Apprentice Mobility Questions and Answers

General Information

1. What is the provincial-territorial apprentice mobility protocol?

Canada’s Premiers recognized the need to address apprentice mobility barriers and on July 16, 2015 signed the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol. The Protocol is a framework that enables apprentices to pursue jobs anywhere in Canada, facilitating their ability to work temporarily or move permanently without interruption to their apprenticeship training.

2. What is the provincial-territorial apprentice mobility agreement?

All Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for apprenticeship signed a Provincial-Territorial Mobility Agreement, based on Premiers’ direction as included in the Protocol. The Agreement details jurisdictional commitments to facilitate apprentices being able to work temporarily or move permanently between provinces and territories and receive recognition for hours worked and other training completed.

3. What is meant by temporary apprentice mobility?

An apprentice may need or chose to work in another province or territory temporarily and wish to continue their apprenticeship training. Temporary apprentice mobility enables an apprentice to work temporarily outside their home jurisdiction, and in some cases, take technical training and write an exam, and receive recognition towards completion of their apprenticeship by their home jurisdiction.

4. What is meant by permanent apprentice mobility?

An apprentice may decide to permanently move to another province or territory and transfer their apprenticeship to their new location. Permanent apprentice mobility supports an apprentice’s move by enabling, in most cases, the apprentice to resume their apprenticeship training in a new province or territory in the place where they left off. In some cases, the apprentice may need to undergo a placement assessment to identify training gaps that may need to be addressed which can result from differences in provincial or territorial laws or regulations, such as building codes.

5. What trades are covered by the provincial-territorial apprentice mobility protocol and agreement?

All designated trades where apprenticeship training is available are covered.

Apprentices

1. What trades are covered by the provincial-territorial apprentice mobility protocol and agreement?

All designated trades where apprenticeship training is available are covered.

2. Can I be a registered apprentice in one province or territory but be a resident of another province or territory?

Yes. Even when working temporarily outside your home jurisdiction, you may be required to register in a training jurisdiction. Check the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide for specific requirements.

3. What province or territory will issue my trade certification?

Your Certificate of Qualification, with a Red Seal endorsement if applicable, will be issued through your home province or territory.

4. I have a job offer in another province or territory and plan to work there temporarily. Do I have to tell the province or territory that I am registered in?

It depends on the requirements of your home province or territory. Some jurisdictions require an apprentice to submit an application or other documentation to work temporarily in another province or territory, while others do not. Check the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide for detailed requirements.

5. I am already working temporarily in another jurisdiction, should I contact my home province or territory to let them know?

It depends on the requirements of your home province or territory. Some jurisdictions require an apprentice to submit an application or other documentation to work temporarily in another province or territory, while others do not. Check the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide for detailed requirements.

6. Do I have to tell my home province or territory every time I change employers?

It depends on the requirements of your home province or territory. Some jurisdictions require an apprentice to notify them whenever they change employers, while others do not. Check the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide for detailed requirements.

7. Do I have to contact the jurisdiction that I plan to work temporarily in?

If you are working in a compulsory or regulated trade, a number of jurisdictions require you to register. In addition, some jurisdictions require you to register when working temporarily, regardless of the trade you are working in. Contact your home jurisdiction prior to leaving if you need more information. Check the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide for detailed requirements.

8. Who do I contact for information on registering as an apprentice in another province or territory?

See the jurisdictional contact information or refer to the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide and contact the province or territory you are interested in talking to.

9. If I am training in a trade that is not offered in the province or territory that I wish to work in temporarily, can I continue my training?

If you are temporarily working in a jurisdiction and follow the requirements of your home jurisdiction, it is likely that you will be able to continue your training through work experience, in a jurisdiction that does not offer your trade. It is recommended you contact your home jurisdiction prior to leaving to ensure you meet all requirements and receive recognition for your work.

10. If I am working temporarily in a province or territory, are financial supports available to me?

If you are registered in one province or territory and working temporarily in another, you are still able to access any financial supports offered by your home province or territory and grants or loans offered by the federal government. Contact your home jurisdiction for more information.

11. Can I apply for any assistance that may be offered by a province or territory that I am working temporarily in?

No. Provincial and territorial funding assistance can only be accessed through your home province or territory, where you are registered as an apprentice. Contact your home jurisdiction for more information.

12. Can I take off-the-job or technical training (classroom training) in a province or territory that I am working temporarily in?

In some cases there may be an opportunity to pursue off-the-job or technical training in another province or territory. Contact your home jurisdiction to discuss possible training opportunities and/or requirements.

13. Can I take off-the-job or technical training if I am a registered apprentice but am currently unemployed?

Yes, providing that you meet the requirements of your home province or territory to attend the off-the-job or technical training and the jurisdiction in which you are temporarily residing can also accommodate your request. Contact your home jurisdiction to discuss possible training opportunities and/or requirements.

14. Do I have to return to the province or territory that I am registered in to write exams, including my final certification exam?

Not always. Any province or territory can administer a certification exam on behalf of another province or territory as long as both jurisdictions agree. For detailed requirements, refer to the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide or contact your home jurisdiction.

15. What happens if I decide to move permanently from one province or territory to another and intend to continue my apprenticeship?

Before moving, you should ensure all your training records are up-to-date. Once you have found an employer in the jurisdiction where you wish to move, you will be required to advise the jurisdiction that you are moving to of your request for the transfer. You will have to complete some forms and perhaps pay a registration fee. You may also undergo a placement assessment to identify for you and the employer training gaps that may need to be addressed. Training gaps can result from, for example, differences in provincial or territorial laws or regulations, such as building codes. For detailed requirements in each province or territory, refer to the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide.

16. If I am training in a trade that is not offered in the province or territory that I wish to move permanently to, can I continue my training?

In the case of a permanent move to a jurisdiction where the trade in which you are training is not offered, you will be unable to transfer your training, but you may receive some credit towards a similar trade. It is recommended you contact the jurisdiction that you are thinking of moving to for more information.

17. I have taken pre-apprenticeship training. How does this apply to me?

While the details regarding pre-apprenticeship training and mobility are under development, generally a relevant, successfully completed program taken in one province or territory may be credited towards training in a designated trade. Contact the province or territory that you wish to register in for more information.

Employers

1. What is the process to hire an apprentice already registered in another province?

Generally, much of the process for an apprentice to work temporarily away from their home province or territory or transfer permanently falls to the apprentice. For more information about apprentice registration requirements, see the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide.

2. Will I be contacted by the jurisdiction that the apprentice is registered in if they are working temporarily for me outside their home province?

No, a representative from another jurisdiction will not contact you to discuss hiring an apprentice that is registered in a different province or territory from where the work will be offered. If verification is required in regards to your ability to supervise the apprentice, the province or territory where the apprentice is registered will take the necessary steps to secure that verification.

3. If the wage rates are different from one province or territory to another, which wage rate applies?

If applicable, the wage rates as regulated by the province or territory in which the apprentice is working temporarily in will apply. In some trades, the provincial-territorial minimum wage rate may apply. Apprentices who are working in a unionized workplace are bound to the wage schedule as set out in their collective agreement.

4. How will employing a registered apprentice in another province or territory affect the journeyperson/apprentice ratio?

The journeyperson/apprentice ratio, when applicable, is determined by the regulations of the province or territory where the temporary work is being performed. When ratios apply in a jurisdiction, employers must ensure they do not exceed the ratio, including any temporary apprentices that may have been hired. 

5. In a compulsory or regulated trade, is it necessary to contact the jurisdiction that I will temporarily employ the apprentice in?

In some jurisdiction, compulsory or regulated trades require registration even if the apprentice is only working temporarily. Information is offered to apprentices in this regard through the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Transfer Guide. Employers must check with their apprentices before they begin work, to ensure they have undertaken any necessary registration requirements.

6. Do I have to accept hours worked with another employer in another province or territory?

It is expected that an apprentice’s file will be updated and verified by the apprentice’s home jurisdiction before they begin working. For permanent transfer of registration by the apprentice, the employer is expected to recognize all hours acquired by the apprentice in another province or territory. For temporary employment of apprentices, the employer would pay wages in accordance to the level of training verified by the apprentice’s home jurisdiction.