January 23, 2013

British Columbia Industry Training Authority (ITA) Certificate of Qualification

The Federal Skilled Trades Program may have already started, but, apparently the provincial institutions to issue certificate of qualification are not yet ready.  Here's an email I received from  Industry Training Authority (ITA) Customer Service of British Columbia:

If you are planning to immigrate to British Columbia, Canada under the Federal Skilled Trades Program and wish to challenge the trade certification; please find all the information and requirements here http://itabc.ca/challengers/overview

You will require a BC mailing address to apply for the challenge process. You can do this by:
  • 1.acquiring a PO Box
  • 2.using a family member's address who resides in BC
  • 3.through an immigration service.
You will also need a Canadian or US passport to write the Certificate of Qualification exam. We are currently reviewing our id requirements in order to write an exam and anticipate that this requirement will be changed in approximately 3 months. At that time you will be able to write the exam without a Canadian or US Passport. However, we urge that you do not make any travel arrangements to come to British Columbia, Canada until we have revised our identification requirements.
So there.  You really have to visit Canada to challenge the exam and get a Certificate of Qualification.  Then again, changes will be implemented soon to cope up with the Federal Skilled Trades Program requirements. We will keep you posted.