Information about a career as a pilot on the St. Lawrence River

This is the first step in the process of recruiting apprentice pilots.

No prerequisites are necessary to take the general knowledge exam.

The dates of the general knowledge exam sessions are published on our website.

See the General Knowledge Exam Syllabus.

The recruitment notice is published on the St. Lawrence Pilotage website and social media at least 30 days before the deadline for receiving applications. See the General Pilotage Regulations, section 23.27.

Applicants must submit their application along with a copy of their sea time and sea time certificates so that their file can be reviewed as indicated in the recruitment notice.

Applications must be sent by email to the following address: operations@apl.gc.ca

After the deadline, the selection committee will meet to choose the successful candidates based on the scores obtained.

The scoring method is explained in the recruitment notice.

Selected candidates will begin their apprenticeship for a period of 4 to 12 months at the Port of Montreal and at least 24 months on the river.

Apprentices must complete a minimum number of trips as defined in the General Pilotage Regulations, sections 23.20 (2) and 23.21 (3).

They will be subject to periodic examinations administered by the corporation of which they are members.

At the end of the apprenticeship period, if the apprentice is recommended by their corporation, they must pass a written exam and an oral exam administered by an examination board in order to obtain their pilotage certificate. See the General Pilotage Regulations, section 23.32.

After obtaining his pilotage certificate, it will take him eight years to be able to pilot ships of any length and tonnage. See the General Pilotage Regulations, sections 23.20 and 23.21.