Faster ship licences for Canadian-trained newcomers

Summary#

This bill changes the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to let certain foreign nationals get a Canadian “certificate of competency” (a formal licence under the Act that proves skills for regulated ship roles) while their permanent residence (PR) application is being processed. It also lets the government name which Canadian maritime schools count for this purpose. The bill adjusts who is a “qualified person” under the Act to include these foreign nationals.

• Expands who may hold a certificate of competency to include a foreign national with a diploma from a prescribed Canadian maritime institution and an in‑process PR application (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).
• Allows regulations to designate which Canadian maritime institutions qualify (Bill, adding s.100(c.1)).
• Updates the Act’s definition of “qualified person” to include these foreign nationals (Bill, amending s.2 “qualified person”).
• Does not change technical competency standards or exams for certificates; it changes eligibility categories only (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).
• No appropriations, taxes, or fees in the bill text. Timing depends on regulations that list the designated institutions (Bill, adding s.100(c.1)).

What it means for you#

• Households and workers

  • Foreign nationals who earned a diploma from a designated Canadian maritime school and have a PR application in process can hold a Canadian certificate of competency once the bill and related regulations are in force (Bill, replacing s.88(1); adding s.100(c.1)).
  • If a foreign national’s PR application is not in process, or the diploma is not from a designated Canadian maritime institution, eligibility does not change (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).

• Employers in marine shipping

  • You will be able to hire mariners who meet all certificate requirements even if they are not yet citizens or permanent residents, provided they meet the new conditions (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).
  • You may see more eligible applicants who trained in Canada, once institutions are designated by regulation (Bill, adding s.100(c.1)).

• Canadian maritime schools

  • Your graduates who are foreign nationals may become eligible if your institution is designated by regulation (Bill, adding s.100(c.1)).
  • There may be new administrative steps to support designation and graduate verification. Data unavailable in the bill text.

• Regulators (Transport Canada)

  • You will need to make or update regulations to designate Canadian maritime institutions for this purpose (Bill, adding s.100(c.1)).
  • You may need processes to verify an applicant’s PR application status. Data unavailable in the bill text.

• General public

  • No direct changes to services or fees. Any labour‑market effects are indirect. Data unavailable.

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No explicit appropriations, taxes, or fees appear in the bill text (Bill, all cited provisions).
• Administrative costs to develop regulations (designating institutions) and to verify PR application status are possible; no figures are provided. Data unavailable.
• No official fiscal note identified. Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Removes a status barrier for Canadian‑trained mariners by allowing eligible foreign nationals with in‑process PR to hold certificates, which can reduce the time from graduation to working at sea (Bill Summary; Bill, replacing s.88(1)). Assumes employer demand and timely processing.
• Maintains safety standards because it does not alter skill, exam, or experience requirements for certificates; it only adds an eligibility category (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).
• Targets Canadian‑trained talent by limiting eligibility to diplomas from prescribed Canadian maritime institutions, which the government can define by regulation (Bill, adding s.100(c.1)).
• Provides legal clarity by expressly listing who may hold a certificate: citizens, permanent residents, and the new defined group of foreign nationals (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).

Opponents' View#

• Legal and administrative uncertainty if a PR application is refused or withdrawn after a certificate is issued; the bill does not state what happens to the certificate in that case (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).
• Adds verification and enforcement tasks (checking PR application status; maintaining a list of designated schools) without dedicated funding in the bill text, which could slow processing (Bill, adding s.100(c.1)). Data unavailable.
• Expands the Act’s definition of “qualified person” to include these foreign nationals, a term used elsewhere in the Act; potential unintended effects beyond certificates are not addressed (Bill, amending s.2 “qualified person”).
• Creates unequal treatment between foreign‑trained mariners with non‑Canadian diplomas and those trained in Canada, since only the latter group is newly eligible under this pathway (Bill, replacing s.88(1)).