Certificate of qualification from a Canadian province or territory

[Scully1987]

Hi guys, If I apply under the Skilled Traders class, it list as one of the requirements to have a job offer OR "certificate of qualification from a Canadian province or territory"


I'm a fully qualified automobile mechanic who qualified in the U.K so they are british standardised qualifications, will I have to convert this certificates to Canadian equivalents to apply for the Visa?
This is very interesting as if this is the case, I presume wont need a job offer??? (obviously its better if i did).
so where can I convert these qualifications? :

Thank you anyone with any help
Much appreciated.

 

[Scully1987]

Is it red seal? Anyone?

Cheers

 

[amira_mais]

Is it red seal? Anyone?

Cheers

Maybe contact the province where you intend to work and ask their Trades and Apprenticeships authority how to go about getting your certification recognized or if you have to challenge the exams anew. The second is more likely I think.

 

[cocknbull]

Hi!

Long story short, it is near to impossible to get this certificate with out being present in Canada. I have researched on this a lot. Check this link. thanks

http://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/-t129151.0.html

 

[Scully1987]

Hmm thanks for the replies guys. This is a bit strange. On one of the requirements they make it seem like I should be able to have an equivalent certifies produced.

Ok. Another question. How do I found out if my NVQ certificate is acceptable?

Thank you

 

[amira_mais]

Hmm thanks for the replies guys. This is a bit strange. On one of the requirements they make it seem like I should be able to have an equivalent certifies produced.

You'd have a Canadian trade qualification certificate if you had previously worked in a compulsory trade in Canada under a work permit. The FSTP targets those kinds of people, hence the requirement for such a certificate. For those who don't have it, a job offer is required; presumably you'd take the exams after landing.

cocknbull is right, you normally challenge the exams and get certified only after you've entered Canada.

There are a few US trade certifications that are recognized at par but I don't know about British ones.

Ok. Another question. How do I found out if my NVQ certificate is acceptable?

What's NVQ?

 

[Habana]

Hi I am a Heavy Duty Equipment Technician living in Australia and have also found it a problem to have my trade certified when not living in Canada. After contacting several provincial apprenticeship offices, the only success I have had is with Ontario. You have to ring them and ask them to send you the challenge of certification forms for your particular trade (they will email them). If the application is approved you will be allowed to sit the exam. There is no way around this one - you have to fly there to sit the exam and the pass mark is 70%. A fee is only payable when writing the exam and it's C$100. In most of the other provinces (except Alberta), you have to be a permanent resident in order to sit the challenge exam. In the case of Alberta, the fee is C$450 and it has to be sent with your application before they will even consider whether or not you can write the exam. The issue I have is that even if I can get my qualification certified, there is no guarantee that my immigration application will be approved. So much for the new FSTP supposedly making it easier for a tradesman to immigrate to Canada!

 

[Cappuccino]

....
What's NVQ?

National Vocational Qualification

 

[amira_mais]

Hi I am a Heavy Duty Equipment Technician living in Australia and have also found it a problem to have my trade certified when not living in Canada. After contacting several provincial apprenticeship offices, the only success I have had is with Ontario. You have to ring them and ask them to send you the challenge of certification forms for your particular trade (they will email them). If the application is approved you will be allowed to sit the exam. There is no way around this one - you have to fly there to sit the exam and the pass mark is 70%. A fee is only payable when writing the exam and it's C$100. In most of the other provinces (except Alberta), you have to be a permanent resident in order to sit the challenge exam. In the case of Alberta, the fee is C$450 and it has to be sent with your application before they will even consider whether or not you can write the exam. The issue I have is that even if I can get my qualification certified, there is no guarantee that my immigration application will be approved. So much for the new FSTP supposedly making it easier for a tradesman to immigrate to Canada!

Interesting to read about your experiences contacting the various trades and apprenticeships authorities. So the window to get in is small but it is open at least a crack.

Compared to the FSWP, the FSTP indeed provides an easier route for a tradesperson to immigrate to Canada - lower language requirements, pass/fail assessment of criteria vs. the points system. I can sympathize with your frustration though. Is it possible for you to get started in Canada as a temporary foreign worker? Your trade is in demand in Alberta and likely other provinces.

 

[Habana]

Ironically, it was easier for us to qualify under the old FSWP - I think we got 72 points. Temp foreign worker isn't really an option as you need a job offer for this visa and all the companies I've contacted want Red Seal qualifications which then starts the whole cycle all over again. The only consolation is that everyone else, bar temp foreign workers already there, will have the same problem.

 

[cocknbull]

Hi I am a Heavy Duty Equipment Technician living in Australia and have also found it a problem to have my trade certified when not living in Canada. After contacting several provincial apprenticeship offices, the only success I have had is with Ontario. You have to ring them and ask them to send you the challenge of certification forms for your particular trade (they will email them). If the application is approved you will be allowed to sit the exam. There is no way around this one - you have to fly there to sit the exam and the pass mark is 70%. A fee is only payable when writing the exam and it's C$100. In most of the other provinces (except Alberta), you have to be a permanent resident in order to sit the challenge exam. In the case of Alberta, the fee is C$450 and it has to be sent with your application before they will even consider whether or not you can write the exam. The issue I have is that even if I can get my qualification certified, there is no guarantee that my immigration application will be approved. So much for the new FSTP supposedly making it easier for a tradesman to immigrate to Canada!

+1 for this info. Thanks for sharing. So it is proved now that no one can get this certificate from outside of Canada and you have to be there to sit for an exam...

To be honest in my opinion it is not worth getting this certificate and then trying for immigration from outside of Canada. So far I have not seen a single person on this forum who has said that he qualified under FSTC and applied already. They also asked only 3000 applications will be accepted for FSTC. I guess why they asked only 3000 applications because they knew inside that very few no of people will qualify for this. I suggest you to wait for May 2013 when new FSWC will be launched and try your luck there. Good luck to you..

 

[Habana]

Yes I think it was either made difficult, deliberately, to keep numbers down or perhaps the Federal govt didn't think to communicate with the provincial authorities.

 

[Scully1987]

+1 for this info. Thanks for sharing. So it is proved now that no one can get this certificate from outside of Canada and you have to be there to sit for an exam...

To be honest in my opinion it is not worth getting this certificate and then trying for immigration from outside of Canada. So far I have not seen a single person on this forum who has said that he qualified under FSTC and applied already. They also asked only 3000 applications will be accepted for FSTC. I guess why they asked only 3000 applications because they knew inside that very few no of people will qualify for this. I suggest you to wait for May 2013 when new FSWC will be launched and try your luck there. Good luck to you..

Hi. I know all details are not out yet for the new FSWC in may. But do you think the application package will be put before that? So we can fill it in, before may 4th?
And I presume under this new program you do not need a job offer, or a certificate of qualification from a province or territory.

I'm currently sitting my IELTS, I had my speech test today, and have my writen, reading and listening on Saturday. I hope the IELTS is still used for the new FSWC application or have I just wasted my time and money.

 

[Habana]

Hi can't answer question about release date. From what I've read, my understanding is no job offer is required under FSWP but verification of qualifications is still necessary. You're pretty safe with IELTS and as it's still compulsory, definitely good idea to do it now - it is valid for 2 years.

 

[Habana]

Read the January 2013 edition of Immigration News which has just come out which should answer your questions.