Challenge Certification
instructions
Contents
Who Can Apply?
Applying to Challenge Certification
If you have significant work experience in a trade but have never been certified in Canada, you may apply to challenge the certification as a Trade Qualifier. Your application must document your work experience in the trade you wish to challenge, and you must pay a $120 application fee.
If SkilledTradesBC approves your challenge application, you must then complete the requirements to challenge certification in your trade, which can include a practical assessment and/or writing a B.C. Certification of Qualification or Interprovincial Red Seal exam. You must write and pass this exam within 24 months of approval, or you will have to reapply and submit a new application fee. Successful completion of these requirements will result in certification in your trade.
If you hold a Certificate of Qualification in this trade from a different Canadian jurisdiction and wish to challenge the Red Seal exam, or if you are a holder of a Canadian Military Trade Certification with proof of a military ranking at QL5 or higher, do not complete this application. Instead, contact SkilledTradesBC Customer Service for instructions. For additional information visit Holders of a Certificate of Qualification or Canadian Military Certification.
Non-Skilled Trades Certification trades applying for a Supervision and Sign-Off Authority Number
If you have significant work experience in a trade but have never been certified in Canada, and you wish to register with SkilledTradesBC as a sponsor for a B.C. apprentice, you may apply for a Supervision and Sign-Off Authority number. This number allows you to supervise apprentices and Sign-Off on the Recommendation for Certification that is required for most trades. Your application must document your work experience in the trade. There is no fee for this application, and you are not required to write a certification exam or complete a practical assessment. If SkilledTradesBC approves your application, you will receive a Supervision and Sign-Off Authority number, but this is not equivalent to holding certification in the trade.
Skilled Trades Certification trades applying for a Temporary Authorization as an Uncertified Experienced Worker
If you plan to get off the tools in the next few years and want to continue working until then, you can apply for a Temporary Authorization as an Uncertified Experienced Worker if you are working in one of the Skilled Trades Certification trades.
Your application must document your work experience in the trade. Before applying, ensure you have at least 36,000 hours of work experience (20+ years) and have experience performing at least 70% of the job tasks listed in the Employer/ Statutory Declaration form of your trade. References included on the Employer/Statutory Declaration forms will be contacted via phone by SkilledTradesBC to verify your work experience. References that cannot be contacted can result in your application being denied. Visit the program page of your trade for more details.
If SkilledTradesBC approves your application, you will receive a one-time Temporary Authorization, allowing you to continue working for a maximum of five years from the date the trade was implemented under Skilled Trades Certification.
There is no fee for this application, and you are not required to write a certification exam or complete a practical assessment.
How Do I Apply?
What do I do to apply?
Please read these instructions carefully before completing your application. All the information you submit must be in English.
You can submit an application through either online portal or email:
Customer Portal: Online application, download and fill out PDF declaration forms. Submit via SkilledTradesBC customer portal.
Available for those applying for Certification Challenge (Trade Qualifiers) and Uncertified Experienced Worker
Email: Download and fill out PDF documents and submit to Customer Service via email or fax.
Available for those applying for Certification Challenge (Trade Qualifiers) and Supervision and Sign Off Authority
Whether an application is submitted through email or customer portal, all applicants must:
Complete an application package consisting of:
One completed application form (Personal information of applicant and trade work experience summary)
One or more completed declaration forms (Employer Declaration of Work Experience and/or Statutory Declaration of Work Experience)
Payment of $120 application fee (for Challenge Certification only)
Provide reference(s) that can confirm you have the minimum required number of hours of hands-on work experience in the trade performing the required job tasks, as indicated on the Employer and Statutory Declaration of Work Experience forms for each trade.
Note: Do not include time spent performing managerial, administrative, or supervisory duties, volunteer work, teaching/instructing, or attending training courses.Submit your completed application to SkilledTradesBC via email or through Portal
Be able to write your exam(s) in B.C.
Where do I find the forms?
Go to the Find Your Trade page
Search for and select your trade
On the trade’s program page, scroll down to the “Challenge the Trade” section to locate:
Application Form (Personal information of applicant and trade work experience summary)
Employer Declaration Form (Document of relevant work experience)
Statutory Declaration Form (Attestation for self-employment/work experience when employer cannot be contacted)
How do I sign up for the SkilledTradesBC Portal?
Signing up for the Portal is free and serves as an effective way to submit your application and track its progress. To start your application as a Trade Qualifier or Uncertified Experienced Worker, click here.
What are the requirements for my trade?
The first page of each Employer or Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form indicates the minimum number of hours of work experience and percentage of job task experience you must have to apply for certification challenge or Supervision and Sign-Off Authority in your trade.
The same forms also indicate whether any prerequisite credentials or certificates are required.
Some trades require trade qualifiers to undergo a practical assessment as well as writing an exam. The Program Profile for your trade will indicate if a practical assessment is required. It is available on the same webpage as the Employer and Statutory Declaration of Work Experience forms for your trade.
What happens next?
SkilledTradesBC will receive and assess your application. Once your work experience has been verified with your direct supervisor(s) and/or references, we will notify you of the results by e-mail. This usually takes about 6 weeks, but more time may be needed if your references cannot be reached, or if some of your work experience is from outside Canada.
Challenge Certification applicants only: Once approved to challenge, you will need to contact our Customer Service to request an exam date and location.
Additional Questions
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about completing and submitting your package.
How Do I Complete the Application Form?
Note: the following Application Form instructions are applicable to applications submitted via email.
Application Type
Check the appropriate box to indicate whether you are applying to challenge trade certification or requesting a Supervision and Sign-Off Authority number. Select only one.
Challenge Application Payment
If you are applying for a Supervision and Sign-Off Authority number or a Temporary Authorization as an Uncertified Experienced Worker, do not submit a fee payment.
Payment is only required when applying to challenge trade certification. To challenge trade certification, you must pay a non-refundable $120 fee when your application is submitted. This fee covers the processing of your application and allows you to write an exam twice at no additional cost.
You must attach to your application either:
Cheque or money order payable to “SkilledTradesBC”; or
Proof of online payment made through the SkilledTradesBC website Exam Fees and Payment page. Contact SkilledTradesBC Customer Service if you have any trouble with online payment.
Credit cards, cash, and debit are also accepted in person at the SkilledTradesBC office in Richmond, BC, Canada. Do not send cash in the mail.
Some trades require trade qualifiers to undergo a practical assessment as well as writing an exam. There will be an additional fee charged for a practical assessment; details will be provided when your application is approved.
Personal Information
All fields marked with an asterisk (*) must be completed. If you do not have a SkilledTradesBC ID number, it will be issued to you after we receive your application. If you have a SkilledTradesBC ID number but do not know it, leave the field blank.
Work Experience in Trade
List only the names of organizations in this section, including your own company name for periods of self-employment. You will be required to provide additional business and contact information on the Employer and/or Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form(s). Your completed application must include a separate Employer or Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form for each organization you list in this section, until you have declared at least the minimum required hours to challenge your trade. Unless you were self-employed throughout your career, your application must include at least one Employer Declaration of Work Experience form.
Signature
Please read the “Privacy Notice” carefully before signing and dating your application. Unsigned applications will be considered incomplete and will be returned to you.
how do i complete an employer declaration of work experience form?
An Employer Declaration of Work Experience form is confirmation of your hands-on work experience in the trade from your current or previous employer. By completing this form, your direct supervisor verifies the hours you worked performing the trade, declares that they have seen you perform specific job tasks required for your trade, and certifies the information provided is accurate.
An Employer Declaration of Work Experience form must be completed for each employer listed in Section D of your completed Application form. For example, if you list two employers on your application form, you must submit two Employer Declaration forms—one completed by each employer.
Applicant Name
Enter the legal name used in your Application form. Your name on all declaration forms must match the name used on the application form. Enter your name, as well as the supervisor’s name, in the footer of all subsequent pages of the declaration form.
The applicant and supervisor’s name are required on every page of the Employer Declaration so that its owner can be identified if a page becomes separated from the complete application package.
Employment Information of Applicant
Enter the business information of the organization for which you worked. If the organization no longer exists, enter the information of the organization when it was still in business. Enter the dates you worked for this organization, the hours of work experience gained, and your job title during this period. Ensure that the hours recorded are for hands-on trade experience. Do not include time spent performing managerial, administrative, or supervisory duties, volunteer work, teaching/instructing, or attending training courses.
Your total work experience is calculated by adding the number of hours in this field on each Employer and/or Statutory Declaration form submitted with your application. The number of hours entered must be specific. Entries such as “more than one thousand” or “lots” are not acceptable.
Supervisor Contact Information
Enter the current contact information for your direct supervisor when you worked for this organization. SkilledTradesBC will contact this individual to verify your work experience. If your direct supervisor cannot be reached by SkilledTradesBC, your experience from this organization will not be considered for your challenge application. If your direct supervisor is unavailable or unwilling to be contacted, you may declare your experience on a Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form.
Supervisor Declaration of Job Task Performance of Applicant
This section lists job tasks that a journeyperson in the trade must be able to do. Supervisors completing this form must check ’yes’ or ’no’ in the “Declaration Response” column to indicate whether they have personally seen the applicant perform the job tasks listed.
Your completed form(s) must show that you have experience performing a minimum percentage of the job tasks required for your trade. The minimum percentage required is shown at the top of the declaration form for each trade. Your total percentage will be determined based on the combined responses on all declaration forms submitted with your application.
Confirmation of Prerequisite Credentials or Certificates
This section does not apply to all trades. Some trades require applicants to prove they have achieved additional credentials or certificates before they are allowed to challenge the certification. If this is the case for your trade, this section will list the certification(s) required.
Note: Do not submit paperwork for training or certification earned outside Canada as it will not be reviewed.
Supervisor Signature
The direct supervisor of the applicant must personally sign and date this section. SkilledTradesBC cannot assess unsigned declarations of work experience.
How do i complete a Statutory Declaration of work experience form?
A Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form is a declaration of work experience completed by you.
This form is required when there is no direct supervisor available to attest to your work experience. This may be the case for periods when you were self-employed, or if a previous supervisor is unavailable or unwilling to complete an Employer Declaration of Work Experience form. In all cases, Statutory Declarations must be accompanied by a minimum of three references.
For periods of employment that cannot be verified with a former supervisor, you must submit a separate Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form for each employer. For example, if you listed two periods of employment for which your direct supervisors could not be contacted, you would submit two Statutory Declaration forms.
Please note that unless your work experience was gained through self-employment, your application will not be accepted if it is only accompanied by a Statutory Declaration. If you were not self-employed, you must provide an Employer Declaration from at least one employer who can verify your work experience.
Applicant Name
Enter the legal name used in your Application form. Your name on all declaration forms must match the name used on the application form. Enter your name in the footer of all subsequent pages of the declaration form. Your name is required on every page of the Statutory Declaration so that its owner can be identified if a page becomes separated from the complete application package.
Self-Employment or Employment Information
Enter the business information of your own business, or the organization for which you worked. If the organization no longer exists, enter the information of the organization when it was still in business. Enter the dates you worked for this organization, the hours of work experience gained, and your job title during this period. Ensure that the hours recorded are for hands-on trade experience. Do not include time spent performing managerial, administrative, or supervisory duties, volunteer work, teaching/instructing, or attending training courses.
Your total work experience is calculated by adding the number of hours in this field on each Employer and/or Statutory Declaration form submitted with your application. The number of hours entered must be specific. Entries such as “more than one thousand” or “lots” are not acceptable.
Reason for Statutory Declaration
You must indicate your reason for submitting a Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form instead of an Employer Declaration of Work Experience form. Unless you were self-employed, you must also describe the steps you have taken to try to obtain an Employer Declaration of Work Experience form. If sufficient evidence of the steps taken is not provided, your application may not be approved.
Statutory Declaration of Job Task Performance
This section lists job tasks that a journeyperson in the trade must be able to do. Check ’yes’ or ’no’ in the “Declaration Response” column to indicate whether you performed the job tasks listed during the period of employment indicated in Section B of this form. Your completed form(s) must show that you have experience performing a minimum percentage of the job tasks required for your trade. The minimum percentage required is shown at the top of the declaration form for each trade. Your total percentage will be determined based on the combined responses on all declaration forms submitted with your application.
Applicant Signature
You must sign and date this section. SkilledTradesBC cannot assess unsigned declarations of work experience.
References
A minimum of three references must accompany each Statutory Declaration of Work Experience form. Enter names and current contact information for individuals who can verify your self-declared work experience for the period of employment that you have indicated in Section B of this form. References may include suppliers, former employees, contractors, or regular, long-term clients. SkilledTradesBC will contact each reference to verify your work experience. Note that SkilledTradesBC must be able to verify not only the hours you have worked, but also the job tasks you have performed. If your work experience cannot be verified with the references provided, your application will not be approved.
how do i submit my application package?
You can submit an application through either online portal or email:
Customer Portal: Online application, download and fill out PDF declaration forms. Submit via SkilledTradesBC customer portal.
Available for those applying for Certification Challenge (Trade Qualifiers) and Uncertified Experienced Worker
Email: Download and fill out PDF documents and submit to Customer Service via email or fax.
Available for those applying for Certification Challenge (Trade Qualifiers) and Supervision and Sign Off Authority
Whether an application is submitted through email or customer portal, all applicants must:
Complete an application package consisting of:
One completed application form (Personal information of applicant and trade work experience summary)
One or more completed declaration forms (Employer Declaration of Work Experience and/or Statutory Declaration of Work Experience)
Payment of $120 application fee (for Challenge Certification only)
Provide reference(s) that can confirm you have the minimum required number of hours of hands-on work experience in the trade performing the required job tasks, as indicated on the Employer and Statutory Declaration of Work Experience forms for each trade.
Note: Do not include time spent performing managerial, administrative, or supervisory duties, volunteer work, teaching/instructing, or attending training courses.Submit your completed application to SkilledTradesBC via email or through Portal