I am a new permanent resident here actively seeking employment in order to accumulate the experience required for the AME licence. However, I have encountered significant challenges securing positions, even at the apprentice level. Many job postings require completion of a Transport Canada-accredited training program, which excludes individuals like myself, despite having had my education and qualifications assessed and recognized by Transport Canada as meeting Canadian standards. They’ve cleared me to write the M technical exams.

I have been applying across the country and am willing to relocate in order to gain the necessary experience, but I continue to face rejection after rejection. Some application portals specifically ask whether education was completed at an accredited program. I feel this lack of having attended an accredited program is the barrier. TC has already assessed the education part. Once I submit experience, I get the license on hand.

I have 8 years of experience in heavy maintenance and modifications on fighter jets. Having said, my hand skills and mechanical aptitude aren’t an issue. I’m just lacking the opportunity to clock civilian experience and maintain a logbook.
Anyone who has any knowledge on how to overcome this, please help. Any help is greatly appreciated.

It’s not an odd situation, more common than you might realize.

Couple things for feedback, Do with them what you will;

- TC approving you to write the exams doesn’t auto entitle you to a license on completion. Even less so if your experience is all on military aircraft. You need to better understand licensing requirements so you can reflect that understanding in your applications. Have an actual plan how you’ll get the exams done and understanding what experience counts and what doesn’t, and review the log of licensing tasks so you can justify your application.

- the couple ex Canadian military aircraft maintenance people I’ve worked with had terrible, disdainful attitudes in the hangar. They knew it all, what could a civy do that’s even close to military prowess, they just fly people in vanilla boring environments.

- your post says you want to clock time, try with an attitude of wanting to apprentice and learn so you can attain a license. Seems like nitpicky wording but when it’s the first impression of a new person, that written stuff matters a lot.

- find and take a CARs course, online, in person, whatever you can access. CCAA offers some. It’ll give you a better understanding of the Canadian regs and a qualification that improves your hire-ability.

Look for job fairs being hosted in areas you can get to and try there, not just online. Lots of us are still old fashioned and like to meet a person face to face. Online applications screen in black and white, yes or no, and probably won’t let you past the AI just due to the missing credential.