FI Salary: Government of Canada Financial Management Pay (2026)
The FI group punches above its weight in the federal pay landscape. I work alongside FI colleagues at PCO who manage departmental budgets, and what strikes me is how quickly the pay scales up: only four levels, but FI-03 at $104K–$134K is competitive with senior EC and IT positions. The group is small and specialized enough that most FI employees I know advanced faster than they expected when they joined government.
Here's the full FI salary breakdown for 2026 — all four levels, a real take-home pay example, and how FI stacks up against other professional groups.
FI Group Pay Scale — 2026
The current FI pay rates are based on the 2022–2026 CT (Comptrollership) collective agreement between Treasury Board and ACFO (Association of Canadian Financial Officers), signed December 2, 2022, with the final economic increase effective November 7, 2025. The agreement expires November 6, 2026. There are four levels (FI-01 through FI-04), each with seven pay steps. Employees progress one step per year on their anniversary date until reaching the level maximum.
| Level | Min (Step 1) | Max (Step 7) |
|---|---|---|
| FI-01 | $66,982 | $93,965 |
| FI-02 | $81,534 | $110,607 |
| FI-03 | $104,239 | $134,326 |
| FI-04 | $117,501 | $151,719 |
The FI group covers a wide salary range — from an entry-level FI-01 starting at $66,982 to an experienced FI-04 at the maximum step earning $151,719 per year. The group belongs to the Financial category under Treasury Board collective agreements, bargained through ACFO (Association of Canadian Financial Officers).
FI Group vs Other Federal Classifications
A mid-career FI-03 earns between $104,239 and $134,326 — comparable to EC-06 ($113,278–$131,375) in both pay and career stage, and roughly 16% more than AS-06 max ($115,642). The FI premium over AS and PM reflects the CPA/credential-gated nature of the work; FI is closer in pay structure to EC and IT than to the administrative groups. Compared to the IT group, FI-03 is roughly on par with IT-03 at $101,343–$125,914, though IT-04 and IT-05 eventually surpass FI-03.
FI-04 top step ($151,719) exceeds any EC level except EC-08 ($159,046). For federal employees considering a career switch, the FI group is among the highest-paying options outside the EC/IT senior tiers.
FI-03 Take-Home Pay Example (Alberta, 2026)
What does an FI-03 Step 1 actually take home? Alberta has the lowest provincial income tax rate among major provinces — a 10% flat rate — making it the best province for federal take-home pay. Here's an approximate breakdown:
| Gross annual salary | $104,239 |
| − Federal income tax | −$12,588 |
| − Alberta provincial tax (10% flat) | −$6,006 |
| − CPP contributions | −$4,230 |
| − CPP2 contributions | −$416 |
| − EI premiums | −$1,123 |
| − PSPP pension (Group 2) | −$9,104 |
| Total deductions | −$33,467 |
| Net annual take-home | $70,772 |
| Net biweekly paycheque | ≈ $2,713 |
An FI-03 Step 1 in Alberta takes home approximately $70,772 per year (roughly $2,713 biweekly before any additional voluntary deductions like union dues or health/dental). The PSPP pension represents a substantial portion of deductions, but it funds a defined-benefit pension — a significant advantage over most private sector equivalents.
For a different province, level, or pension group, use the take-home pay calculator.
FI Group Career Path
Entry to the FI group typically requires a recognized accounting designation (CPA) or a degree in accounting, finance, or business administration. Most positions also require several years of relevant experience.
- FI-01: Entry-level financial roles. Junior analysts, financial clerks, accounts payable/receivable. Starting at $66,982.
- FI-02: Intermediate financial analyst roles. Budget analysis, financial planning, costing. Starting at $81,534.
- FI-03: Senior financial roles. Chief accountant, senior financial advisor, team lead. Starting at $104,239 — a significant jump from FI-02 maximum.
- FI-04: Director-equivalent financial roles. CFO-level responsibilities in smaller departments, senior financial executives. Starting at $117,501, capping at $151,719.
Promotion from FI-02 max ($110,607) to FI-03 doesn't drop the employee to FI-03 Step 1 ($104,239) — under the Treasury Board promotion formula, the new salary is placed at the FI-03 step that's at least one full FI-03 increment above the old rate. In practice, a promotion from FI-02 Step 7 typically lands the employee around FI-03 Step 3 or 4 (~$117,409–$121,799), a genuine raise of$7,000–$11,000.
FI Collective Agreement & Pay History
The FI group is represented by ACFO under the CT (Comptrollership) collective agreement, separate from the PA agreement. The current 2022–2026 agreement was signed December 2, 2022, with annual economic increases of 3.5% + 1.25% wage adjustment (Nov 2022), 3.0% (Nov 2023), 2.0% + 0.25% wage adjustment (Nov 2024), and 2.0% (Nov 2025). Effective September 28, 2023, the FI group was formally converted to the CT-FIN (Comptrollership – Financial Management) classification as part of classification modernization — pay rates and step structure are unchanged, and most employees still refer to themselves as “FIs”.
FI salaries have increased substantially since 2023 — FI-03 Step 1 was $96,561 in September 2023 and is now $104,239, a gain of approximately 8% over two years. This reflects both the recent collective agreement increases and the retroactive payments many FI employees received.
For full step-by-step rates and salary history for each FI level, see:
- FI-01 salary scale — $66,982 to $93,965
- FI-02 salary scale — $81,534 to $110,607
- FI-03 salary scale — $104,239 to $134,326
- FI-04 salary scale — $117,501 to $151,719
You can also compare FI with other classifications or view the full FI pay scale.