How to Become a Machinist in Quebec
Do you need certification?
Certification is voluntary
Machinist is a voluntary trade in Quebec. You can work in the trade without a certificate.
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- Not listed in the sources checked
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“Compulsory/Voluntary (C/V) Certification Required by Apprenticeship Authority Provinces and Territories designate each trade as compulsory or voluntary. Work in Compulsory trades can only be performed by certified journeypersons or registered apprentices. Work in Voluntary trades may legally be performed with or without certification or apprenticeship training V V V V V V V V V V V V V”
From ellischart.ca/eng/trades/machinist/ellis-chart.shtml, checked October 10, 2026.
At a glance
- Licence status
- Voluntary certification See the source
- Routes
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- Trained in Canada: 4 steps
- Annual fees
- Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Your roadmap
Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle has no page of its own for this trade. These are the steps it gives for every designated trade in Quebec.
Tick each step as you finish it. Your ticks are kept in this browser only.
Trained in Canada
0 of 4 done
- 4 steps without a listed fee
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You complete the apprenticeship program registration form and send it with the required documents and payment to the Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle.
Source
“You must send your duly completed form, the required documents and your payment to the following address: Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle”
quebec.ca/en/employment/learn-trade-occupation/practising-regulated... -
You must be hired by a company, carry a valid apprentice card, acquire skills under a journeyperson's supervision, complete the required learning hours and successfully complete the required training.
Source
“During the apprenticeship program, you will need to - acquire the skills to be mastered under the supervision of a journeyperson; - complete the required learning hours; - successfully complete the required training.”
quebec.ca/en/employment/learn-trade-occupation/practising-regulated... -
You pay the qualifying exam registration fee according to the fees in effect.
Source
“You must pay the qualifying exam registration fee payable according to the current fees in effect (PDF 122 Kb).”
quebec.ca/en/employment/learn-trade-occupation/practising-regulated... -
You take a usually three-hour written exam at a department's exam center and must pass it to obtain your certificate of qualification.
Source
“This is usually a three-hour written exam that takes place at a department’s exam center. You must pass the exam to obtain your certificate of qualification.”
quebec.ca/en/employment/learn-trade-occupation/practising-regulated...
Listed fees for this route
No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
4 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.
Requirements
Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Already licensed in another province?
Not stated
The pages do not state how someone already licensed in another Canadian province or territory registers in Quebec. Source
“If you reside in Québec, you can work elsewhere in Canada if your certificate of professional qualification is valid in other provinces.”
quebec.ca/en/employment/working-outside-quebec/work-canada/red-seal
Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Credential assessment
Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Exams
Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Language tests
Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Canadian experience
Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Supervised practice
Not stated by the regulator Check with Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle
Demand and pay
| Where | Low | Median | High | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec | $21.00 | $27.50 | $38.00 | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Canada | $21.00 | $30.00 | $41.50 | — |
Machinists in other provinces and territories
- British Columbia Voluntary certification
- Alberta Voluntary certification
- Saskatchewan Voluntary certification
- Manitoba Voluntary certification
- Ontario Voluntary certification
- New Brunswick Voluntary certification
- Nova Scotia Voluntary certification
- Prince Edward Island Voluntary certification
- Newfoundland and Labrador Voluntary certification
- Yukon Voluntary certification
- Northwest Territories Voluntary certification
- Nunavut Voluntary certification
Sources checked
- Machinist - Ellis Chart ellischart.ca/eng/trades/machinist/ellis-chart.shtml · fetched October 9, 2026
- Process to obtain a compulsory qualification certificate | Gouvernement du Québec quebec.ca/en/employment/learn-trade-occupation/practising-regulated... · fetched October 9, 2026
- Facilitating Interprovincial Mobility Through the Red Seal Program | Gouvernement du Québec quebec.ca/en/employment/working-outside-quebec/work-canada/red-seal · fetched October 9, 2026
Frequently asked questions
1
Do you need a licence to work as a machinist in Quebec?
No. Certification is available, but it is not required to work in the trade in Quebec. Certification is managed by Centre administratif de la qualification professionnelle.
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