The Red Seal Program was established to provide greater mobility across Canada for skilled workers. Through the program, apprentices who have completed their training and certified journeypersons, are able to obtain a Red Seal endorsement on their Certificates of Qualification and Apprenticeship by successfully completing an Interprovincial Standards Examination.
The program encourages standardization of provincial and territorial apprenticeship training and certification programs. The Red Seal allows qualified tradespersons to practice the trade in any province or territory in Canada where the trade is designated without having to write further examinations. To date, there are 49 trades included in the Red Seal Program on a national basis.
Legislation permits provinces and territories to designate trades and develop apprenticeship programs for their own requirements. Thus, in excess of 300 apprenticeship programs are available across Canada. The Ellis Chart, a comparative chart of apprentice training programs across Canada, is produced by HRSDC in collaboration and consultation with the provinces and territories and provides training and certification details for all of these apprenticeable programs.
Who administers the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program and how does it work?
The program is administered in each province and territory under the guidance of the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA). Each province and territory has an appointed Director of Apprenticeship for this purpose.
A national occupational analysis, developed for each Red Seal trade, is used as a base document for the development of interprovincial standard examinations and is encouraged to be used by the provinces and territories for curriculum development.
Continuing efforts are underway both to expand the program and to streamline the existing process for the development and revision of national occupational analyses and examinations.