The Department will use and disclose personal information only in accordance with the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Nova Scotia Personal Information International Disclosure Protection Act. To correct or access your personal information you may contact the Department Information Access and Privacy Manager at https://novascotia.ca/is/programs-and-services/iapa/.
APPLICATION INFORMATION:
Do NOT complete this form until you have scheduled an interview with a Industry Training Consultant to discuss certification options and eligibility requirements. Also, prior to completing this form, please review the Application Guidelines and Process document, which is available here. The Guidelines and Process document contains all of the information you need to apply to challenge the certification examination. It will assist you in collecting the information necessary for us to complete the assessment of your application. The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency will assess your work experience and determine whether you qualify to challenge the examination based on the information you supply.
The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency will process your assessment within 20 working days of receipt of your complete application package. Applications will be returned if information is missing. Incomplete applications will NOT be processed.
The time-in-trade requirement must be fulfilled by hands-on work experience, NOT supervisory duties. The work experience must be supported with original (or certified true copies) of confirmation letters from each of your employers, which you can submit to the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency via mail, drop-in or fax. Employer letters must be signed, on company letterhead, in English or French (translations done by a certified translator) and contain the following information:
- Complete employer contact information
- Start and end dates of the employment period
- Number of hours of hands-on-work experience
- A description of the job duties, tasks or work performed
Starting with your most current employer, below, list all employers who can confirm your time in the trade. Again, as noted above, after you have submitted this online application, please be sure to submit - via mail, drop-in or fax - original copies of employer letters. Please note that after you submit this online application, you will receive a pdf copy in your email inbox, which will contain a sample Employer letter. Important: If you are unable to obtain a letter from any of the employers listed below, an affidavit may be acceptable.
To fulfill the reference requirement, two qualified references must attest to your competence in the trade, and detailed contact information must be provided, below, for these references. In lieu of completing this section of the form, you may submit - via mail, drop-in or fax - an original letter (signed and on company letterhead, if applicable) for each reference. References may include employers, certified journeypersons, supervisors, association or union representatives, etc. Please ensure that your two references have a chance to review the relevant trade regulations, available online here.
If NOT a Certificate of Qualification holder, describe your experience in the trade
Describe your working relationship with applicant (e.g. supervisor, co-worker, employer)
To fulfill the reference requirement, two qualified references must attest to your competence in the trade, and detailed contact information must be provided, below, for these references. In lieu of completing this section of the form, you may submit - via mail, drop-in or fax - an original letter (signed and on company letterhead, if applicable) for each reference. References may include employers, certified journeypersons, supervisors, association or union representatives, etc. Please ensure that your two references have a chance to review the relevant trade regulations, available online here.
If NOT a Certificate of Qualification holder, describe your experience in the trade
Describe your working relationship with applicant (e.g. supervisor, co-worker, employer)
I hereby acknowledge that in accordance with section 33 of the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act - General Regulations, the Director must issue an identity card to an apprentice that contains a full-face photograph of the person to whom the card is issued. I thereby authorize the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (NSAA) to collect my Nova Scotia driver's license master number, or if I do not currently have a driver's license, my Nova Scotia photo identification card number for the purpose of obtaining my photograph from the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles; and consent to the release of my photograph, along with my name, date of birth, unique client identification number and certificate numbers, to the Nova Scotia Information Services Department (ISD) or the NSAA for the sole purpose of producing my Nova Scotia Apprenticeship identity card. I further understand that my photograph provided to ISD or the NSAA will not be retained once the card has been produced.
I consent to the verification of the information provided in this application and all supporting documentation. I have reviewed the Provincial or National Occupational Analysis and applicable trade regulations and believe that I am competent in the tasks of the trade.”
Apply Before Date
Your application must be received at the Halifax Office of the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship
Agency at least 20 working days before the requested examination date. Applications received after the “apply
before” date will be processed for the next available examination sitting.
If your application is received by the “apply before”, every effort will be made to process it for the date requested.
However, this is a requested or preferred date only. If it is not possible to schedule you for your requested date, you
will be scheduled to write at the next available sitting in the location of your choice.
Payment
The fee for all certification examinations is $148.18. No fee is required for level examinations for
apprentices following training, or for approved Trade Qualifier (Section 30) applicants who have paid the application
fee of $740.77 and who attempt the examination within 90 days of approval. No fee is required for a re-write of a
level examination for apprentices. All other re-writes are subject to the $148.18 examination fee. Payment may be
made by certified cheque, or money order made payable to the MINISTER OF FINANCE. Cash and personal
cheques are not accepted. Payments, including debit and credit, are accepted at all branch locations.
Release of Information
Complete the release portion of the examination application if you are challenging a
certification examination. You will now receive a photo identification card upon successful completion of your
certification examination.
Confirmation Letter - Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency will send confirmation letters to approved applicants. If
you do not receive a confirmation letter, do not attend the examination sitting as you will not be eligible to write. If
you do receive a confirmation letter, make sure you arrive approximately fifteen minutes early and bring your
confirmation letter and photo identification, or acceptable equivalent (i.e. two pieces of signed identification). It is
your responsibility to contact your Industrial Training and Certification Officer if you do not receive your confirmation
letter ten (10) days prior to the examination sitting.
Reschedule
An applicant who is unable to report for a specific examination may withdraw from that sitting and
reschedule one time only without penalty. The candidate must notify Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency a
minimum of twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the examination sitting.
Examination fees will be forfeited if you fail to report for the scheduled examination or fail to contact Nova Scotia
Apprenticeship Agency to reschedule within twenty-four (24) hours in advance.
Time Limit
A four-hour time limit is allocated for writing examinations. Please use your time wisely.
Calculators
Personal calculators are not permitted in the examination room. Instead, calculators will be provided
by the Agency for your use.
Pagers, Cell Phones, Hats, Hoodies and Palm Computers
These items are not permitted in the examination room and must
be left in a location determined by the invigilator. Clients should make sure they have some type of identification on
their pager, cell phone or palm computer so they can determine which one belongs to them when exiting the exam
room.
Passing Standard
A passing standard of 70% is required on all Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency examinations.
Re-examination
A client who fails the examination on the first attempt may be permitted a second attempt. A third
and each subsequent examination attempt must be preceded by a period of technical training acceptable to the
Director.