Apprentice Mobility Protocol – Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol?
The Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol will make it easier for apprentices to pursue training opportunities in different provinces and territories during apprenticeship training.
Once the protocol is implemented in January 2016, all provinces and territories will recognize pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training completed elsewhere in Canada.
What will the protocol achieve?
Upon implementation, apprentices will be allowed to:
- permanently transfer to another jurisdiction, without having to repeat any work experience, training, or examinations, or
- temporarily work outside of their jurisdiction to work towards their certification, while maintaining their registration in their home province or territory.
Also, if a person has completed pre-apprenticeship training in one province or territory, their previous training and experience will be recognized.
This protocol will help formalize existing practices in Ontario that support apprentice mobility to and from the province.
Why are provinces and territories making this change?
Currently, certified journeypersons are allowed full labour mobility in Canada, either by obtaining a Red Seal endorsement on their certification, or through provisions in Chapter 7 of the Agreement on Internal Trade.
However, the same mobility is not offered to apprentices during on-the-job and in-class training they take before they become certified.
The new protocol will make it easier for apprentices to pursue training opportunities in different provinces and territories.
Giving apprentices flexibility to complete their training across Canada means they will have more training options to help them find and keep good jobs.
The protocol will make it easier for apprentices to finish their training, and it will allow them to relocate if more work is available in their trade in a different part of the country.
This protocol will help formalize existing practices in Ontario that support apprentice mobility to and from the province.
How will this protocol increase apprentice mobility?
By implementing the protocol, provinces and territories will work to remove barriers to apprentice mobility, including recognizing training successfully completed, both on and off the job, without further assessment.
Through legislation, policy, and other means, jurisdictions will work together to address these barriers and make the processes more transparent and seamless for apprentices to continue their apprenticeship outside of their home jurisdiction.
Who will it benefit?
Implementing the protocol will help any apprentice that wishes to relocate within Canada during their training.
This will help apprentices continue earning money and building their skills, while helping regional Canadian economies respond to changing labour market trends.
The protocol may be particularly useful for apprentices that work with employers or training organizations with operations in multiple provinces, and will ensure that apprentices enjoy similar mobility to certified journeypersons.
While we have limited data, what we do have shows that a relatively small number of apprentices train in different provinces and territories.
All provinces and territories will begin collecting more data when the protocol is implemented in January 2016, to better understand apprentice mobility patterns.
Why don’t the provinces and territories just standardize apprenticeship training?
Having different systems gives provinces and territories the flexibility to respond to changing local economic and labour-market conditions to meet the needs of their industry, employers, and workers.
Rather than lose that flexibility, provinces and territories are working together to make it easier for apprentices who relocate to pursue training in multiple jurisdictions.
What is the role of the Ontario College of Trades in implementing the protocol?
The Ministry and College will work together to update operational policies and procedures to support the protocol’s implementation.
What are the next steps?
Provinces and territories are working together to implement the protocol, to the extent practicable, by January 2016.
Once the protocol is implemented, provincial ministries will inform apprentices and employers about the new policies and procedures, and begin data collection.