Federal Hiring Guide
What Do AS, PM, EC, CR, IT and Other Federal Job Classifications Mean?
Every federal job posting carries a classification code: AS-02, EC-04, PM-03, IT-01, CR-05. Most people treat these as salary references. They are more than that. A classification label is a shorthand for the type of work a role involves, the scope and complexity expected at that level, and the evidence the screening board will be looking for. This guide explains how to read the label and what it actually signals.
How a classification code is structured
A classification code has two parts: a group and a level. The group is the two-letter prefix (AS, PM, EC, CR, IT and many others). The level is the number that follows. Together they describe what kind of work the role involves and how complex or senior it is expected to be.
Example: AS-03
Group: AS
Administrative Services. The group signals the type of work: coordination, administration, program support. Not the job title. Not the salary. The kind of evidence the screening board will look for.
Level: 03
A mid-tier level within the AS group. Signals more complex coordination work, broader responsibilities, and typically more autonomy than an AS-01 or AS-02. Does not require supervisory experience in most cases.
The combination tells you more than either part alone. An AS-05 and a PM-05 are at the same level within their respective groups, but the work they involve, the evidence they require, and the kind of organization they typically appear in are often quite different.
What the common groups signal
There are dozens of classification groups in the federal system. These five appear in the majority of external postings on GC Jobs and account for most of the roles applicants from outside the public service will realistically consider.
Administrative Services
Roles focused on making organizations work: process coordination, information management, scheduling, planning, reporting, and cross-branch support. AS work tends to be internally focused rather than client- or policy-facing. It requires strong organizational judgment, attention to process integrity, and the ability to work across teams.
What it is not: Not all administrative or support roles are AS. Program delivery and stakeholder-facing coordination may be PM. Policy and analysis work is typically EC. AS is specifically the coordination and administrative backbone of federal operations.
Levels: AS-01 to AS-03: coordination and administrative support. AS-04 to AS-07: supervisory, managerial, or senior operational roles.
Programme Administration
Roles focused on delivering programs: case management, grants and contributions, client or partner outreach, policy application to individual files, and service delivery. PM work faces outward, either to the public, to applicants, to partners, or to delivery stakeholders. It requires evidence of program delivery, file-based judgment, and stakeholder engagement.
What it is not: PM is not a general management classification. The name can mislead. Most PM roles are not about managing people or projects in the private sector sense. They are about administering programs against policy frameworks.
Levels: PM-01 to PM-03: case work, delivery, and client-facing roles. PM-04 and above: typically involve managing others, portfolios, or complex program delivery functions.
Economics and Social Science Services
Roles focused on research, analysis, policy development, evaluation, and advisory work. EC work is typically written and analytic: producing briefing notes, policy options papers, evaluations, research summaries, and strategic advice. It requires evidence of structured analytical thinking, clear written communication, and engagement with data, policy frameworks, or social science methodologies.
What it is not: EC is not limited to economics. Many social scientists, policy analysts, program evaluators, and communications specialists work in EC roles. The group name reflects its origins, not its current breadth.
Levels: EC-02 and EC-03: analyst and researcher roles, often with significant independent work but guided by senior direction. EC-04 and EC-05: mid-to-senior policy and analysis roles with broader portfolio responsibility and stakeholder exposure. EC-06 and above: senior advisory, executive-adjacent roles.
Clerical and Regulatory
Roles focused on data entry, records management, client service, verification, and administrative processing. CR work is often high-volume, detail-intensive, and structured by clear procedural rules. It requires accuracy, consistency, and the ability to apply rules to individual files or requests.
What it is not: CR is not an entry point to all federal work. It is the entry point for roles that are primarily clerical, regulatory processing, or client-service-intensive. Moving from CR to AS or PM typically requires applying to a new competition, not automatic progression.
Levels: CR-03 and CR-04: common starting levels for client service and processing roles. CR-05: more independent judgment within clerical or regulatory scope, sometimes a team-lead function.
Information Technology
Roles focused on technical systems work: infrastructure, software development, cybersecurity, data architecture, IT project management, systems administration, and technical advisory. IT is among the most internally diverse groups in the federal system, spanning highly technical individual contributor roles and senior technical leadership.
What it is not: IT roles are not primarily about general project management or strategy unless explicitly stated. The essential qualifications are typically technical and specific. A generalist background in technology may not satisfy the evidence requirements for a specialized IT-03 or IT-04 role.
Levels: IT-01: entry-level technical support and helpdesk. IT-02 and IT-03: analyst, developer, and specialist roles requiring demonstrated technical expertise. IT-04 and above: senior technical leadership, enterprise architecture, or management of technical teams.
What the level number actually signals
The level number within a group is not just a pay tier. It is a proxy for the complexity, autonomy, and scope expected of the person doing the work. Here is what typically changes as levels increase, regardless of group.
Entry levels (01–02)
Work is typically guided by clear procedures, supervised closely, and involves well-defined tasks within established frameworks. Evidence requirements focus on doing specific tasks correctly rather than exercising judgment about which task to do or how to design the framework.
Mid levels (03–04)
Work involves more independent judgment, broader scope, and often some coordination of others or interface with more senior stakeholders. Evidence requirements shift toward initiative, problem-solving within ambiguous situations, and producing outputs that require less revision. AS-03, PM-03, and EC-03 roles often expect someone who can manage a workload with minimal supervision.
Senior levels (05 and above)
Work typically involves complex advisory functions, managing teams or portfolios, providing strategic direction, or interfacing regularly with executives and external stakeholders. Evidence requirements at this level are rarely satisfied by day-to-day execution examples. Boards expect evidence of consequence, influence, and scope.
Supervisory levels
Some levels across different groups come with an explicit supervisory component. A posting that requires management of people will list it in the essential qualifications. Do not assume that a level implies supervision. Read the posting. If you lack evidence of supervising others and the posting requires it, that is a disqualifying gap.
Common misconceptions about classification codes
- !
"Higher number always means better fit or more opportunity."
Higher levels have higher evidence bars. Applying to an AS-05 when your evidence is AS-02 level does not give you more chances. It results in a faster screened-out decision. The right level is the one your actual experience supports, not the highest one you can reach by title.
- !
"Same level means the same kind of work."
An AS-04 at a large central agency and an AS-04 at a small regional office may carry the same classification but involve very different scope, stakeholders, and day-to-day realities. Classification tells you the type of work and the seniority band. It does not tell you the culture, the mandate, or the specific role. Read the posting, not just the code.
- !
"The classification tells me everything I need to know."
The classification narrows the field. The essential qualifications in the actual posting tell you what will be assessed. Two AS-03 postings in different departments can have completely different merit criteria, different assessment approaches, and different evidence requirements. Always read the full posting.
- !
"If I did admin work, I can apply to any AS role."
Administrative experience is broad. AS roles can range from scheduling and document management at AS-01 to executive support and organizational planning at AS-04. General administrative experience satisfies the essential qualifications for some AS levels. It does not satisfy them for others. Match your specific evidence to the specific qualifications in the posting you are considering.
- !
"Classification determines salary, and salary determines fit."
Classification and salary are related but separate considerations. Choosing a posting because of the pay band and then discovering the work type does not match your background wastes your time and the hiring board's. Choose targets based on evidence fit first, salary second.
Once you have a target, checking whether your evidence actually meets a specific posting's essential qualifications is the next step — and a different exercise from knowing the group.
How to use classification codes when searching GC Jobs
GC Jobs allows you to filter postings by classification group and level. This is more useful than searching by job title, because federal job titles are inconsistent. Two postings titled "Policy Analyst" can belong to different classification groups. Searching by classification filters for the type of work and evidence level you are actually targeting.
Search by group, not title
Use the classification filter on GC Jobs to search for AS, PM, EC, CR, or IT postings directly. Titles like "coordinator," "advisor," or "analyst" appear across multiple groups. The group filter is more reliable.
Filter to a level range you can honestly meet
If your evidence supports mid-level work, filter to levels 03 and 04 within your target group. Do not apply broadly across all levels and hope a board will accommodate you. Match your level of evidence to the level of the posting.
Read the SOMC if one is attached
Some postings link to a Statement of Merit Criteria document that gives the full, detailed essential qualifications. When available, this is the authoritative document for what the board will assess. Read it before the job description.
Note whether the pool is anticipatory or immediate
Some postings indicate they are staffing an immediate vacancy. Others are building pools for anticipated needs. This does not change whether you should apply, but it adjusts your expectations about how quickly the process will move.
Related guides
Once you understand what the labels mean, this guide helps you decide which group and level fits your background.
Understanding the classification is one step. Understanding what a specific posting is actually asking for is the next.
What to do next
- 1
Identify one or two groups that match your actual work history
Not the work you aspire to do. The work you have actually done and can demonstrate with specific evidence. Start there.
- 2
Use the classification targeting guide to identify a realistic level
The group tells you the type of work. The level tells you the complexity. The targeting guide helps you match both to your evidence honestly.
Which classification should I target? → - 3
Read two or three real postings at your target level
The essential qualifications in real postings tell you far more than any general description of the group. Use GC Jobs to find live or recently closed postings at your target classification and level.
- 4
Download the free Federal Job Directory
Our free Federal Job Directory maps common backgrounds to likely classification families and lists where to find postings by type.
Get the Federal Job Directory — free → - 5
When you have a target posting, score your application
Our Cover Letter Rewriter scores your letter against the specific posting's merit criteria. Free preview. Pay to unlock the full rewrite when you are ready.
Score my cover letter — free →
FedJobReady™ is operated by 17795131 Canada Inc. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Government of Canada, the Public Service Commission of Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, or any federal department or agency. Classification descriptions in this guide are based on publicly available GC Jobs postings and PSC staffing policy. Individual roles vary significantly by department and process. Always verify current classification details and requirements against official government sources.