Trade Schools in Toronto
Trade schools in Toronto with verified apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training: George Brown, Humber, and Centennial, the trades each covers, and where to confirm current intakes.
How to Apply for a Trade Equivalency Assessment in Ontario
Skilled Trades Ontario's Trade Equivalency Assessment lets experienced tradespeople earn a Certificate of Qualification without repeating an apprenticeship. Who qualifies, the hours needed, the evidence, the $265.55 fee, and the exam.
Applies in: Ontario
The short answer
If you already know a trade, learned on the job, trained abroad, or certified in another trade, you do not have to serve a full Ontario apprenticeship to get certified. Skilled Trades Ontario's Trade Equivalency Assessment (TEA) compares your documented experience against the trade's Ontario apprenticeship training standard. If it matches, you are approved as a Trade Qualifier and can challenge the same certifying exam apprentices write. Pass it, and you hold an Ontario Certificate of Qualification.
The whole route is paperwork first, exam second: the assessment costs $265.55 including HST, the exam costs $150 plus HST per attempt, and the quality of your evidence decides whether you get to the exam at all.
Who the TEA is for, and who should not apply
The assessment is for experienced tradespeople who have not completed an Ontario apprenticeship but have equivalent qualifications or experience, including people trained outside Canada, in another province, or in the Canadian Forces. You can apply only if a Certificate of Qualification is available in your trade, the guide's Appendix A lists the eligible trades. For trades without a certifying exam, the highest certification is a Certificate of Apprenticeship, which you can only earn by completing an apprenticeship.
Do not apply if you already hold an Ontario Certificate of Apprenticeship for the same trade. You can apply to take the certifying exam directly. And if you hold a recognized trade certificate from another Canadian province or territory in the same trade, apply directly for an Ontario Certificate of Qualification instead of going through the TEA.
One warning from the guide: if you are currently a registered apprentice in Ontario or another province, there is no guarantee a Trade Qualifier application will be approved, and applying could affect your relationship with your employer or sponsor. Talk to your local Employment Ontario apprenticeship office first.
Step 1: Check your trade's required hours
You must show competency in the skills of the trade as defined by its Training Standard, and experience at least equal to the required training time for an Ontario apprenticeship in that trade. Required hours are based on approximately 1,800 hours per year of full-time employment. Examples from Appendix A of the application guide:
| Trade | Required hours |
|---|---|
| Electrician – Construction and Maintenance (309A) | 9,000 |
| Plumber (306A) | 9,000 |
| Steamfitter (307A) | 9,000 |
| Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic (313A) | 9,000 |
| General Carpenter (403A) | 7,200 |
| Cook (415A) | 6,000 |
| Welder (456A) | 6,000 |
| Hairstylist (332A) | 3,500 |
Related trades can earn you hour credits, for example, an industrial electrician applying as a construction and maintenance electrician needs 1,800 fewer hours. Check Appendix B of the guide for the full credit list, and confirm your own trade's figure in Appendix A before you apply, since hours vary trade by trade.
Step 2: Gather evidence that will actually pass
This is where most applications succeed or fail. You must provide sufficient and verifiable evidence of both competency and hours, through work experience verifications from references who can speak to your work. Provide as many verifications as needed to prove the full hours and the full skill set, one thin letter is not enough.
Each verification must be the Work Experience Verification Form or a written letter that includes the company name and phone number, the reference's name, job title, email address and phone number, and a detailed description of each position worked: start and end dates, total months and hours, and the specific tasks performed with examples. The verification must be written by the reference, not by you or a third party.
| Evidence | What Skilled Trades Ontario needs |
|---|---|
| Employed experience | Verifications from a supervisor or manager with trade knowledge, preferably a certified journeyperson, who directly knows your work. |
| Self-employed experience | Verifications from other trades businesses that used your services, plus a detailed resume of your trade experience and documents proving your business exists and showing the type of work performed, business number, contracts, customer and supplier invoices. |
| What counts | Time spent practising the trade. Supervision, management, or school time does not count toward the hours. |
| Translations | Documents not in English or French need certified translations by a member of a recognized Canadian association of translators. |
You may also attach supporting documents that strengthen the file: government-issued trade licences, business registration or employment documents, technical training certificates, and trade school transcripts. You also need a legible copy of recognized government-issued photo identification showing your legal name, date of birth, photo, and signature, a passport, driver's licence, or permanent resident card, for example.
Step 3: Check the special requirements for your trade
Four trade groups have extra requirements in the guide's appendices. Deal with these before you submit, or your application will not be accepted:
| Trade | Extra requirement |
|---|---|
| Electricians (309A, 309C, 442A) | Show knowledge of the Canadian Electrical Code, either proof of legal work experience in an electrician trade in Canada that involved applying the Code, or proof of a Code course of at least 12 hours from a recognized Canadian training institution. Skilled Trades Ontario recognizes the CSA Group's Canadian Electrical Code Essentials course. |
| Welder (456A) | Submit proof of completing a welder practical assessment at a designated testing centre covering six processes (shielded metal arc, gas metal arc, flux cored arc, gas tungsten arc, and oxy-fuel cutting). There are fourteen testing centres in Ontario, and their fees vary. |
| Hoisting engineers (339A, 339B, 339C) | Submit a completed Declaration of Experience form and pass a three-part Demonstration of Skills Test, hand signals, load charts, then a practical demonstration on equipment, in that order. Retakes need at least 30 full days after the final attempt. |
| Cook, institutional cook, baker-pâtissier | Show proof of completing a recognized Food Handler Training and Certification program in the past three years. |
Step 4: Submit your application
Apply in one of two ways, per the application guide:
- By email: complete the application form and send it with all supporting documents to assessments@skilledtradesontario.ca.
- Online: apply on the Skilled Trades Ontario Portal, log in, then under Certification select a new application and choose Trade Equivalency Assessment.
Incomplete applications will not be accepted, so check the file against the guide's checklist before you send it. Questions go to the same email address, assessments@skilledtradesontario.ca.
Step 5: Pay the assessment fee
The fee is $235 plus HST ($265.55 including HST). You pay only after Skilled Trades Ontario has reviewed your application and determined it is complete, the fee cannot be processed before that point. Pay by credit card online through the portal or by phone at 647-847-3000 or 1-855-299-0028 (toll-free in Ontario), or by certified cheque or money order by mail to PO Box 2354, RPO SQ1 Shoppers, Mississauga, ON L5B 3C8.
Canadian Forces members: if you hold a Canadian Forces Certificate of Military Achievement with a Qualification Level 5 (QL5) or Developmental Period 2 (DP2) rating in one of nine matched military trades, you go through a streamlined assessment, no detailed work experience verifications and no assessment fee. Include a copy of your Member's Personnel Record Resume with your application. The Canadian Forces page lists the matched trades, and a fee exemption form is available for veterans and reservists.
Step 6: The assessment
Skilled Trades Ontario assesses your skills and experience from the documents you submitted. The assessment can also include additional verification: contacting your references by telephone (three attempts are made, and a reference who cannot be reached may be excluded from your assessment) and interviewing you in person or by telephone. If an interview is required, Skilled Trades Ontario will try to accommodate your schedule and language needs, but failing to participate in a required interview results in your application being denied.
Once the assessment is complete you will be notified of the result and your next steps. If you are approved, you are authorized to challenge the certifying exam. If the assessment finds you did not fully meet the requirements, you may be granted advanced standing in an apprenticeship instead, see the FAQ on denials above.
Refugees, refugee claimants, and immigrants from war-torn areas or regions hit by natural disaster who cannot provide standard evidence may be eligible for exemptions from certain requirements; email assessments@skilledtradesontario.ca to ask.
Step 7: Book and write the certifying exam
Once approved, you write the same certifying exam apprentices write: a written multiple-choice exam, up to four hours, with a 70% pass mark. The exam fee is $150 plus HST per attempt, paid through the Skilled Trades Ontario Portal before your Authorization to Test letter is issued. If you fail, there is a mandatory 30-day waiting period between attempts, and you pay the exam fee again for each retry. Exams are written in English or French at designated exam centres across Ontario, and you schedule through the portal's online booking system using the instructions on your Authorization to Test letter.
Note the first-attempt fee waiver does not apply to the TEA route: it covers apprentices who completed their Ontario program on or after January 1, 2025. As a Trade Qualifier you pay for every attempt.
Step 8: Get the Certificate of Qualification
Pass the exam and you pay a separate fee to be issued the Certificate of Qualification, $60 plus HST, which renews annually at the same amount in compulsory trades. If your trade is a Red Seal trade, passing the Red Seal-endorsed version of the exam earns the endorsement at the same time, making your certificate portable across Canada, our Red Seal guide explains how that works.
Remember the compulsory-trade rule: in one of Ontario's 23 compulsory trades, you may not legally work in the trade until you pass the certifying exam. The assessment alone does not authorize you to work.
The numbers worth knowing
- Assessment fee: $265.55 including HST ($235 + HST), paid after the application is deemed complete
- The certifying exam costs $150 + HST per attempt, allows up to four hours, needs 70% to pass, and requires a 30-day wait between attempts.
- Required experience: trade's full apprenticeship training time, at about 1,800 hours per year (9,000 for electrician/plumber/steamfitter/refrigeration mechanic; 7,200 for carpenter; 6,000 for cook/welder; 3,500 for hairstylist)
- Certificate issue: $60 + HST; annual renewal $60 + HST in compulsory trades
- Compulsory trades in Ontario: 23 of 144 prescribed trades
- Skilled Trades Ontario contact: assessments@skilledtradesontario.ca, 647-847-3000, 1-855-299-0028 (toll-free in Ontario)
Skilled Trades Ontario does not publish an assessment processing timeline, so check your application status on the portal rather than planning around a date the guide never promises. And confirm every fee on the current application form before you pay, fees change, and the form is the authority.
Related guides
- How to get a skilled trade certificate in Ontario: the full picture: both routes to the Certificate of Qualification, the 23 compulsory trades, exam rules, and renewal.
- How to get your Red Seal endorsement in Canada: how the TEA route connects to the interprovincial Red Seal exam and what the endorsement buys you.
- Compulsory vs voluntary trades in Ontario: which trades legally require certification before you can work, and which do not.
- Apprenticeship financial support in Canada: grants, loans, and tax credits if you end up taking the apprenticeship route instead.
- How to register a sole proprietorship and get a GST/HST number in Canada: the business paperwork for working for yourself once you are certified.
From experienced worker to certified journeyperson
- Check your trade's hoursConfirm a Certificate of Qualification exists for your trade and that your hands-on hours meet its training time — 9,000 for electrician or plumber, 7,200 for carpenter, 6,000 for cook or welder
- Gather your evidenceWork experience verifications from supervisors or client businesses, plus government-issued photo ID; self-employed applicants add a resume and business documents
- Submit and pay $265.55Apply by email or through the Skilled Trades Ontario Portal; pay the $235 plus HST assessment fee once your application is deemed complete
- Write the certifying examMultiple-choice, up to four hours, 70% to pass; $150 plus HST per attempt, with a 30-day wait between attempts
- Get the Certificate of QualificationPay the $60 plus HST issue fee; in compulsory trades the certificate renews annually at $60 plus HST
What the Trade Equivalency Assessment route costs
| Trade Equivalency Assessment | $235 + HST ($265.55) |
|---|---|
| Certifying exam — each attempt | $150 + HST |
| Certificate of Qualification — initial issue | $60 + HST |
| Certificate of Qualification — annual renewal (compulsory trades) | $60 + HST |
Questions people ask
Who can apply for a Trade Equivalency Assessment in Ontario?
Experienced tradespeople who have not completed an Ontario apprenticeship but have equivalent qualifications or experience in a trade, and who want an Ontario Certificate of Qualification. You can apply only if a Certificate of Qualification is available in your trade. Do not apply if you already hold an Ontario Certificate of Apprenticeship for the same trade, or if you hold a recognized trade certificate from another Canadian province or territory in the same trade — in that second case you apply directly for an Ontario Certificate of Qualification instead.
How many hours of experience do I need for a Trade Equivalency Assessment?
Your experience must at least equal the required training time for an Ontario apprenticeship in your trade, counted at roughly 1,800 hours per year of full-time work. Examples from Skilled Trades Ontario's guide: electrician (construction and maintenance), plumber, steamfitter, and refrigeration mechanic each need 9,000 hours; general carpenter needs 7,200 hours; cook and welder each need 6,000 hours; hairstylist needs 3,500 hours. The full trade-by-trade list is in Appendix A of the application guide, so check your own trade's number before applying.
What evidence do I need to submit with my application?
Work experience verifications from references who can speak to your work, plus government-issued photo identification. Each verification must be the [Work Experience Verification Form](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/TEA-Forms-Guide/English/STO-Trade-Qualifier-Application-Guide-EN.pdf) or a written letter giving the company name and phone number, the reference's name, job title, email and phone number, and a detailed description of each position: start and end dates, total months and hours, and the specific tasks performed. For employed experience the reference should be a supervisor or manager with trade knowledge, preferably a certified journeyperson. Self-employed applicants need verifications from other trades businesses that used their services, plus a detailed resume and business documents such as a business number, contracts, and invoices. Experience must be time spent practising the trade — supervision, management, or school time does not count.
How much does a Trade Equivalency Assessment cost?
The assessment fee is $235 plus HST, or $265.55 with HST included. You pay only after Skilled Trades Ontario has reviewed your application and determined it is complete — by credit card online or by phone, or by certified cheque or money order by mail. If your assessment is approved, you then pay the certifying exam fee of $150 plus HST per attempt, and once you pass, a separate fee is charged to issue the Certificate of Qualification ($60 plus HST, per our certificate guide).
What happens if my Trade Equivalency Assessment is denied?
A denial usually means the evidence did not prove the required hours or competencies, not that you are unqualified. You can apply for a reassessment with new evidence that was not in your original application — new experience verifications, supporting documents, or updated reference contacts. Confirm the current reassessment fee on [the application form](https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/wp-content/uploads/TEA-Forms-Guide/English/STO-Trade-Qualifier-Application-Form-EN.pdf) before you submit, as Skilled Trades Ontario's guide does not publish it. If you cannot meet the requirements even with more evidence, consider registering as an apprentice: you can receive advanced standing for the hours and skills already credited, and in a compulsory trade an apprenticeship lets you work legally while you build the missing experience.
Can I work in my trade while I wait for the assessment?
It depends on the trade. In a compulsory trade — Ontario has 23 of them, including electrician, plumber, and automotive service technician — you may not work in the trade until you pass the certifying exam, unless you hold a valid Certificate of Qualification, a provisional certificate, or a registered apprenticeship agreement. In a voluntary trade there is no legal bar to working, but employers often prefer certified journeypersons, so the certificate is still worth pursuing.
How long does the Trade Equivalency Assessment take?
Skilled Trades Ontario does not publish a processing timeline for assessments, so do not plan around a specific number of weeks. The assessment itself is a document review, but it can also include telephone interviews with your references — three contact attempts are made — and an interview with you, which you must attend if one is required. You can check the status of your application online through the Skilled Trades Ontario Portal or by calling 647-847-3000 (toll-free in Ontario: 1-855-299-0028).
Sources
- Skilled Trades Ontario: Trade Equivalency Assessment Application Guide (PDF): eligibility, evidence rules, hours by trade (Appendix A), special requirements (Appendices C–F), fee, and application steps
- Skilled Trades Ontario: Trade Equivalency Assessment Application Form (PDF): the form itself, including the $235 plus HST fee
- Skilled Trades Ontario: Provisional Certificate of Qualification: exam fee of $150 plus HST per additional attempt and the 30-day mandatory waiting period between attempts
- Skilled Trades Ontario: Canadian Forces: streamlined assessment and fee exemption for QL5/DP2 holders in nine matched trades
Rules and fees are current as of November 2026. Confirm the fee and your trade's required hours on the application guide before you apply.