OF-3 · Officer
Major
NATO code
OF-3
Category
Officer
Monthly pay
$11,983 – $13,435
Annual
$143,796 – $161,220
What the rank does
Officer commanding a company, squadron or battery — about 100 to 120 people — or the primary planner on a headquarters staff. The rank turns a commanding officer's intent into orders someone can act on. Most of a major's time goes on administration and on mentoring subalterns rather than on tactics.
Getting past this rank
Command and staff appointments. The Joint Command and Staff Programme is for selected officers; it is not a guarantee of promotion.
Developmental period
DP3
Qualification required
Joint Command and Staff Programme, Canadian Forces College Toronto
The same rank in each element
Canadian Army
Major Maj
Royal Canadian Navy
Lieutenant-Commander LCdr
Royal Canadian Air Force
Major Maj
Open this in Ranks & Pay
Every rank on one page, with the incentive pay levels inside each range and the specialist scales that run above it.
Ranks & PaySource
Regular Force monthly salary, effective 2025-04-01. NATO codes follow the STANAG 2116 comparative tables. Not official — always confirm current rates with canada.ca.
canada.ca pay rates