Hire a refrigeration mechanic in Québec.

You can verify a worker's competency certificate directly through CCQ's online services (sel.ccq.org). It's a quick step to run before hiring — a worker without a valid certificate can't legally work on your R-20-regulated sites. While you're at it, confirm they also hold their ASP Construction card (general health and safety on job sites), a mandatory requirement to obtain the CCQ competency certificate. The market is competitive: in 2024, 888 companies were hiring refrigeration mechanics against 5,227 active workers. Make sure your posting reflects the target sector's experience — 85% of the trade's hours are in institutional-commercial — to attract the right candidates quickly.

In institutional-commercial, industrial, and civil engineering, the CCQ ratio on the books is 2 journeypersons per apprentice. A second apprentice can be authorized if one of them is in their final apprenticeship period or if one is a woman (these two conditions don't stack). In residential, the ratio is 1 journeyperson per apprentice. Always check the ratios that apply to your sector on ccq.org. This ratio exists to ensure proper supervision through the 8,000 apprenticeship hours spread across 4 periods of 2,000 hours each. Since 85% of the work volume for refrigeration mechanics is in institutional-commercial, the 2:1 ratio is the one that will most often apply on your sites — plan your staffing accordingly.

Workers from other provinces can access the CCQ through labour mobility agreements, under certain conditions (trade recognition, equivalent experience). The CCQ handles these requests — point the candidate to the 'Outside Quebec' section on ccq.org for the exact process. This kind of recruiting can be a worthwhile avenue right now: the CCQ rates job prospects for refrigeration mechanics as excellent and points to low labour availability and too few new graduates. Still, make sure the candidate has relevant experience in the sector you're assigning them to (institutional-commercial, industrial, or residential) and that they get their ASP Construction card before their first day on site.