Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
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Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

www.hrsdc.gc.ca

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The following provides some helpful frequently asked questions about the Master Certification List (MCL).

Questions and Answers

Q. How long does it take to review a file?

A. A complete application with all the requisite documentation will take usually 20 days to assess and recommend for approval or refusal. Files are reviewed in the order that they are received. If all the required documentation is not received from the school administrator the file will be closed within 45 days.

Q. What are the criteria that HRSDC uses to certify an Institution?

A. Eligibility criteria for an educational institution:

  • Must have a legally registered business name and offer courses or training in Canada.
  • Be a private school or college, a professional organization or business providing courses, other than courses designed for university credits.
  • Offer a qualifying educational program with courses specifically designed to provide a person with skills to improve or develop abilities in a recognized occupation.
  • Be licensed provincially as a private vocational, trade school, or the equivalent, if that is a requirement in the province or territory where the courses are given.

Note: The following are examples of educational programs that do not qualify: Conferences, workshops, seminars, courses designed for personal development, general knowledge, religion, adult basic education, literacy, tutorial, job interview techniques, preparation for exams and courses paid by employers.

Q. Who do I contact for an application kit?

A. Please contact the Certification Unit:

Please Note: In the request for the application kit, please include the name of the educational institution, full mailing address, phone and fax numbers as well as the name of a contact person.

Q. Where do I send the completed application kit?

A. Mail the completed application kit for certification to the following address:
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
C/o Certification of Private Educational Institutions
Learning Branch
200 Montcalm Street,
PO Box 2090, Postal bag 50
Gatineau, Québec K1A 0J9

Please Note: Requests for certification must be received by December 31 of a given year to be eligible for that tax year.

Q: Do I need to renew my certification?

A. Yes. Certification must be renewed every five years.

Q. What should I do if I move, sell my educational institution, or change the curriculum?

A. It is important to advise HRSDC of any changes regarding ownership, addresses, contact numbers, expiry or amendments to legal documents (legal registration or provincial/territorial licence) and/or any modifications to the course content (curricula, fees or duration). Failure to notify HRSDC of any changes could result in certification being revoked.

Please contact the Certification Unit by one of the following methods:

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Date Modified:
2011-12-01