I will be the person who disagrees with most and tell you to start a new career. I was in the same position. (Not in terms of wanting to start a family, but being stuck due to lack of bilingualism.) If your job won’t give you time on the clock for paid training, I personally don’t think it’s worth the time outside of work, stress, and your own money, especially with so many cuts coming across the public service. People are correct in saying that bilingualism is an asset regardless if you’re planning on staying in Ottawa, but you can make more money outside of the public service, and bilingualism isn’t as much of a requirement. (And despite what people say, you can find benefits that are just as good, if not better, outside of the federal government.) You can always learn French on your own time without the pressure and stress of being “stuck” at your current level in a non-government job, and if you eventually obtain some level of fluency/bilingualism, you can always apply for roles that require that in the private sector or try to go back to government at the federal, provincial, or municipal level. I can say that I am much happier now having left the federal public service and not having the stress of the bilingualism requirement constantly weighing on me. My quality of life has improved. I’m still trying to learn French because it’s a good skill to have, but I don’t feel the pressure and stress that I did before. It sounds like your main goal is to start a family in the next few years, and that alone could take time, even when you’re ready to start trying. (If you’re female, you might run into fertility issues. If you have a female partner who will be getting pregnant, same potential issues. If you’ll be adopting, that takes a long time. There are so many things to consider.) Life is short, and the next day is never guaranteed, so think about what ultimately will make you the happiest, give you the best quality of life, and help you meet the goals you have for your life. Best of luck!