Career Map: Plumber

© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2005

This career map may be used or reproduced by any third party for non-commercial, not-for-profit purposes, provided that no fee, payment, or royalty of any kind shall be charged for any further use of the fact sheet by any person. Any proposed commercial or for-profit use or reproduction of this fact sheet requires a written licence from the Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

A plumber, also referred to as a maintenance plumber, plumbing mechanic, or plumbing and domestic heating person, is an individual who:

• Lays out, assembles, installs, maintains and repairs the piping, fixtures and other equipment used to distribute, supply or dispose of water or wastewater in any structure, building or site, including fixtures, systems and appliances in residential, commercial or industrial buildings
• Locates, marks positions and cuts openings in walls and floors to accommodate pipe connections, passage holes, fixtures and pipe fittings
• Measures, cuts, bends and threads pipes using hand and power tools or machines
• Connects to piping any appliance that uses water supplied to it or disposes of waste
• Installs piping for any process, including the conveyance of gas, or any tubing for pneumatic or air-handling systems
• Makes joints in piping, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement or soldering, brazing and welding equipment
• Reads and understands blueprints, design drawings, manufacturers’ literature, installation programs and specifications to determine layout of a plumbing system, water supply network and waste and drainage systems.

This fact sheet describes how you can be certified as a plumber in Ontario.

Certification Requirements in Ontario

This is a regulated trade, and certification is compulsory. The legislation regulating plumbers is the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act (1981). This law says that in Ontario it is illegal for anyone other than an apprentice, a holder of a valid provisional certificate, or the holder of a valid licence called a Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) to do any of the work of a plumber. Trade certification for plumbers is available through Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship offices of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU).

To become a plumber in Ontario you must do one of the following:

• Complete a five-year apprenticeship (approximately 9,000 hours, including 720 hours of post-secondary in-school training). Apprenticeship includes on-the-job training (about 90 per cent of the apprenticeship) and some in-school training (about 10 per cent of the apprenticeship). Apprenticeship is a training agreement between a person who wants to learn a skilled trade and an employer who needs a skilled worker. An apprentice earns wages while working and learning the skills necessary to become a qualified tradesperson or journeyperson.

or

• Provide documents that prove that you have the training and experience from another country that meets the requirements of the trade in Ontario.

When you have done this, you must also:

• apply for the Certificate of Qualification (this is called the “C of Q”) and receive a provisional certificate
• pay the required fees
• write and pass the Certificate of Qualification exam

Competencies Required to Practise Your Trade in Ontario

Before you can receive government certification, you must complete training that covers the competencies listed in Apprenticeship Training Standards – Plumbers. This document lists in detail all the skills that plumbers must be able to demonstrate to be eligible to write the Certificate of Qualification exam. In Ontario, an employer who trains an apprentice signs off on each of the following competencies during an apprenticeship:

• protect self and others
• communicate
• read, interpret, create and maintain drawings and specifications
• design systems
• plan and prepare for projects
• install pipe, fittings, valves and supports
• install piping systems
• install fixtures
• install equipment
• install devices
• test systems
• commission and activate systems
• perform rigging and hoisting
• service and maintain mechanical systems

As an internationally trained plumber, you must be able to prove that you have these competencies before you can write the Certificate of Qualification exam.

Language Requirements

Although you are not required to pass an English language test when you apply for certification as a plumber, the job does require excellent language skills as well as basic math skills. Plumbers in Ontario will be required to read, interpret, and revise drawings, specifications, and Plumbing Code material. You must also be able to give and receive instructions, in English, clearly and effectively.

To become certified, you must write a multiple-choice exam, which requires a knowledge and understanding of the trade’s specialized terminology in English or French.

Application Process

There is no automatic certification for internationally trained trades people in any trade in Ontario, but there is an assessment process that evaluates the training and experience of internationally trained trades people. The length of time that it will take you to become certified will depend on how closely your training and experience match the training standards for plumbers in Ontario. It can take as little as a few days if you have the equivalent training, or as long as five years if you need to get work experience or to complete an apprenticeship.

Before You Emigrate To Canada

Get as much information as possible about working as a plumber in Ontario. Apprenticeship Training Standards – Plumber is a useful reference if you are unfamiliar with the terminology used and the skills required in Ontario. You can get a copy of this booklet from a Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship office in Ontario. (There is a list of these offices at the end of this fact sheet.)

You will need proof of your training and experience. Collect documentation that proves your skill level as a plumber. Include letters from employers or unions, diplomas, and other documents that describe your training and the work tasks you have performed. These documents must also show where and for how long you have worked as a plumber. It is important to include as much information as possible about your years of experience and a complete description of your duties at work, because the evaluation of your skills will be based on your on-the-job experience.

When You Arrive in Ontario

Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship offices process all applications for trade certification in Ontario. When you arrive in Ontario, contact the Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship office in your area and make an appointment to see a training consultant. If you haven’t already requested a copy of Apprenticeship Standards – Plumber, you can get one from the office.

View a map of the steps you need to take to become certified - PDF format.

Step 1. Meeting an Apprenticeship Training Consultant

The training consultant will ask you for documentation that describes your past work experience and training. Make sure you take along with you to this first meeting as many of these documents as possible:

• letters written on company letterhead from the companies or unions for whom you worked, stating:
  • your job title
  • start and finish dates of your employment in the trade
  • a detailed description of the skills you demonstrated on the job
• your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• trade certificates, diplomas, or licences
• official school transcripts from your training. You should also provide a detailed list of the subjects covered in each course and the length of each course.

If these documents are in a language other than English or French, bring a translation that is signed by a registered translator, a notary public, or a lawyer.

The training consultant will use these documents to compare your work experience to the requirements for certification as a plumber in Ontario.

Step 2. Assessment of Your Previous Training and Experience

The training consultant will assess your training and experience and determine if you need further training and experience in your trade before you write the Certificate of Qualification exam.

If your documented experience is equivalent to that of an apprentice in Ontario, you will be eligible to write the Certificate of Qualification exam (Step 3, below).

Training and work experience

If required, you can enter into an apprenticeship contract to get on-the-job training. To get a position as an apprentice, you must apply directly to employers and find one to sponsor your apprenticeship. You will then register your apprenticeship agreement with a Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office.

You can find employers by looking in the Yellow Pages (the telephone directory for businesses) or in local newspapers. Employers sometimes place job ads at government employment agencies. Employers will want to see a well-written resume and for you to tell them how you will benefit their business and the trade.

Attestation of Competencies

In addition to providing documentation above, you will be asked to complete and sign an Attestation of Competencies. This document is an oath that you make, stating that you have all the competencies required for the trade. This Attestation of Competencies will be considered as proof that you are able to do the work of a Plumber. A false attestation is a serious criminal offence.

Step 3. Application for the Certificate of Qualification

When you have met the requirements for certification, you will complete an application form for the Certificate of Qualification.

Step 4. Provisional Certificate of Qualification

After you complete an application for the Certificate of Qualification, you will receive a Provisional Certificate of Qualification (a temporary license). This allows you to work for up to ninety days until you write the exam for the Certificate of Qualification.

Step 5. Exam Preparation

The Certificate of Qualification exam is based on the skills that plumbers need to succeed in the workplace. The content of the exam reflects the knowledge and skills required in all aspects of the trade, including on-the-job and in-school training. This is why many workers who have not worked in Ontario find the exam difficult.

The best way to prepare for the exam is to make sure that you can perform all the skills described in Apprenticeship Training Standards – Plumber. Study the competencies and be sure that you can explain the theory behind each task. Work experience is helpful before writing the exam.

You should also study The Ontario Plumbing Code and The National Building Code. In Ontario, these books are available at community college libraries and bookstores, and possibly at local libraries or general bookstores. The training consultant may be able to give you the titles of other helpful publications.

Many community colleges and private trainers offer pre-exam or exam preparation courses. These courses give applicants practice in writing the exams. They usually provide about sixty hours of training over several weekends.

Some community agencies may also offer special training courses for internationally trained plumbers. Contact the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI). (See the contact information at the end of this fact sheet.) OCASI can provide information about settlement agencies in your community.

Step 6. Certificate of Qualification Exam

You may write the Certificate of Qualification exam for plumbers at a Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship office, once you have either completed an apprenticeship or been approved by Ministry staff based on previous work experience. The exam is available year-round, usually by appointment. You can arrange a date to write the exam during your meeting with a training consultant. You must show photo ID on the day of the exam.

Description of the exam

The Ontario Certificate of Qualification exam is a written exam with multiple-choice questions. These questions test your practical knowledge of workplace procedures and tasks. You are allowed three hours to complete the exam. Applicants who have passed this exam and obtained a C of Q may apply to write a further exam, called an inter-provincial exam.

Readers/translators

If you have difficulty with English or French, you may be allowed to bring a reader with you. Readers can be anyone whose English or French skills are strong; they may be relatives, friends, or interpreters from your community. Readers can translate the parts of the exam that you don’t understand, but they are not allowed to help you answer the questions. The exam is highly technical; make sure that you choose someone who knows English or French well, but does not have knowledge of the plumbing trade. Readers must sign a statement that they do not have any training or experience in the trade or any related trade, and have not translated for the plumbing exam for the previous 12 months, or for any other trade for the previous six months. Arrangements for a translator must be made prior to the day of the exam.

English and French dictionaries, pencils, erasers, calculator and paper are available in the exam room. If a dictionary is unavailable in the exam room and you supply your own dictionary, you will be asked to submit it to the exam supervisor for inspection.

Pass mark

The pass mark for the Ontario exam is 70 per cent. Once a person has passed the Ontario exam, he or she will be eligible to write an inter-provincial exam, which will allow him or her to get a Red Seal affixed to his or her C of Q. The Red Seal Program is an inter-provincial certification that may allow trades people to work in other Canadian provinces and territories. The inter-provincial standards examination is based on the National Occupational Analyses produced by HRDC. “Plumber” is one of the many trades included in the Red Seal Program.

Rewriting failed exams

Your exam results will be mailed to you. The results sheet will detail the score as a percentage for each section of the exam, so if you fail, you will know which areas you still need to improve. You can rewrite the exam after fifteen days. If you fail the exam twice, you will be required either to take a refresher course to upgrade your training or to get more work experience before you can try the exam again. There is a $100 fee every time you write the exam.

Step 7. Certificate of Qualification

If you pass the exam, your Certificate of Qualification will be mailed to you. You can get an official duplicate (copy) of the certificate from the Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office for a fee of $60. Plumbers must renew their certificates once every three years. The renewal fee is $60 (subject to change).

Fees and Costs

(in Canadian dollars)

Application for the Certificate of Qualification/td>	no fee
Registration of an apprenticeship, if required	$40
Certificate of Qualification examination	$100
Rewriting failed exams (re-examination)	$100

Training and Upgrading

You may need to take upgrading courses to help you prepare for the exam. But training and upgrading doesn’t stop there. Technological advances in plumbing are creating the need for higher skills. Computer literacy is important, because the use of computer-controlled equipment is growing, as is the use of computers in drawing, estimating, coordination and cost reporting related to plumbing. Furthermore, the plumbing trade is changing through increased installation of integrated plumbing systems in home construction, an increase in prefabrication, and new technologies in gas and water piping. More sophisticated measuring devices are being introduced and better material handling and joining methods are being developed. Licensed plumbers who also hold a gas fitter’s certificate will have better job prospects. Community colleges, trade schools, unions, and other associations offer training and upgrading courses, often as evening courses.

Labour Market Information

Plumbers typically work for trade contractors such as plumbing, heating and air conditioning firms; the maintenance departments of factories, industrial plants or similar organizations; gas utility or servicing companies, or for themselves. Almost 70% of plumbers across Canada work for the construction industry. Employment for this occupation is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2007. Jobs in the plumbing trades are determined primarily by the existing stock of piping that must be maintained and the amount of new construction and renovation work.

The increased use of computers to control building functions, such as heating, air conditioning and ventilation will provide work for plumbers who work in these buildings.

The salary for plumbers varies according to whether it is a unionized or non-unionized environment. In a unionized environment within the industrialized commercial and institutional sector, the average salary for an apprentice rises annually, starting at 40% of a journeyperson’s (certified tradesperson’s) wages during the first year, which comes to $19.51 per hour, including benefits. They rise to 80% of a journeyperson’s wages during the fifth year. The average unionized base hourly rate for a journeyperson (excluding overtime) is $32.77. When one adds benefits to this, the average hourly rate is $43.50, which works out to $78,300 annually, based on a 1,800 hours annually. The top salary level can only be attained when one is successful on one’s C of Q. These unionized wage rates were in place until the three-year union agreement expired May 1, 2004.

For more information on labour market conditions, see Ontario Job Futures at www.ontariojobfutures.net or on the Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) website (www.on.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca). In Ontario, this information is also available in the Ontario Job Futures binder at public libraries or at HRDC Employment Resource Centres in your community.

Related Trades and Occupations

Many internationally trained piping trades apply to become plumbers in Ontario. It is important to remember that although there are many similarities in these occupations, the skills required of a plumber are extensive, and could be very different from the duties of a pipe fitter or similar professional. Pipe fitters may be surprised when their applications to become certified as plumbers are refused, but applicants must show proof that they have the work experience of a plumber.

Piping trades in the construction sector include plumbers, steamfitters, sprinkler system installers, gas fitters, heating and ventilation technicians and drain layers. Certification is compulsory to work as a plumber, steamfitter and heating and ventilation technician, but it is voluntary for sprinkler system installers and drain layers. Similar trades include instrument technicians and pipe welders, which both require provincial (though not C of Q) qualification.

Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship offices in Ontario

To order a copy of Apprenticeship Training Standards – Sheet Metal Worker, to get more information about certification, or to make an appointment with a training consultant, contact the Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship office in your community.

Toronto District Office 625 Church Street 1st Floor Toronto, Ontario M7A 2B5 General inquiries: 416-326-5800 Front desk: 416-326-5775 Fax: 416-326-5799	Pickering Regional Office 1420 Bayly Street Unit 1 Pickering, Ontario L1W 3R4 Telephone: 905-837-7721 or 1-800-461-4608 Fax: 905-837-6726 or 1-800-461-5385	Mississauga Regional Office The Emerald Centre 10 Kingsbridge Garden Circle Suite 610 Mississauga, Ontario L5R 3K6 Telephone: 905-279-7333 or 1-800-736-5520 Voice-mail: 905-279-7709 Fax: 905-279-7332
Hamilton District Office Ontario Government Building 119 King Street West 5th Floor Hamilton, Ontario L8P 4Y7 Telephone: 905-521-7764 or 1-800-668-4479 Fax: 905-521-7701	Brantford Area Office 515 Park Road North Suite 7 Brantford, Ontario N3R 7K8 Telephone: 519-756-5197 Fax: 519-756-0724	Owen Sound Area Office Nor-Towne Plaza Suite 108 1131 - 2nd Avenue East Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 2J1 Telephone: 519-376-5790, ext. 23 or 1-800-838-9468 Fax: 519-376-4843
St. Catharines Area Office 301 St. Paul St. 9th Floor St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 7R4 Telephone: 905-704-2991 or 1-800-263-4475 Fax: 905-704-2985	Barrie Regional Office 55 Cedar Pointe Drive, Unit 609 Barrie, Ontario L4N 5R7 Telephone: 705-737-1431 or 1-800-560-3821 Fax: 705-737-5684	London Area Office 217 York Street Suite 201 London, Ontario N6A 5P9 Telephone: 519-675-7788 or 1-800-265-1050 Fax: 519-675-7795
Sarnia Area Office 1319 Exmouth Street Suite 101, 1st Floor Sarnia, Ontario N7S 3Y1 Telephone: 519-542-7705 or 1-800-363-8453 Fax: 519-542-3391	Waterloo Area Office 285 Weber Street North Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 Telephone: 519-571-6009 or 1-800-265-6180 Fax: 519-571-6047	Windsor Area Office Roundhouse Centre Suite 200 3155 Howard Avenue Windsor, Ontario N8X 4Y8 Telephone: 519-973-1441 or 1-800-663-5609 Fax: 519-973-1415
Chatham Area Office 870 Richmond Street P.O. Box 220 Chatham, Ontario N7M 5K3 Telephone: 519-354-2766 1-800-214-8284 Fax: 519-354-3094	Ottawa District Office 1355 Bank Street Suite 703 Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8K7 Telephone: 613-731-7100 or 1-877-221-1220 Fax: 613-731-4160	Brockville Area Office Ontario Government Building P.O. Box 1511 Oxford Street Brockville, Ontario K6V 5Y6 Telephone: 613-342-5481 or 1-877-417-9333 Fax: 613-342-9299 Note: Office is closed Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Cornwall Area Office 113 Amelia Street Cornwall, Ontario K6H 3P1 Telephone: 613-938-9702 or 1-877-668-6604 Fax: 613-938-6627	Kingston Area Office 1055 Princess Street Suite 404 Kingston, Ontario K7L 5T3 Telephone: 613-545-4338 or 1-877-220-2721 Fax: 613-545-1204	Pembroke Area Office 169 Lake Street Pembroke, Ontario K8A 5L8 Telephone: 613-735-3911 or 1-800-807-0227 Fax: 613-735-6452
Peterborough Area Office Ontario Government Building 306 George Street North Peterborough, Ontario K9J 3H2 Telephone: 705-745-1918 or 1-877-433-6555 Fax: 705-745-1926	Belleville Area Office 1 Bridge Street East 3rd Floor Canada Trust Building Belleville, Ontario K8N 5N9 Telephone: 613-968-5558 or 1-800-953-6885 Fax: 613-968-2364	Sault Ste. Marie District Office 70 Foster Drive 1st and 2nd Floors Roberta Bondar Place Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6A 6V9 Telephone: 705-945-6815 or 1-800-236-8817 Fax: 705-945-6818
North Bay Area Office Northgate Plaza 1500 Fisher Street 2nd Floor North Bay, Ontario P1B 2H3 Telephone: 705-495-8515 or 1-800-236-0744 Fax: 705-495-8517	Sudbury Area Office 450 Notre Dame Avenue Sudbury, Ontario P3C 5K8 Telephone: 705-564-3030 or 1-800-603-5999 Fax: 705-564-3033	Timmins Area Office 1270 Hwy 101 East Ontario Government Building P.O. Bag 3095, C Wing South Porcupine, Ontario P0N 1C0 Telephone: 705-235-1950 or 1-877-275-5139 Fax: 705-235-1955
Thunder Bay Regional Office 28 Cumberland Street North 3rd Floor Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4K9 Telephone: 807-345-8888 or 1-800-439-5493 Fax: 807-768-2536	Kenora Area Office 810 Robertson Street Suite 105 Kenora, Ontario P9N 4J5 Telephone: 807-468-2879 Fax: 807-468-2881

For More Information

For information on certification requirements and training in Ontario, contact:

• Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities - training hotline (no charge in Ontario): 1-800-387-5656; website: www.tcu.gov.on.ca
• the Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship office in your community (see the addresses and fax and telephone numbers listed above)

For information on where to get help once you arrive in Ontario, contact:

Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
110 Eglinton Avenue West
Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario
M4R 1A3
Telephone: 416-322-4950
Fax: 416-322-8084
E-mail: general@ocasi.org
Website: www.ocasi.org

For information on settling in Ontario, visit www.settlement.org.

For information about accessing professions and trades in Ontario, contact:

Government of Ontario
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Global Experience Ontario (GEO)
Tel: 416-327-9694 or 1-866-670-4094
TTY: 416-327-9710 or 1-866–388-2262
Fax 416-327-9711
E-mail: geo@ontario.ca
Address:
163 Queen Street East, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON   M5A 1S1
Website: www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/geo/index.htm

Go back to the Information on Trades page

For More Information

For information on certification requirements and training in Ontario, contact:

• Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities – training hotline (no charge in Ontario): 1-800-387-5656
• The Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office in your community (see the addresses and fax and telephone numbers listed above)

For information on joining a union, contact:

Neil McCormick
Ontario Pipe Trades Council
930 Sheldon Court
Burlington, ON L7L 5K6
Tel: 905-631-8989
Fax: 905-631-9055
email: optc@bigwave.ca
email: plittle@opdc.org

Government-approved centres for apprenticeship training for the trade of plumber:

Algonquin College, Ottawa
1-888-269-2762 (toll-free)
613-727-7662 (local)
Email: appapp@algonquincollege.com
Website: http://www.algonquincollege.com/

Conestoga College, Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Cambridge and Stratford
Phone: 519-748-5220
Email: geninfo@conestogac.on.ca
Website: http://www.conestogac.on.ca

Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology, Whitby
Phone: 905-721-3300
Email: info@durhamc.on.ca
Website: http://www.durhamc.on.ca

Fanshawe College, London, St. Thomas, Simcoe and Woodstock
Phone: (519) 452-4430
Website: www.fanshawec.ca/programs-courses/apprenticeship

George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology, Toronto
416-415-5000 or 1-800-265-2002
Email: info@gbrownc.on.ca
http://www.georgebrown.ca

Humber College, Toronto
North Campus
Phone: 416-675-3111
Email: enquiry@humber.ca
or
Lakeshore Campus
Phone: 416-675-3111
Website: http://www.humber.ca/

Mohawk College, Stoney Creek
Phone: 1-905-575-2546
Website: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca

St. Clair College, Windsor and Sarnia
Email: info@stclaircollege.ca
Website: www.stclaircollege.ca/

St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Cornwall and Kingston
Phone: 1-800-463-0752
Email: Liaison@SL.ON.CA
Website: http://www.sl.on.ca

Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology, Sault St. Marie
Phone: 1-800-461-2260 or 1-705-759-6700
Email: registrar@saultc.on.ca
Website: http://www.saultc.on.ca

For information on exam preparation courses

Some Ontario colleges offer exam preparation courses for plumbers. Contact the college nearest you to find out whether it offers such training.

For information on plumbers in the construction industry in Ontario, contact:

The Ontario Construction Secretariat
940 The East Mall, Suite 202
Etobicoke , ON M9B 6J7
Tel: 416-620-5210
Fax: 416-620-5310
Email: info@iciconstruction.com
Web site: www.MadeWithTheTrades.com

This site includes information about the construction industry and profiles of apprentices and journeypersons

For information on plumbing in the Ontario Building Code, contact:

Orderline.com, a Canadian Web portal dedicated to selling the codes and regulations of the construction and fire safety industries, at http://www.orderline.com. This site is licensed to sell Ontario’s Code and Guide for Plumbing (CD-ROM, on-line or soft cover) for $15. You can also order it by phone at 1-888-361-0003

You can also find the book at:

Publications Ontario
880 Bay St .
Toronto
1-800-668-9938
website: www.publications.serviceontario.ca/ecom/

Access Ontario
161 Elgin Street
Provincial Courthouse Bldg.
Ottawa ON

For information on where to get help once you arrive in Ontario, contact:

Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
110 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario M4R 1A3
Telephone: 416-322-4950
Fax: 416-322-8084
E-mail: general@ocasi.org

For information on settling in Ontario, visit www.settlement.org.

For information about accessing professions and trades in Ontario, contact:

Government of Ontario
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Global Experience Ontario (GEO)
Tel: 416-327-9694 or 1-866-670-4094
TTY: 416-327-9710 or 1-866–388-2262
Fax 416-327-9711
E-mail: geo@ontario.ca
Website: www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/geo/index.htm

Go back to the Information on Trades page