Transport Canada Internal Policies

[Told Card Writer]

Many may not know Transport Canada has internal policies that are going to start cost Canadian Pilots a lot of potential over seas work.
1) they will not issue a license verification letter other than to another civil aviation authority. Most over seas airlines will want this before even considering foreign pilots.
2) training abroad and put onto a Canadian license now takes 60 days to process. This is 2 months total time. No airline will process a Canadian pilot if it takes too long to get things done by TC.

Some of you may not care but in the future you might. I know for a fact one Asian airline was hiring direct entry none type rated pilots from Canada. They have now stopped because TC is taking too long to process a type rating. So now all Canadian pilots will be denied this opportunity for employment.

I would ask all pilots to get in touch with your MLA and start putting the pressure on TC to get this changed. We pay for these services and most of us have put a lot of money into our license. They should have no right to be blocking us from opportunities.

Without more pilots speaking out this will only get worse. Something needs to be done.

[PostmasterGeneral]

This is because I didn’t pay my medical fee isn’t it...

[Panama Jack]

While I am all for bureaucratic efficiency, one work-around is to get a FAA Certificate. In fact, given the relative ease of getting one thanks to then FAA/TCCA Implementation Procedures for Licensing (IPL) agreement, I can't understand why any Canadian pilot who is not seriously looking at overseas jobs wouldn't get one. There is a lot of N-numbered stuff based outside of the US, FAA Aviation Medical Examiners (AME's) are abundant around the world, FAA certificates are well regarded worldwide and the cost of maintaining an FAA Certificate is relatively low (especially when you consider the costs of maintaining an EASA License). FAA certificate verification are, well, instantaneous as it is an automated process and you can have it sent to pretty much anybody you specify.

Mind you, it take Oklahoma City the better part of the 120 day period they specify on your temporary certificate to issue the plastic card. And of course, the FAA won't allow you to "train abroad" outside of the FAA system and get it put onto your FAA certificate. I assume you are talking about type ratings.

Perhaps the issue with the license verification letter is an ICAO guideline? I know the Middle Eastern authorities (where I hold licenses) don't issue letters either to other than their foreign counterparts. I don't think this is a deal breaker in the end. When I got my current job my employer asked for a license verification letter and I basically told them "you know they won't issue that to me or you, but if you want your regulator to get one we can arrange that." I got hired. The airlines need pilots so they will find a way.

[trey kule]

I am not so sure this is as big an issue as the Op makes it out to be.
I have, almost without exception, had TC respond to foreign regulators requests within a day.
I also have never had a foreign carrier who would not initially accept a copy of my license.

But yes, as PJ suggests, I also hold an FAA license. Not sure that converting a Canadian ATPL to an FAA ATPL is as easy as it was a few years back. But I dont bother with keeping current on the latest conversion process, so someone more current might want to chime in.

[Told Card Writer]

While I am all for bureaucratic efficiency, one work-around is to get a FAA Certificate. In fact, given the relative ease of getting one thanks to then FAA/TCCA Implementation Procedures for Licensing (IPL) agreement, I can't understand why any Canadian pilot who is not seriously looking at overseas jobs wouldn't get one. There is a lot of N-numbered stuff based outside of the US, FAA Aviation Medical Examiners (AME's) are abundant around the world, FAA certificates are well regarded worldwide and the cost of maintaining an FAA Certificate is relatively low (especially when you consider the costs of maintaining an EASA License). FAA certificate verification are, well, instantaneous as it is an automated process and you can have it sent to pretty much anybody you specify.

Mind you, it take Oklahoma City the better part of the 120 day period they specify on your temporary certificate to issue the plastic card. And of course, the FAA won't allow you to "train abroad" outside of the FAA system and get it put onto your FAA certificate. I assume you are talking about type ratings.

Perhaps the issue with the license verification letter is an ICAO guideline? I know the Middle Eastern authorities (where I hold licenses) don't issue letters either to other than their foreign counterparts. I don't think this is a deal breaker in the end. When I got my current job my employer asked for a license verification letter and I basically told them "you know they won't issue that to me or you, but if you want your regulator to get one we can arrange that." I got hired. The airlines need pilots so they will find a way.

The issue right now is the type rating takes 60 days to process. If already type rated it is not an issue. No airline is going to wait 60 days and that is why the door is closing. Soon NTR wont be offered to any Canadian License. If the FAA has online documents and submission to lower processing times. Then we should be demanding the same of TC. If TC processes things for free then fine but they are charging for the service and that then means we are customers and they should be accountable. At the very least there should be an option for paying extra to get things processed faster.

The FAA license I think is not as easy to convert as it used to be. It might however be the only option but it is pathetic if we have to abandon our Canadian License because of TC.

[confusedalot]

Heads up guys,

I thought I was lucky to get a transport job after my airline went bankrupt after 9/11, with hundreds of thousands out of work.

Bottom line, as much as I thought I was entering a organised place populated by reasonable people, and not looking for anything else but a "job", my 5 years there was a hell equivalent to something you would see on the east side of Chicago. And I do not say that lightly.

The place is a cesspool. So don't expect anything helpful or reasonable from them.

Sorry to be the whistleblower, but it is what it is.

I can go on and on and on, but there is no point. Avoid them as much as you can.

They have no credibility.

[Daniel Cooper]

I'd love to hear some select examples if you can share.

[stayls]

This is because I didn’t pay my medical fee isn’t it...

I have a friend who got suspended for that.