- Prior to offering a position to a person on the eligibility list, ensure the past work performance (reference) checks have been completed
- Offer the first available vacancy to the top applicant on the list.
- If the applicant declines, offer the vacancy to the next applicant
- If the applicant accepts, follow up with a written offer and make an appointment
- The next step is to complete the required paperwork for your new hire—review set up your new employee
- No additional notification to other applicants is required
- This process continues as vacancies occur until the list is exhausted or the term of the list has expired
- If an individual refuses the first offer, they remain at their current place on the list and will be called as subsequent vacancies become available, unless the individual requests to be removed from the list
- When filling subsequent available vacancies, the vacancy must be the same grid level, should be the same classification and must be within the same category (for example, same union or excluded)
- The job qualifications and accountabilities should be the same or very similar
- If the job vacancy is in a different office location or organizational unit, contact the candidate to share information about the position, office, staff, reporting relationships, and determine if the candidate is interested in the vacancy
- To make an offer, the hiring manager submits a Hiring Request and selects ‘I need to hire from an established eligibility list’ and completes the requested information
- If an active cross ministry eligibility list is available for your hiring request, you will be sent the next available candidate (in rank order), along with their contact information and the information that we need to create the offer letter.
- Next, contact the candidate to share information about the position, office, reporting relationships, and determine if the candidate is interested in the position
- Past work performance checks may need to be completed prior to a verbal offer.
- When filling available vacancies, the vacancy must be the same grid level, should be the same classification and within the same category (for example, same union or excluded)
- The job qualifications and accountabilities should be the same or very similar
- If the candidate declines your verbal offer, reconnect with your Recruiter and they will send you the next available candidate (in rank order) and their contact information
- If the applicant accepts the verbal offer, prepare the offer letter or provide the information needed to complete the offer letter and we will create the offer letter for your candidate.
- Complete any required security screening and provide the confirmed start date. Submit the confirmation letter to AskMyHR or if you require support, we will initiate the confirmation letter and data entry of the hire.
- The next step is to complete the required paperwork for your new hire—review set up your new employee
- This process continues as vacancies occur until the list is exhausted or the term of the list has expired
- If a candidate declines two verbal offers from the original ministry and original posted location(s) PSA will send the candidate an eligibility list removal letter
- A candidate’s placement on the eligibility list is not affected by declining verbal offers from other ministries and locations not included in the original posting
- If a candidate accepts a permanent opportunity, they are removed from the eligibility list
- If a candidate accepts a temporary opportunity, they remain on the eligibility list for future permanent opportunities
- An applicant's name may only be removed from an eligibility list at their request or if the applicant is no longer able to meet the requirements of the position (for example, the loss of a license that is required for a position)
- For cross ministry eligibility lists an applicant’s name will be removed if they have turned down two verbal offers from the original ministry and original (preferred) location(s) of a cross ministry eligibility list
- If an applicant resigns or retires, they remain on the eligibility list for that particular competition until the eligibility list is no longer valid
- A hiring manager can extend their eligibility list at any point, as long as the list is still active, up to the maximum term length
- For a cross ministry eligibility list, the original hiring manager should reach out to your Recruiter request an extension of the list. The PSA will then initiate eligibility list extension letters for all remaining candidates on the list
- When extending the length of the list, a hiring manager is required to notify all of the applicants on the list that it will be extended and document their decision in the competition file
- Hiring managers can use the eligibility list extension letter on the hiring letter templates page on MyHR to notify their applicants of the change in term length