There is no question that, for aliens, training for Canadian ratings and licences is more straight-forward than the equivalent under the US system. Particularly so for foreign-licence holders. The main difference is the period required for the medical certificate to be issued but that can be completed prior to embarking for Canada. While Transport issues licences and ratings within 90 days, temporary privileges are available immediately after a successful flight test. It works the same way in the US. The licence and rating processing time does delay conversion to US equivalents. Licence verification is normally emailed by Transport to the Airmen Certification Branch within a week.
Done for the purpose of obtaining a US certificate or rating, via the BASA–IPL, it a question of personal preference whether the trade-off is worthwhile. The licence issuance time, follow-up trip, and additional US conversion exams, is the price paid to avoid the hassle and expense of security threat assessments, an embassy interview and student visa, 18 hours per week of attendance at a US school [8 CFR 214.2 (m)(9)(iii)], and practical tests billed at nearly twice the Canadian rate. Each administrative step for the US also entails a delay making this a non sequitur criticism.
The Canadian process seems pretty fast, I’ve already gotten an email explaining that I’ll be issued the documents once I submit certified copies or visit a TC office with the originals.
Certainly much easier than the FAA process which requires validation with the CAA.
Noe,
It sounds like you applied for a Foreign Licence Validation Certificate using form 26-0701. The FLVC should be issued on the spot when you visit a regional office in Canada.
By foreign-based PPL I mean a PPL which is annotated to state that it was issued on the basis of a foreign licence. It functions as an independent licence and ratings may be added to it. It may be ‘upgraded’ to a standard PPL by taking the PPAER written exam and passing the flight test. It may be clearer if the relevant subsections of standard 421.26 are copied here.
Subsection 8 is for a foreign-based PPL.
Subsection 9 is for a standard PPL.
(8) Licence Issued On the Basis of Foreign Licence
(a) An applicant who is the holder of a Private or higher pilot licence -aeroplane issued by a Contracting State shall be considered:
(i) to have met the ground school instruction requirement; and
(ii) to have met the written examination requirement and the flight test requirement, provided that the foreign licence was not issued on the basis of a licence from another State, and that the applicant:
(A) has met the flight time requirements specified in subsection (4);
(B) has obtained a minimum of 90% in the written examination Student Pilot Permit or Private Pilot Licence for Foreign and Military Applicants, Aviation Regulations (PSTAR); and
(C) has completed, as pilot in command or co-pilot in aeroplanes, a minimum of 5 take-offs and 5 landings within the 6 months preceding the date of application for the Canadian licence.
(b) The licence shall be annotated by the Minister to indicate that it was issued on the basis of the foreign licence.
(c) The Minister shall remove the annotation from the licence, provided that the applicant has successfully completed:
(i) the written examination requirements (PPAER); and
(ii) the skill requirement.
(9) Credits for Foreign Applicants
(a) An applicant who holds a Private or higher pilot licence – Aeroplane issued by a contracting state and who does not wish to obtain a licence issued on the basis of the foreign licence, may be considered by the Minister to have met the ground school instruction requirement.
(b) An applicant who holds a Private or higher pilot licence – Aeroplane issued by a contracting state other than Canada and who meets the flight time requirements specified in subsection (4) is considered to have met the experience requirements.
(c) An applicant who does not hold a Private or higher pilot licence – Aeroplane issued by a contracting state may be credited foreign dual and solo aeroplane flight training time and aeroplane ground school time towards the knowledge and experience requirements for the issue of a Private Pilot Licence – Aeroplane, if the applicant provides certification from the holder of a Flight Instructor Rating – Aeroplane that all ground and flight training exercises have been satisfactorily reviewed.
The word “validation” and “licence” (or “permit”) do not mean the same thing in the Canadian aviation regulations. This has relevance in terms of the recent experience requirements for example: the Canadian ones do not apply to an FLVC. The FLVC is covered by regulation 401.07 and standard 421.07 (add 20 to the regulation for the corresponding standard).
