Attrition
Data categories
Attrition is the process of employees and members leaving professional employment within DND/CAF. Retention refers to employees and members choosing to continue their careers within the organization. Attrition may be linked to factors such as low job satisfaction, lack of promotional opportunities, dissatisfaction with pay, poor organizational culture, feeling underappreciated, injury or illness, misconduct, and retirement.
Factors related to attrition can vary between specific demographics and occupations within DND and the CAF. Some attrition from the CAF is also due to members and veterans choosing to transition to the federal public service. To support this transition, the Public Service Employment Act is available to help CAF members and veterans access federal public service job opportunities.
The Canadian Armed Forces Retention Strategy has been developed to increase CAF retention. Low attrition (i.e., high retention) rates can indicate positive general morale and operational effectiveness.
DND public service employee attrition
This metric shows how many DND public service employees left the department for reasons such as retirement, transfer, discharge or ending temporary assignment.
- 1,179 employees left DND
- 4% of total DND public service employees*
*Total employees as of December 2024 (does not include Term, Casual, or Contract personnel)
Data Source: DND HR Management System (Last Updated: 2025/01/31)
Defence Team sentiment towards leaving DND/CAF
Defence Team
I am actively looking at leaving the CAF/DND:
| category | subcategory | Year | % Agree | % Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | DND public service employees Men | 2022 | 16% | 84% |
| Gender | DND public service employees Men | 2024 | 20% | 80% |
| Gender | DND public service employees Women | 2022 | 14% | 86% |
| Gender | DND public service employees Women | 2024 | 13% | 87% |
| Gender | Primary Reserve Men | 2022 | 8% | 92% |
| Gender | Primary Reserve Men | 2024 | 19% | 81% |
| Gender | Primary Reserve Women | 2022 | 14% | 86% |
| Gender | Primary Reserve Women | 2024 | 24% | 76% |
| Gender | Regular Force Men | 2022 | 24% | 76% |
| Gender | Regular Force Men | 2024 | 28% | 72% |
| Gender | Regular Force Women | 2022 | 19% | 81% |
| Gender | Regular Force Women | 2024 | 19% | 81% |
| Component | DND public service employees | 2022 | 16% | 85% |
| Component | DND public service employees | 2024 | 17% | 83% |
| Component | Primary Reserve | 2022 | 9% | 91% |
| Component | Primary Reserve | 2024 | 20% | 80% |
| Component | Regular Force | 2022 | 24% | 77% |
| Component | Regular Force | 2024 | 26% | 74% |
| CAF Rank | Primary Reserve Junior Non-Commissioned Member | 2022 | 9% | 91% |
| CAF Rank | Primary Reserve Junior Non-Commissioned Member | 2024 | 22% | 78% |
| CAF Rank | Primary Reserve Junior Officer | 2024 | 24% | 76% |
| CAF Rank | Primary Reserve Senior Non-Commissioned Member | 2022 | 9% | 91% |
| CAF Rank | Primary Reserve Senior Non-Commissioned Member | 2024 | 17% | 83% |
| CAF Rank | Primary Reserve Senior Officer | 2024 | 18% | 82% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Junior Non-Commissioned Member | 2022 | 23% | 77% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Junior Non-Commissioned Member | 2024 | 27% | 73% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Junior Officer | 2022 | 22% | 78% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Junior Officer | 2024 | 27% | 73% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Senior Non-Commissioned Member | 2022 | 25% | 75% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Senior Non-Commissioned Member | 2024 | 26% | 74% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Senior Officer | 2022 | 24% | 76% |
| CAF Rank | Regular Force Senior Officer | 2024 | 22% | 78% |
Data Source: Your Say Matters: Defence Team Well-Being Survey (2022)
DND public service employees leaving the department
This table shows the number of DND public service employees who left the department by gender, for reasons such as retirement, transfer, discharge, or ending temporary assignment. Note that only men and women are included as gender options; gender diverse individuals are not included as reporting on their limited number does not protect anonymity.
| Gender | Years of service | Age Group | Number of employees leaving |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | All | <25 | 19 |
| All | All | 25-29 | 44 |
| All | All | 30-34 | 60 |
| All | All | 35-39 | 52 |
| All | All | 40-44 | 57 |
| All | All | 45-49 | 70 |
| All | All | 50-54 | 88 |
| All | All | 55-59 | 188 |
| All | All | 60-64 | 322 |
| All | All | 65-69 | 207 |
| All | All | 70+ | 72 |
| All | 36+ | 55-59 | 19 |
| All | 36+ | 60-64 | 40 |
| All | 36+ | 65-69 | 17 |
| All | 36+ | 70+ | 16 |
| All | 30-35 | 55-59 | 32 |
| All | 30-35 | 60-64 | 23 |
| All | 30-35 | 65-69 | 13 |
| All | 21-29 | 50-54 | 20 |
| All | 21-29 | 55-59 | 34 |
| All | 21-29 | 60-64 | 72 |
| All | 21-29 | 65-69 | 42 |
| All | 21-29 | 70+ | 17 |
| All | 2-10 | 25-29 | 38 |
| All | 2-10 | 30-34 | 50 |
| All | 2-10 | 35-39 | 36 |
| All | 2-10 | 40-44 | 31 |
| All | 2-10 | 45-49 | 30 |
| All | 2-10 | 50-54 | 31 |
| All | 2-10 | 55-59 | 61 |
| All | 2-10 | 60-64 | 60 |
| All | 2-10 | 65-69 | 54 |
| All | 11-20 | 35-39 | 12 |
| All | 11-20 | 40-44 | 14 |
| All | 11-20 | 45-49 | 24 |
| All | 11-20 | 50-54 | 30 |
| All | 11-20 | 55-59 | 36 |
| All | 11-20 | 60-64 | 124 |
| All | 11-20 | 65-69 | 79 |
| All | 11-20 | 70+ | 22 |
| All | <2 | 40-44 | 12 |
| Men | All | 25-29 | 20 |
| Men | All | 30-34 | 30 |
| Men | All | 35-39 | 32 |
| Men | All | 40-44 | 22 |
| Men | All | 45-49 | 38 |
| Men | All | 50-54 | 40 |
| Men | All | 55-59 | 103 |
| Men | All | 60-64 | 208 |
| Men | All | 65-69 | 135 |
| Men | All | 70+ | 52 |
| Men | 36+ | 60-64 | 31 |
| Men | 36+ | 65-69 | 12 |
| Men | 36+ | 70+ | 11 |
| Men | 30-35 | 55-59 | 14 |
| Men | 30-35 | 60-64 | 17 |
| Men | 21-29 | 55-59 | 17 |
| Men | 21-29 | 60-64 | 33 |
| Men | 21-29 | 65-69 | 26 |
| Men | 21-29 | 70+ | 14 |
| Men | 2-10 | 25-29 | 15 |
| Men | 2-10 | 30-34 | 25 |
| Men | 2-10 | 35-39 | 22 |
| Men | 2-10 | 40-44 | 16 |
| Men | 2-10 | 45-49 | 17 |
| Men | 2-10 | 50-54 | 21 |
| Men | 2-10 | 55-59 | 40 |
| Men | 2-10 | 60-64 | 40 |
| Men | 2-10 | 65-69 | 33 |
| Men | 11-20 | 45-49 | 12 |
| Men | 11-20 | 55-59 | 18 |
| Men | 11-20 | 60-64 | 84 |
| Men | 11-20 | 65-69 | 53 |
| Men | 11-20 | 70+ | 14 |
| Women | All | 25-29 | 24 |
| Women | All | 30-34 | 29 |
| Women | All | 35-39 | 20 |
| Women | All | 40-44 | 34 |
| Women | All | 45-49 | 32 |
| Women | All | 50-54 | 48 |
| Women | All | 55-59 | 85 |
| Women | All | 60-64 | 114 |
| Women | All | 65-69 | 72 |
| Women | All | 70+ | 20 |
| Women | 30-35 | 55-59 | 18 |
| Women | 21-29 | 50-54 | 13 |
| Women | 21-29 | 55-59 | 17 |
| Women | 21-29 | 60-64 | 39 |
| Women | 21-29 | 65-69 | 16 |
| Women | 2-10 | 25-29 | 23 |
| Women | 2-10 | 30-34 | 24 |
| Women | 2-10 | 35-39 | 14 |
| Women | 2-10 | 40-44 | 14 |
| Women | 2-10 | 45-49 | 13 |
| Women | 2-10 | 55-59 | 21 |
| Women | 2-10 | 60-64 | 20 |
| Women | 2-10 | 65-69 | 21 |
| Women | 11-20 | 40-44 | 13 |
| Women | 11-20 | 45-49 | 12 |
| Women | 11-20 | 50-54 | 20 |
| Women | 11-20 | 55-59 | 18 |
| Women | 11-20 | 60-64 | 40 |
| Women | 11-20 | 65-69 | 26 |
Data Sources: DND HR Management System (Last Updated: 2025/01/31)
Data sources
For details on the methodology of data analysis, including descriptions of each data source, please visit the List of data sources page.