Recognition of your experience

If you would like to work elsewhere in Canada or are wondering whether your certificate of qualification is valid in the other provinces, the Red Seal Program is designed for you.

The Red Seal Program sets common (interprovincial) standards to assess the skills of tradespeople across Canada. 

The purpose of the Red Seal Program is to facilitate labour mobility in Canada and allow skilled workers to practise their trades in the participating provinces and territories.

The Red Seal endorsement obtained under the program proves that a worker meets Canadian standards for the skills and knowledge required to practise a specific trade.

To find out which trades are recognized under the Red Seal Program, see the list of Red Seal trades .

Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), a worker holding certification in a regulated trade has access to interprovincial labour mobility, whether or not the worker’s certification bears a Red Seal endorsement. However, we strongly recommend that you obtain such an endorsement to facilitate the recognition process.

The Red Seal Program is designed for people who hold a certificate of qualification issued by Emploi-Québec or the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ).

Emploi-Québec currently grants Red Seal endorsements for 41 of the 56 trades recognized under the program.

To obtain a Red Seal endorsement, you have to take an exam aimed at making sure that your training and skills meet the interprovincial standards for your trade.

If you pass the exam, you will be granted a Red Seal endorsement to practice your trade. You may also have to take a practical exam if you are a welder or a hairstylist.

Follow these steps:

• Complete the Enrolment Application – Qualification Program (PDF, 252 KB)  –
  Information Guide – Enrolment Application – Qualification Program (PDF, 1.2 MB) ;
• Pay the required fees to enrol for the examination and obtain a certificate of qualification. For fee information, download the document Current fees ;
• Mail your application to the following address:

  Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
  Case postale 100
  Victoriaville (Québec) G6P 6S4

Once you have completed the steps, you can register with Emploi-Québec for an examination session. You can contact the Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle at 1-866-393-0067 (toll free).