The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is preparing to recruit approximately 1,700 call center staff in anticipation of the upcoming tax season. This initiative aims to boost the total number of agents to around 4,500 to accommodate a surge in call volumes.
Staffing Plans for Tax Season Surge
Melanie Serjak, an assistant commissioner at the CRA, announced that the agency typically ramps up hiring during peak periods. Last year, call centers managed about 3,300 staff, with expectations to increase this by over 1,000 this year.
- Current CRA call center staff: 2,700
- Planned new hires: 1,700
- Total staff goal: 4,500
In a normal tax season, the CRA can receive upwards of 300,000 calls daily. Serjak explained that rehiring and extending term contracts allow the agency the necessary flexibility to operate effectively throughout the year.
Job Cuts Amid Expansion
Despite the CRA’s hiring spree, other departments are facing job cuts. The Public Service Alliance of Canada revealed that Natural Resources Canada has issued potential layoff notices to 219 employees. Other departments, such as the Public Service Commission and the Department of Finance, also reported similar layoffs.
Ottawa is implementing spending reductions of about $60 billion over the next five years, which will involve operational restructuring and workforce adjustments. Although potential cuts are a concern, CRA’s assistant commissioner Maxime Guénette stated that no workforce adjustments are planned until after the calendar year.
Improving Service Levels
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has set a deadline of December 11 for the CRA to address call center delays. Since the onset of this initiative, the CRA has increased its rate of unique calls answered from 35% to 70%, even achieving peaks of 92% at times.
Despite these improvements, Serjak acknowledged that complete call resolution is unlikely. The agency aims to maintain a 70% service level throughout the tax filing season. CRA’s efforts also include enhancing digital self-service options, like expanding the capabilities of its AI chatbot.
Accuracy of Information Received
Recent audits revealed a troubling statistic: CRA call center staff answered individual tax questions accurately only 17% of the time. However, the agency refuted these findings, claiming a 92% accuracy rate based on the review of over 100,000 call recordings.
Wayne Long, Secretary of State for the CRA, mentioned that the government is developing a detailed three-to-five-year plan to improve the agency’s services as the initial 100-day improvement plan approaches its conclusion.
