Yes. As part of our commitment to quality, we guarantee that every candidate placed has been interviewed face-to-face by us.
Typically, we invite candidates to one of our offices for an in-person interview. Under extenuating circumstances (e.g., pandemics, short turn-around periods, significant distances, etc.), we invite candidates to a virtual interview over video conference (Zoom, MS Teams, Skype, FaceTime, etc.). We will always notify you when we did not interview the candidate in person.
Candidates are interviewed by dedicated, expert recruiters who are well versed in their industry and technical skill set. Our firm has strict service standards in place to evaluate our own performance metrics and ensure we are operating at the highest level. Our talented recruiters keep current with the marketplace and are fluent in best practices for conducting interviews and assessing hard and soft skill requirements.
Ultimately, we treat interviews as an invitation for our candidates to enter a private and calm space where their technical skills can be evaluated, and they can thoroughly review the requirements of the position and learn how to best position themselves for future success.
Yes. We always aim to select candidates who are ready for the role based on the client’s requirements. First, we work with clients to establish the training requirements. Then, as part of our onboarding process, we provide candidates with additional training and tutorials as necessary, while also ensuring that candidates are trained in AODA and Health & Safety legislation.
We are a strong advocate for our IT contractors’ skills development, encouraging them to keep up to date with the latest market requirements. Post-placement, we offer cutting-edge, flexible pathways for ongoing professional development through Pluralsight, an online skills development platform. This enables candidates to continue their self-guided professional development so they can meet our clients’ fluctuating demands, while remaining current with the latest technology and maintaining relevant skillsets within their industry.
Courses available through Pluralsight offer training for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners. Training programs include:
The timing of placements depends on your requirements. In every case, we aim to place the right person the first time, rather than placing the first person who comes to mind. That said, we have built our reputation on being extremely responsive, fast and effective.
Average turnaround time to provide pre-screened, interviewed and validated candidates per specialty:
Yes. One of the most important parts of our screening process is to conduct a series of examinations (as applicable) to determine the candidate’s skill level in a variety of areas relevant to the role.
We use both customized and standardized testing to verify candidate skills and ability. These include:
Yes. An important part of our screening process is to validate the information provided by the candidates. Based on the requirements of the role, we will conduct any of the following checks:
We can customize billing to meet client needs on request. Clients can pay in a variety of ways, including by credit card, using our general billing framework:
Contract and Payroll Services
Our client is billed monthly for the hours our contractor has worked, as approved by the client on the timesheet. Employee timesheets and invoices appear on the same page, reducing paper.
Permanent Placement
An invoice for services rendered is sent on the employee’s second working day. We offer contingency services – there is no fee until we place the right person in the role.
If your payroll frequency is Weekly: When a public holiday falls on any day of the week, except Friday, your public holiday pay will be released with your payroll on the upcoming Monday. If the public holiday falls on Friday, your public holiday pay will be released with your payroll on the second Monday after the public holiday.
If your payroll frequency is Biweekly: When a public holiday falls on any day of the week, except the second Friday of the biweekly period, your public holiday pay will be released with your payroll on the upcoming Monday. If the public holiday falls on the second Friday of a biweekly period, your public holiday pay will be released with your payroll in the next biweekly cycle, the third Monday after the public holiday.
There are certain circumstances that allow an individual to qualify for an increase in his or her basic claim amount for federal and provincial taxation. Likewise, an individual may require additional taxes to be deducted from his or her payroll. If you feel that you qualify for either of these changes in taxation, please contact our office and request the TD1 forms. Once completed, please forward the forms to our office with your first timesheet.
Overtime is calculated based on Employment Standard requirements for the province where you report to work. Overtime must be pre-approved by our team and the client.
A manager or supervisor should be appointed to sign your timesheet. It is a good idea to identify a second authorized person as well, in case the primary signatory is unavailable. Please call our office if you are unsure about a secondary approver. It is your responsibility to ensure your timesheet is approved.
At the end of each work week, you complete and submit timesheets electronically through our e-timesheet website, indicating the hours you have worked. Please do not include lunch hours, as the lunch break is not paid time. Once you submit your hours and your manager or supervisor approves them, we’ll send you an e-mail confirming that your timesheet is being processed for payroll, which takes place on Mondays.
Yes, to obtain a confirmation of earnings letter, please call our office.
Payments can be delayed if we do not receive your approved timesheet on time. To ensure that you are paid promptly and regularly for the hours you have worked, please make sure you submit your timesheet at the end of every work week. Provided we receive your manager’s or supervisor’s approval by mid-day on the following Monday, your pay will be deposited into your account within 1-2 business days (timing varies according to financial institution).
Yes, we processes payments exclusively by direct deposit. For this reason, it is essential that we receive your banking information prior to processing payroll, which occurs every Monday. When you first log into the e-timesheet website, you will be prompted to provide your banking information (as shown at the bottom of one of your personal cheques).
Call us and we will arrange for you to update your direct deposit information through the e-timesheet website. Once we receive the new details, we will deposit your next pay into your new bank account.
We process payments exclusively by direct deposit. For this reason, it is essential that we receive your banking information prior to processing payroll. When you first log into our e-timesheet website, you will be prompted to provide your banking information (as shown at the bottom of one of your personal cheques).
To ensure that you are paid promptly and regularly for the hours you have worked, please make sure you submit your timesheet at the end of every work week. Provided we receive your manager’s or supervisor’s approval by mid-day on the following Monday, your pay will be deposited into your account within 1-2 business days (timing varies according to financial institution).
A security clearance is a background check done by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and the RCMP that enables you to work in certain positions in the federal government that may entail accessing secure information. The most common clearance levels required are Reliability and Secret.
To obtain a security clearance, you need a sponsor, such as a staffing firm like AltisITR or ExcelITR or a federal government department. If you are registered with AltisITR or ExcelITR, have met with us either in person or virtually, and we determine that you have the skillset most often required for security cleared positions within the federal government, then we will ask you to apply for a clearance. Note that the application process takes time and the approval is outside of our control.
You can find our Accessible Customer Service Plan here.
You can find our privacy policy here.
When your security clearance is granted by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), you will receive an email from us with a copy of your clearance briefing form. To complete the process and validate the clearance, you must sign the briefing form electronically, as per the instructions provided in the email.
Yes. However, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) may place limitations on the type of information the applicant is authorized to access.
Speak with your AltisITR consultant. They will ask for your name at birth and your date of birth and will then forward your request to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) for verification. Responses generally take 2-5 business days.
The processing of your clearance could be delayed if:
Note: PSPC is not able to conduct background checks for every country. Sometimes the country where you have lived does not have the facilities required to conduct a background check, or does not provide information to other countries.
If PSPC requires further details to complete your background check, we will contact you with further information. Please remember to monitor your email for any correspondence regarding your clearance.
AltisITR and ExcelITR are the sponsors of your clearance; however, once the completed forms have been sent to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), we cannot influence the speed at which your clearance is processed. Keep in mind that additional documentation may be required (please monitor your email for correspondence regarding your application).
We take an active role in initiating the clearance process; however, we do not require clearances of all applicants. A face-to-face interview with one of our consultants will determine if a clearance is required.
The current processing time for a Reliability-level clearance is generally 4 to 8 weeks from the date of application, provided an out-of-country check is not required. Reliability clearances are valid for 10 years and are subject to cancellation by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) if they are not in use. When out-of-country clearance is required, the process can take over two years—sometimes much longer. Please note that a clearance can be denied.
The current processing time for a Secret-level clearance is generally 4 to 6 months from the date of application, provided an out-of-country check is not required. Secret clearances are valid for 10 years and are subject to cancellation by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) if they are not in use. When out-of-country clearance is required, the process can take over two years—sometimes much longer. Please note that a clearance can be denied.
Reliability and Secret clearances are valid for 10 years and are subject to cancellation by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) if they are not in use, or if an issue arises that compromises the clearance.
To work in the federal government, candidates require a valid security clearance. We also fill roles within the private sector where a security clearance is rarely necessary.
AltisITR and ExcelITR currently sponsor Reliability and Secret clearances. The level of clearance determines the information that you will be authorized to access, should you be required to work with sensitive information.
When AltisITR and ExcelITR receive your clearance briefing form from Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), we will send you a copy by email. Once you receive the form, you will need to sign it electronically to complete the process. Please monitor your email regularly.
To request an additional copy of your clearance briefing form, please contact our Clearance Team at 613-230-5393. Note: AltisITR and ExcelITR can only request copies of clearances for which we are the sponsor.
Yes, you can apply. Based on the nature of your record, the clearance may take longer than normal to process.
The difference between these types of clearances is the type and security level of information you are permitted to work with. To determine whether you can apply for a Secret-level clearance, please contact your AltisITR or ExcelITR consultant.
If you become injured on assignment (whether you are working remotely or on-site), you must report an injury to your workplace Supervisor at the time of the injury and then to your Account Manager.
Subsequently the Health and Safety Team will be informed and will actively advise on the next steps. It is our firm’s responsibility to report to the appropriate Workers Compensation organizations.
Additionally, our firm is committed to and will actively participate in creating a safe return to work plan for you if necessary.
Our Health and Safety Team is available 7 days a week at 1-888-220-0911 ext 6000, or you can contact us at healthandsafety@altisexcel.com.
As the employer, we are required by law to screen all employees reporting to an onsite workplace. As you can appreciate this encompasses hundreds of different workplaces across the country. For the duration of their contract, an automated email is sent to each candidate requiring them to complete Covid-19 screening questions.
In order to ensure our temporary employees complete the screening questions, each Account Manager and our Health and Safety Team receive a report listing any employees who have not completed the screening questionnaire. Our team completes follow-up protocol daily to ensure every candidate completes the mandatory questionnaire before reporting to the workplace.
Additionally, our team confirms that the temporary employee has been trained on the Covid19
preventative protocol and confirming that they are comfortable with all Health and Safety measures throughout the assignment.
After completing the Health and Safety questionnaire, if you answer YES to any of the symptoms listed – our Health and Safety Team will call you immediately to determine next steps.
Next steps may include; but are not limited to:
tomorrow.
Your Account Manager will communicate with our client and advise in accordance with Public Health Guidelines.
Daily, each of our temporary employees are provided a link daily which offers Covid-19 training material. The training is accessible through the E-timesheet Portal and available to our temporary employees at all times.
Additionally, we ask each of our temporary employees working onsite if they have been trained on the health and safety protocol in the workplace and if they are comfortable with protocols in place.
A service call with our client (or representative of the client organization) is scheduled on the first day of the assignment, confirming that our client has completed training with our employees on the Covid-19 prevention and safety measures according to Public Health guidelines. In addition, we review the requisition intake questionnaire regarding all relevant health and safety matters which is completed prior to accepting our recruitment on the role.
When a temporary employee has been diagnosed with Covid-19, we discuss with the candidate what the Public Health Unit has advised, for example, self-isolation or quarantine for 14 days.
Contact tracing will be conducted by either the employer in joint cooperation with our firm and/or Public Health.
Respecting employee privacy, we will discuss with the client organization and together decide on the best communication plan. Typically advising that someone in the building/floor etc. has tested positive for Covid-19 and that they will be contacted directly if they are considered a close contact. Next steps will be provided.
Additionally, we will consult with the client to ensure that the proper cleaning and sanitizing has taken place, as per Public Health guidelines.
Our firm will continue to communicate with all parties (candidate, client, Public Health). Once the quarantine period has been completed and the employee no longer has symptoms, we will create and communicate a return to work plan with the candidate.
Altis Recruitment acknowledges the importance of the land we each call home and honours the First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples on whose land we gather. We respectfully acknowledge that our head office is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg Peoples.
Our positions and applications are received in English. If you would like to speak to a bilingual consultant, please email bilingual@altisitr.com
Copyright © 2021. Altis ITR.
