Finish an apprenticeship

Certificate of Apprenticeship

When you complete your training as an apprentice, you get a Certificate of Apprenticeship. We send it to you within six weeks of the date you let us know you’ve completed your training.

Your sponsor must send us documents stating you’ve completed your training. This could be a letter from the sponsor, proof of sign-off of the apprenticeship training log book or the Apprenticeship Completion Form that the Ontario College of Trades provides – it depends on the trade. We encourage you or your sponsor to speak with your ministry consultant to confirm completion requirements when you’re ready to complete your apprenticeship.

Certificate of Qualification

Once you have your Certificate of Apprenticeship, you can go for the next level of certification.

A Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) can help you get better pay, more job opportunities and more responsibility.

Some trades will require you to write an exam as part of getting a Certificate of Qualification.

If your trade does not require you to write an exam, you can apply to the Ontario College of Trades for membership in the college’s Journeypersons class.

Who has to write an exam

Some trades that have a Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) exam include:

• plumber
• electrician
• automotive service technician
• hairstylist
• cook
• tool and die maker
• arborist
• drywall finisher and plasterer

The Ontario College of Trades' website  lists of all compulsory and voluntary trades.

The C of Q exam is multiple-choice for all trades. You need to score at least 70% to pass, regardless of your trade.

Arrange the exam

To arrange the exam, you need to:

• contact the Ontario College of Trades to pay exam fee of $150 (+HST)
  • 1-855-299-0028 (toll-free)
  • 647-847-3000 (GTA)
  • pay by credit card (over the phone), cheque or debit (in person)
• contact your local apprenticeship office to book a date for your exam
  • exams are offered year-round in ministry exam centres across province

Once you’ve paid the fee and scheduled the exam, you can start preparing for it using the Exam Preparation Guide from the Ontario College of Trades.

Ontario College of Trades Membership

When you complete your apprenticeship in a trade that has a C of Q exam, you automatically become a member of the Ontario College of Trades (“the College”)  Journeyperson Candidates Class.

You can stay in that membership class for one year. To continue working in a compulsory trade, you have one year to write and pass your C of Q exam.

If your trade doesn’t have a C of Q exam, the College will give you a Certificate of Qualification in that trade and membership in the College’s Journeypersons Class.

You’re required to renew your Journeypersons Class membership each year

Red Seal

Having a Red Seal qualifies you to work in other provinces and territories without more tests and paperwork.

In Ontario you can get a Red Seal in more than 50 trades, including:

• carpenter
• cook
• industrial millwright
• general machinist
• welder
• truck and coach technician

View the full list of Red Seal trades

You have to write and pass an exam in a Red Seal trade to get a Red Seal. Find out how to prepare for a Red Seal trade exam.

Apprenticeship Incentive Grant

These are taxable cash grants of $1,000 per year, up to a maximum of $2000 per person, for those who are out of high school and training in a Red Seal trade.

To qualify for the first grant, you must:

• have been a registered apprentice for at least 12 months
• have passed your first level of classroom training

To qualify for the second Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, you must:

• have been a registered apprentice for at least 24 months
• have passed your second level of classroom training

Deadline to apply

• If you progressed in 2018 your deadline is: June 30, 2019
• If you progressed on or after January 1, 2019, your deadline is: 12 months following your date of progression

You apply to the federal government for both of these grants. Learn more about qualifying and applying for the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant.

Apprenticeship Completion Grant

This one-time $2,000 taxable cash grant is available to those who are out of high school and training in a Red Seal trade.

To qualify, you must have gotten your Certificate of Apprenticeship and your Certificate of Qualification on or after January 1, 2009.

Deadline to apply

• If you progressed in 2018 your deadline is: June 30, 2019
• If you progressed on or after January 1, 2019, your deadline is: 12 months following your date of progression

You apply to the federal government for this grant. Learn more about qualifying and applying for the Apprenticeship Completion Grant.

Apprenticeship Completion Bonus (non-Red Seal)

This $2,000 taxable cash grant is available to those who are out of high school and have completed their training in a non-Red Seal trade.

To qualify, you must:

• have gotten your Certificate of Apprenticeship in a trade that either:
  • does not have a Certificate of Qualification exam, or
  • has only a provincial (non-Red Seal) Certificate of Qualification exam
• have been issued a Certificate of Apprenticeship or Certificate of Qualification no more than 180 days prior to the date you are applying, examples:
  • if your certificate was issued on August 31, 2016 you must apply by February 27, 2017
  • if your certificate was issued on March 1, 2017 you must apply by August 28, 2017

Deadline to apply

You can apply for the bonus year-round.

We will send you an application when you are eligible to apply for this provincial bonus. For more information, contact your local apprenticeship office.

Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women

In Budget 2018, the Government of Canada announced a new Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women to further support women in entering, progressing, and completing their training in Red Seal trades where women are underrepresented. The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women (AIG-W) is a taxable cash grant of $3,000 per year/level (or equivalent) up to a maximum amount of $6,000 per person.

To be eligible for the AIG-W, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person
• not be a high school student
• self-identify as a woman
• have the required AIG-W supporting documents
• be registered with your provincial/territorial apprenticeship authority as an apprentice in a designated Red Seal trade having low female representation
• have progressed in your training in designated Red Seal trades on or after April 1, 2018, and
• provide proof that you have successfully completed either the 1^st and/or 2^nd year/level (or equivalent) of apprenticeship

Deadline to apply

• If you progressed in 2018 your deadline is: June 30, 2019
• If you progressed on or after January 1, 2019, your deadline is: 12 months following your date of progression
• You apply to the federal government for both of these grants. Learn more about qualifying and applying for the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women