A competency certificate is issued by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) for the worker’s region of residence. Workers may therefore work on the sites in their region, where they usually benefit from hiring preference. They may also work on sites in other regions when the workforce mobility rules allow it.
Open Labour Pool (Labour shortage)
Sometimes, there are not enough workers holding a specific competency certificate in a region to fill the jobs available. For this imbalance to be termed a “labour shortage,” the CCQ’s data must show that fewer than 5% of the employees holding an apprentice competency certificate (ACC) issued for a trade or an occupation competency certificate (OCC) in a given region are available.
In this case, non-graduate applicants may obtain an apprentice competency certificate or an occupation competency certificate. In addition to completing their apprenticeship, apprentices must also take upgrading training given by the CCQ to keep their certificate and be eligible to take the exam that will enable them to obtain their journeyman certificate. Holders of an occupation competency certificate must complete 60 hours of training, including the course Cours de connaissance générale de l’industrie de la construction.
Labour Pool 30% and Under (Measure for Women)
A woman without a diploma may obtain an apprentice or occupation competency certificate when an employer guarantees her 150 hours of work over a period of 3 consecutive months if the state of the labour pool is 30% or under (for the region and trade or occupation requested). She will nevertheless have to fulfill the other general conditions for issuance of a competency certificate.
When her job guarantee has expired, she must, among other things, fulfill the training obligation.
Procedure for reservation of a place
The procedure for reserving a place may vary depending on the labour pool targeted. In all cases, the reservation must be made by the employer and not the worker. For information on the procedure, click here.
Moving
Because moving may lead to a change of residential region, it is important to provide the CCQ with the necessary documentation when you change address.