ICAO ATP License Conversion
into Transport Canada

Why AeroCadet?

Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned pilot looking to advance your career, Aerocadet can help you achieve your aviation goals. With our comprehensive services and team of experienced consultants, we'll guide you every step of the way.

We understand that achieving your aviation dreams takes more than just the right training. It also takes guidance, support, and personalized advice. That's why we offer a wide range of services, including:

• Licensing and certification: We can help you obtain the necessary licenses and ratings to fly commercial aircraft.
• Interview preparation: We can help you prepare for job interviews and assessments.
• Career counseling: We can help you develop a customized career plan that meets your individual needs and aspirations.
• Job placement: We have a vast network of contacts in the aviation industry, and we can help you find the right job for your skills and experience.

At Aerocadet, we believe that every pilot deserves to have a fulfilling and rewarding career. That's why we're committed to putting pilots first. We offer personalized advice and customized strategies that are tailored to your individual needs and aspirations. We're here to help you achieve your aviation career goals, whatever they may be.

What is Transport Canada's TCCA ATPL?

Transport Canada is the government department responsible for ensuring the safety of Canada's transportation systems. From roads and rails to ships and planes, Transport Canada works to keep Canadians safe and moving. The Civil Aviation (TCCA) Directorate is Transport Canada's civil aviation authority. It is responsible for setting and enforcing regulations, issuing licenses and permits, and investigating accidents. TCCA also provides training and certification programs for pilots, air traffic controllers, and other aviation professionals.

The Transport Canada Airline Transport License (TCCA ATPL) is a full, unrestricted ICAO ATPL. This means that it is recognized by all ICAO member states. Any ATPL from any other ICAO state can be converted into a TCCA ATPL by following the specially stipulated conversion process.

There are many advantages to holding an airline pilot license from a developed, English-speaking country, like Canada. These advantages include:

• Higher standards of training: Canada hasnhigher standards of training for pilots than most developing countries. This means that pilots who hold licenses from Canada are more likely to have the skills and knowledge necessary to safely operate an aircraft.
• Better safety record: Canada has a much better safety record than most developing countries when it comes to aviation. This is because Canada has stricter regulations and enforcement mechanisms in place to ensure the safety of their aviation industry. In turn, pilots who are licenses by TCCA are more likely to pass on this safety culture to their airlines of employment.
• Greater employment opportunities: Pilots with licenses from Canada are more likely to have highly-paid opportunities for employment than pilots with licenses from developing countries. This is because the world leading passenger airlines, such as Emirates, Qatar, Cathay and so on, are more likely to hire pilots who have been licensed by a developed English-speaking country, such as Canada.
• Higher salaries: most airline pay rates are negotiable. A pilot with an ATPL from, let's say, India is going to get a lower pay rate than a pilot with an ATPL from Canada or the US. Pilots with licenses from Canada typically earn higher salaries than pilots with licenses from varius developing countries because they hold a better contract negotiating leverage and their license is seen to have higher value in terms of safety standards.
  

Who can convert from ICAO ATPL to TCCA ATPL?

As mentioned above, most pilots who hold current, valid, unrestricted ICAO ATP licenses can convert them to TCCA ATPL. However, holders of restricted, or "Frozen" ATPLs, are not eligible for conversion.

For this converison, You will need to take 3 ATP exams: Meteorology, Radio Aids to Navigation and Flight Planning (SAMRA); Aviation Regulations and Air Traffic Procedures, Aeroplane Operations and General Navigation (SARON); and Instrument Rating (INRAT), and take a check-ride in a B737NG or A320 or A330 sim after 2 hours of prep: a mock ATP check-ride with instructor, followed by 2 hours of the actual ATP check-ride with a seat-fill. The total time that you will need to spend in Canada for this conversion will be around 1 week. You want to start the process by getting Canada Class 1 medical, as it takes 4-6 months to process (see details in the program outline section - Phase 1). 

Some restrictions apply: Licenses issued by certain ICAO countries may not be convertible because their respective aviation authorities may not respond to the requests from Transport Canada for the confirmation of authenticity and validity of such pilot licenses. The reasons for this may be either political or other. Such countries include, but not limited to: China, Russian Federation, Iran, North Korea, Belarus. Therefore, we advise pilots whose licenses were issued by these aviation authorities, before starting the conversion process, to check with their respective aviation authorities whether or not their licenses are eligible for conversion. For example, pilots from China and Russia, who have completed their flight training by undergoing government-sponsored programs, are not eligible for conversion because of the domestic pilot retention policy.

What about FAA (US) ATPL to TCCA (Canada) ATPL Conversion?

The conversion process takes approximately 3 months, including the ATPL exams study time (home-based), medical exam, theoretical exams, and paperwork review and filing.

Total duration of the conversion process, including exam preparation and license processing/mailing by TC and Aerocadet, takes 4-5 weeks, out of which approximately 1 week is spent in Canada. Please note: Transport Canada Class 1 medical, which is required for the ATPL, may take up to 6 months to be reviewed and approved by Transport Canada. Therefore, even after completion of the conversion process, a pilot may not be able to fly under his new license due to the medical approval delays. (See phase 5 for details).

More details about the conversion steps and segments:

TC Class I medical can be taken before or after arrival in Canada. It does not matter if you want to take the medical before or after taking the written exams. Aerocadet will book you an appointment with the medical examiner in the metropolitan or greater Toronto area. However, some countries allow pilots to take TC Class I medical locally. Please review this page to see if a TC medical examiner is available in your country/region. Please note: if your country of residence has a certified TC medical examiner, we recommend to pass your medical at your earliest opportunity due to longer than usual (6 months) processing times.

You will need to register for the program by completing an enrollment application form located here >>>. After review of the documents we will submit them for processing by the Transport Canada administrator online. You will also need to contact your license issuance authority and request a letter of license verification in English. If they are unable to issue the letter in English, you will need to use a certified translator to furnish a translated copy of your license verification letter, in addition to the letter itself.

Once the documents have been reviewed and approved for conversion by TC, you will be required to take three ATP examinations. They are: Meteorology, Radio Aids to Navigation and Flight Planning (SAMRA); Aviation Regulations and Air Traffic Procedures, Aeroplane Operations and General Navigation (SARON); and Instrument Rating (INRAT). (Some exams may not be required, depending on the license country of issuance). On average, it takes approximately 2 weeks for an experienced airline pilot to review all the necessary Transport Canada study materials in order to pass the theoretical exams with the score of 80% or higher. The training materials will be provided to you by Accelerated Aviation Canada via online access for 2 weeks; for copyright reasons, some training materials will have to be shipped by FedEx to your home address.

You do not need to apply for a Student Permit for this course. The conversion training can be accomplished using a regular Visitor's Visa. If you already have one - you can skip this step. If you do not - you will need to apply for the VV at the local Canadian Consulate. We can provide all the required support paperwork, such as the training outline letter, to you to present to the consulate during the application process. Application for the VV can be done 100% online.

Your written examinations will be booked by Aerocadet to be taken at a Transport Canada location in Toronto. You will have three days to take three exams: SAMRA, SARON and INRAT, one day per each exam. (If required, we can book your examinations at a different location, at one of the following regional offices)

Phase 5A is for GA pilots. After successfully completing all the phases 1-6, you will be ready to take a flight review and a check-ride. We will provide you with three sessions of 1.5 hr each in our new Piper Seminole III FTD (4.5 hours total); 2.0 hours of check-ride prep with instructor in a Piper Seminole III with 2.5 hours of pre- and post-flight briefings; finally, you will be provided with 1.5 hr of Piper Seminole III rental to pass your TC ATPL check ride with a TC designated flight examiner. The check-ride will be conducted within the published TC practical test standards for the TC ATP license. Our instructors will do their best to ensure that that you are fully prepared for the check-ride in accordance with these standards. As usual, if the allocated combined 9 hours of preparation are not enough for you to reach the TC ATPL PTS, more time may be allocated at additional cost (see per-hour cost sheet below).

Phase 5B is for airline pilots with at least 300 hour experience on either A320 or B737NG or CRJ-200/700/900 (CL-65) types. After successfully completing all the phases 1-6, you will be ready to take a flight review and a check-ride. We will provide you with one session of 2-hour check-ride prep in a B-737NG or A-320 or CRJ-700/900 simulator, followed by a 2-hour check-ride in the same type. The prep and check-ride sessions will be conducted in CAE Canada facilities, and the check-ride will be conducted by a Transport Canada ACP. Check-ride would typically include the following points: air work (stall recovery, steep turns), 4 instrument approaches (1 ILS,1 LOC, 1 RNAV, 1 ILS single-engine/hand-flown), emergency descent and evacuation. Additional maneuvers may be added by the ACP if required.

Once all the documents have been received by TC (application form, theoretical test results, practical test results) and all the applicable administrative fees paid, and the medical certificate approved, Transport Canada will review all the paperwork and, if approved, will issue your TC ATPL and mail it to our office in Canada. After that, we will FedEx the license to you anywhere in the World.

Our FTP will provide pilots with the study materials for the following theoretical exams:

Pilots who are looking to convert their ICAO ATP (or ICAO CPL) licenses to the TC/ICAO ATPL must have the following minimum aeronautical experience:

Pilots who want to convert their airman certificates to the TC ATPL must hold the following licenses:

* Licenses issued by certain ICAO countries may not be convertible because their respective aviation authorities may not respond to the requests from Transport Canada for the confirmation of authenticity and validity of such pilot licenses. The reasons for this may be either political or other. Such countries include, but not limited to: China, Russian Federation, Iran, North Korea, Belarus. Therefore, we advise pilots whose licenses were issued by these aviation authorities, before starting the conversion process, to check with their respective aviation authorities whether or not their licenses are eligible for conversion. For example, pilots from China and Russia, who have completed their flight training by undergoing government-sponsored programs, are not eligible for conversion because of the domestic pilot retention policy.

Accommodation is sole responsibility of the applicant and can be booked anywhere near our FTP at Oshawa Airport.

Cost Estimate

The estimated cost for this package is:

What is Included in the full Package Cost Estimate for GA pilots?

What is Not included, and paid directly to Transport Canada?

Refunds:

Aerocadet is prepared to provide any support letters to the financial institutions in your country, should you require financing or a professional development loan from your local bank.

Please register here: apply.aerocadet.com

If you need a personal consultation regarding the conversion course, please email one of our highly qualified consultants with a full list of your questions, and receive a structured response within 24 hours.