Process to obtain a compulsory qualification certificate

To practice a regulated vocation, you must hold an apprentice card or a certificate of qualification.

You can find information specific to each of the certificates by browsing the sheets listed in the Learn about the compulsory qualification certificates page.

You may be exempted from certain apprenticeship program requirements by having your valid certificates of qualification or experience recognized.

To register for a program, you must complete the apprenticeship program registration form (PDF 604 Kb). You can refer to the registration form guide (PDF 707 Kb) to help you with this.

You must pay the registration fees payable according to the current fees in effect (PDF 166 Kb). Payment can be made by cheque or money order payable to the Québec Minister of Finance.

You must send your duly completed form, the required documents and your payment to the following address:

Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle

Case postale 100

Victoriaville (Québec) G6P 6S4

Telephone: 1-866-393-0067 (toll free)

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you will receive

• an apprenticeship guide
• an apprenticeship card
• a Vocational Qualification Process form showing the number of hours of your apprenticeship, the required vocational training, the qualification components you need to master and any recognized experience, etc.
• a document entitled Vocational Qualification Process — Follow-Up
• a journeyperson's checklist

If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, the Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale will notify you in writing.

If your situation exempts you from the requirements of the apprenticeship program, you will receive your certificate of qualification at this stage.

Your apprenticeship must take place in an enterprise. If you are looking for a job, you must be hired by a company in order to complete the apprenticeship program.

Your employer will designate someone with a certificate of qualification in your trade to act as your journeyperson.

You must carry a valid apprentice card at all times. In general, this card must be renewed every year.

During the apprenticeship program, you will need to

• acquire the skills to be mastered under the supervision of a journeyperson;
• complete the required learning hours;
• successfully complete the required training.

Once these three requirements have been met, you will be eligible to take the qualifying exam. You will receive a notice about scheduling an appointment for the exam.

For more information about learning a trade, see the certificate sheets listed on the Learn about the compulsory qualification certificates page.

You must pay the qualifying exam registration fee payable according to the current fees in effect (PDF 166 Kb). Payment can be made by cheque or money order payable to the Québec Minister of Finance.

This is usually a three-hour written exam that takes place at a department’s exam center.

You must pass the exam to obtain your certificate of qualification.

Renewal of your certificate is not automatic. The department will send you a renewal notice, to which you will have to reply, indicating that you will have to pay the fees payable according to the current fees in effect.

In general, you need to renew your certificate at the end of its validity period. This period varies according to the qualification obtained. If necessary, consult the information concerning your certificate.

By renewing your certificate, you retain the right to practice your trade and perform the tasks covered by the related regulation.

If you hold more than one certificate, you must renew all your certificates on the renewal date indicated on the first certificate issued to you.

Two situations are possible with regard to persons holding an expired certificate.

Expired certificate for six years or less

If the renewal date of your certificate has expired for six consecutive years or less, you may be required to undergo training to obtain a new certificate.

The certificate is then valid from the date of issue until the holder's fourth birthday following the date of issue.

Expired certificate for more than six years

If the renewal date of your certificate has expired for more than six consecutive years, you must pass a new qualifying exam to obtain your certificate. If you fail the exam, you must submit a new application to enroll in an apprenticeship program.

You may be exempted from the qualifying exam if, since the expiry of your certificate, you have

• acted, in the context of activities related to the certificate, as a work supervisor without having carried out the work;
• acted as a teacher or trainer in fields related to the certificate;
• performed qualification-related tasks outside the scope of the regulations.

To do so, you must send the Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle (CAQP) an attestation confirming your experience and the period during which you acquired it.

You can ask for an administrative reconsideration of your case if you disagree with a decision made about

• compulsory qualifications;
• failure of a qualifying exam;
• Red Seal Program qualifications (interprovincial standards).

To do so, you must complete the Application for administrative reconsideration (PDF 733 Kb) and mail it to the following address:

Service de réexamen administratif

Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle

Case postale 100

Victoriaville (Québec) G6P 6S4

If you witness an offence, you are invited to complete the Reporting an offence form (PDF 196 Kb).

The Ministère is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Act respecting workforce vocational training and qualification . Each report is analyzed and an investigation is conducted to verify whether a violation of the regulations has been committed.

In the case of an offence, the Act provides for a fine of between $325 and $700 per day or part of a day during which the offence lasts.