Information for foreign-trained bricklayers
(7281) Verified: 2009 07 13
Information on requirements to practise
This trade has been designated as an Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Trade, which means that all provinces and territories (except the Northwest Territories and Nunavut) have jointly agreed on certification standards. In these trades, both apprentices who have completed their training and certified journeypersons, holders of provincial or territorial Certificates of Qualification, can apply to write an Interprovincial Standards Examination; if successful, they receive a distinctive "Red Seal" to affix to their Certificate of Qualification.
The Interprovincial Standards "Red Seal" Examinations are administered through the provincial and territorial apprenticeship and training or certification offices. Holders of a Red Seal Certificate are exempt from further examination when moving between participating provinces and territories. A Red Seal Certificate may be required by some employers as a condition for employment. To obtain more information about the Red Seal Certificate, contact:
- Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA)
- Red Seal Program / Programme du Sceau rouge
- Gatineau QC K1A 0J9 Canada
- Email : redseal-sceaurouge@hrsdc-rhdsc.gc.ca
- http://red-seal.ca/c.4nt.1cts@-eng.jsp
Trade certification can be either compulsory or voluntary. To practice in trades where certification is compulsory, workers must generally be certified or registered as apprentices. In trades where certification is voluntary, certification and apprenticeship are often used to indicate the level of competency of the holder, but workers are not required to be registered or certified in order to practice. Red Seal Certification itself is never mandatory, except where indicated as such by jurisdictions in specific legislation. Once you know where you will settle and work in Canada, you should contact the appropriate provincial/territorial office (see list below) for further information about licensing or certification.
Information on assessment of qualifications
The provincial/territorial authorities are not set up to assess foreign credentials prior to your arrival in Canada. However, you can contact them to obtain specific information about the trades in their jurisdiction.
If you need to have your credentials assessed before coming to Canada, you may also contact an evaluation service, and you should consult our Fact Sheet No. 2. Although the evaluation services offer expert advice on how qualifications obtained abroad compare with credentials obtained in a Canadian province or territory, the evaluation is advisory only and does not guarantee recognition of your qualifications for employment or certification purposes in Canada.
Other relevant information
For a general description of duties and employment requirements, you can refer to the information prepared by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada regarding:
Specific Provincial/Territorial Information
List of apprenticeship, training, and trade certification offices
Alberta
- Alberta - Apprenticeship and Industry Training
- 7th Floor, Commerce Place, 10155 -102 Street
- Edmonton AB T5J 4L5 Canada
- Phone : (780) 427-8765
- Fax : (780) 422-7376
- Email : aitinfo@gov.ab.ca
- http://www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca/
- Foreign Trained Worker Information
British Columbia
- Industry Training Authority (ITA)
- ITA Customer Service
Suite 110, 2985 Virtual Way- Vancouver BC V5M 4X7
- Phone : (778) 328-8700
- Phone (alternate): 1-866-660-6011
- Fax : (778) 328-8701
- Email : customerservice@itabc.ca
- http://www.itabc.ca/site3.aspx
- Opportunities for immigrants
Manitoba
- Manitoba - Competitiveness, Training and Trade
- 1010 - 401 York Avenue
- Winnipeg MB R3C 0P8
- Phone : (204) 945-3337
- Phone (alternate): 1-877-978-7233
- Fax : (204) 948-2539
- Email : apprenticeship@gov.mb.ca
- http://www.gov.mb.ca/tce/apprent/index.html
New Brunswick
- New Brunswick - Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, Apprenticeship and Certification
- P.O. Box 6000
470 York Street, Room 100- Fredericton NB E3B 5H1 Canada
- Phone : (506) 453-2260
- Phone (alternate): 1-877-453-3030
- Fax : (506) 453-5317
- Email : aoc-acp@gnb.ca
- http://www.gnb.ca/0381/index-e.asp
- Apprenticeship - Mobility/Recognition of Credentials
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Newfoundland & Labrador - Department of Education, Apprenticeship and Certification
- Confederation Bldg., West Block, 4th Floor
P.O. Box 8700- St. John's NL A1B 4J6 Canada
- Phone : (709) 729-2729
- Phone (alternate): 1-877-771-3737
- Fax : (709) 729-5878
- Email : app@gov.nl.ca
- http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/app/
Northwest Territories
- Northwest Territories - Education, Culture and Employment: Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification
- P.O. Box 1320
- Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
- Phone : (867) 873-7552
- Fax : (867) 873-0200
- Email : certification@gov.nt.ca
- http://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/Divisions/Apprenticeship/index.htm
Nova Scotia
- Nova Scotia - Department of Labour and Workforce Development, Apprenticeship Training and Skill Development Division
- 2021 Brunswick Street, Suite 402, P.O. Box 578
- Halifax NS B3J 2S9
- Phone : (902) 424-5651
- Phone (alternate): 1-800-494-5651
- Fax : (902) 424-0717
- Email : apprenticeship@gov.ns.ca
- http://nsapprenticeship.ca/
- Credential Recognition
Nunavut
- Nunavut - Department of Education, Adult Learning and Post-Secondary Services
- Box 390
- Arviat NU X0C 0E0 Canada
- Phone : (867) 857-3050
- Fax : (867) 857-3090
- http://www.edu.gov.nu.ca/apps/authoring/dspPage.aspx?page=9
Ontario
- Ontario - Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Employment Ontario
- 33 Bloor Street East, Suite 200
- Toronto ON M7A 2S3
- Phone : (416) 326-5656
- Phone (alternate): 1-800-387-5656
- Fax : 1-800-387-5656
- http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/tcu/employmentontario/training/
- A Guide for Foreign-Trained Trades People
Prince Edward Island
- Prince Edward Island - Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Apprenticeship Training
- 16 Fitzroy Street, 3rd Floor
P.O. Box 2000- Charlottetown PE C1A 7N8
- Phone : (902) 368-4460
- Fax : (902) 368-6144
- Email : rjmacinnis@edu.pe.ca
- http://www.gov.pe.ca/educ/index.php3?number=74951&lang=E
Quebec
- Quebec - Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, Emploi-Québec
- 800, Tour de la Place Victoria, 27e étage
C.P. 100- Montréal QC H4Z 1B7 Canada
- Phone : (514) 864-2458
- Fax : (514) 873-2189
- Email : gilles.dube@mess.gouv.qc.ca
- http://emploiquebec.net/individus/qualification.asp
- Aide aux personnes immigrantes et aux minorités visibles
Saskatchewan
- Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission
- 2140 Hamilton Street
- Regina SK S4P 2E3 Canada
- Phone : (306) 787-2444
- Phone (alternate): 1-877-363-0536
- Fax : (306) 787-5105
- Email : apprenticeship@sasked.gov.sk.ca
- http://www.saskapprenticeship.ca/
- Working in Saskatchewan
Yukon
- Yukon - Advanced Education, Apprenticeship and Tradesperson Qualifications
- 1000 Lewes Blvd, P.O. Box 2703
- Whitehorse YT Y1A 2C6 Canada
- Phone : (867) 667-5140
- Phone (alternate): 1 800 661-0408
- Fax : (867) 667-8555
- Email : John.Gryba@gov.yk.ca
- http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/advanceded/apprenticeship/