Red Seal exam in Alberta

Trades Qualifier, Work Experience program

Alberta's Trades Qualifier, Work Experience program is for people who have experience in an Alberta-designated trade but no trade certificate, or who hold an out-of-province certificate Alberta doesn't recognize. You must:

• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or eligible foreign national
• have the minimum work experience months and hours listed in your trade's profile
• have current contact details for employers who can verify your experience
• be prepared to live and work in Alberta to complete the program

The three parts

1. Experience: apply online with your employer information. Tradesecrets says domestic applications take about 4 to 6 weeks to process.
2. Competency: depending on the trade, a practical exam, a Trade Competency Verification book or an employer declaration.
3. Knowledge: pass a theory exam.

Once your experience is verified, you have 18 months to finish the competency and knowledge parts. Hours are counted on full-time work, meaning more than 30 hours a week (program details).

Study

Alberta's study page links to official resources. For extra practice, see your trade's question count and the free practice quizzes. More options: challenging the exam.

FAQ