Registration for training

Would you like to register for one of our training courses?

Below you will find all the steps you need to take to confirm your registration.

The steps are numbered 1 through 9 and must be followed in that order.

• 1) Medical certificate
• 2) Financial resources
• 3) Eligibility
• 4) Registration
• 5) Certificate of Acceptance in Quebec (CAQ) (*)
• 6) Student visa (*)
• 7) Biometric data (*)
• 8) Health and hospitalization insurance (*)
• 9) Aviation headset

(*) Steps 5 through 8 apply only to international student pilots.

Please note that information for which Hélicraft is not directly responsible (e.g., financing or immigration) is provided for reference purposes only and is subject to change without notice. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the latest information available.

International flight students (i.e., non-Canadians) must obtain a Study Permit from the Canadian government (i.e., a student visa) before beginning training. The entire process can take up to 6 months, so it is essential to begin the application process as early as possible, and at least 6 months before your planned start date (see steps 5 through 7 below).

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1) Medical certificate

A medical certificate issued by Transport Canada is a mandatory requirement for any student pilot wishing to begin flight training in Canada.

It must be a Category 1 license for commercial pilot training, or a Category 3 license for private pilot training.

This is the first step you need to complete before registering, and this certificate must be obtained before you start your training.

To obtain your medical certificate, make an appointment with a Transport Canada-approved medical examiner. There are medical examiners located throughout Canada, Europe, and elsewhere in the world.

=> Access the list of approved doctors by clicking here.

At the end of your appointment, the doctor will give you the results, which you should forward to us as soon as possible.

The paper certificate will be sent by mail within approximately four months. We recommend that you provide the doctor with Hélicraft's address to ensure delivery:

• Helicraft
• 6500 Savane Road
• Saint-Hubert, Longueuil, QC J3Y 1C3
• Canada

While waiting to receive your medical certificate, you can contact the ministry to find out the status of your application:

• By email: [email protected]
• By phone:+1 (800) 305-2059 (select your language, then select option 3 for the Civil Aviation Medical Office).

 

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2) Financial resources

Before you begin the registration process, it is essential to make sure you have the financial means to cover the full cost of your training.

International student pilots must also demonstrate that they can support themselves and any family members who will be staying with them during their time in Canada (if applicable) for the entire duration of their studies (see below for more details).

You can prove that you have sufficient funds by submitting one or more of the following documents (always check the department’s website to verify which documents are accepted):

• A letter from your bank confirming that you have the required total amount—either directly in your account or through a student loan, for example—signed and stamped by the branch manager
• Bank statements for the last four months in your name. Ideally, each page should be signed and stamped by the manager of your bank (these are known as "certified" statements).
• Bank statements for the last four months in the name of a third party (e.g., your parents), accompanied by a letter written and signed by the third party committing to finance all or part of your studies.
• Letter from your employer stating your monthly salary and confirming that it will be paid to you throughout your studies, signed and stamped
• etc.

 

It is important to be rigorous in the selection of documents and amounts indicated. The total amount must be greater than or equal to the amount required, to the nearest dollar.

If you are submitting multiple documents, it may be a good idea to create an appendix summarizing all of your funds. If your funds are in a currency other than Canadian dollars, add the corresponding amounts in Canadian dollars, as well as the conversion rate used, to your summary document.

To estimate the cost of training, please refer to our training quotes

For international flight students only, you will need to provide proof of funds to cover your “basic living expenses.” This amount is set annually by the Ministry of Immigration, Francization, and Integration (MIFI) and represents the minimum amount you must have to cover your daily living expenses in Quebec (e.g., housing, food, transportation, etc.)

Visit the MIFI website to determine the amount you should budget for based on your personal situation.

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3) Eligibility

This step involves completing our online application form.

You must include:

1. a copy of your passport: the page with your personal information AND the page with your signature must be visible, and the passport must be validfor at least 24 months from the date of commencement of training
2. a copy of both sides of your aviation medical certificate
3. a copy of your birth certificate or family record book showing the full names of both your parents
4. your most recent degree (if applicable)
5. a quote for the training program of your choice
6. proof of your financial capacity

 

Once we receive your application, we will review all the information and documents you have provided, as well as the validity of the rates (our rates are updated approximately every six months).

If everything is in order, we will contact you via email within two business days to confirm your eligibility.

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4) Registration

Once your eligibility has been confirmed, you will receive an email asking if you would like to proceed with your registration.

If you would like to register, the process varies depending on the program you wish to enroll in:

• Professional Helicopter Pilot Program (A.E.C. EWA.1E)

Once your eligibility has been confirmed, and if you wish to proceed, enrollment in our program involves several steps:

1. Registration Request



We will email you a registration form, which you should complete and return to us signed.

2. Payment of registration fees



We ask that you make an initial payment of $200 (see bank details below). This payment covers the registration fee.

Please note that you have the option to make a voluntary payment of $5,000 at the time of registration. In this case, the registration fee will be waived. This discount will be applied only if the training program is completed, and will be credited at the end of the program. Your voluntary payment will be used to fund the instructional materials we will provide upon your arrival, as well as your first hours of theoretical and practical instruction.

As stated in the General Terms and Conditions of our quotes, the $200 registration fee is non-refundable if you withdraw within 180 days of the scheduled start date of the training program.

3. Enrollment Confirmation Letter



Once we receive your application form and your initial payment, the Office of Academic Affairs will send you a confirmation of enrollment via email.

This document serves as proof of your enrollment at our school. It is essential for international flight students, as it allows them to begin the process of applying for a Certificate of Acceptance in Quebec (CAQ).

4. Signing of educational service contracts



In addition to your enrollment confirmation letter, we will also provide you with two educational service agreements—one for each 6-month term—which you must return to us signed.

All of these steps may seem tedious and/or redundant, but they ensure a fair and rigorous registration process, as required by the Quebec Ministry of Higher Education.

• Other training courses (e.g., PPL, CPL, conversion, etc.)

We ask that you make an initial payment of $5,000 (see bank details below). This deposit will cover the cost of the instructional materials we will provide upon your arrival, as well as your first few hours of classroom and hands-on instruction.

Please note that, as stated in the General Terms and Conditions of our quotes, this initial payment is non-refundable if you cancel within 90 days of the scheduled start date of the training program.

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These amounts can be transferred via bank transfer.

For international flight students, please note that money transfers between Europe and North America are processed through a system called SWIFT. There is no IBAN system in Canada. At some banks, SWIFT transfers can only be processed by a bank representative. We therefore encourage you to contact your bank.

=> BANK DETAILS

• Quebec Business Number (QBN): 1169628709
• Bank details:

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
Portobello Plaza Banking Center
7250 Taschereau Boulevard W. Suite 1
Brossard, Quebec, J4W 1M9

• Beneficiary:

Services Hélicocorp Inc. (legal name of Hélicraft)
6500 Chemin de la Savane
Saint-Hubert, Longueuil, QC J3Y 1C3
Canada
Tel.: +1 (514) 686-7046

• Bank references:

Institution: 010
Transit No.: 01241
Account No.: 29-15308
SWIFT code: CIBCCATT
Canadian clearing code: CC001001241

Once the transfer has been made, please notify us by email at [email protected] and ask your bank to send proof of transfer to the same email address.

International flight students should be aware of exchange rates and bank fees, as these can be high at some institutions. To keep these costs down, there are more affordable options available, such as Wise: https://wise.com/

Upon receipt of your deposit, we will send you a confirmation email.

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5) Certificate of Acceptance in Quebec (CAQ)

*** International flight students only ***

Any foreign flight student wishing to study in the province of Quebec must first obtain a Quebec Acceptance Certificate, which serves as the Provincial Letter of Acceptance (PLA) for Quebec.

The complete procedure is described on the MIFI website.

• A) You must complete an online application for temporary admission for study purposes.

Specificity of the fields to be filled in:

• Level of education: College – AEC
• Curriculum: Quebec curriculum
• Program start date: **date indicated on your admission letter**
• Program end date: **date indicated on your admission letter**
• Annual tuition fees: **amount of your quote** (if you cannot enter the full amount, simply enter the first 5 digits)
• Name of establishment: Hélicraft
• Where to submit your application: Canadian visa office abroad + select the city closest to you

Please note that you will be charged a fee (between $100 and $150) by the Quebec government for processing your application.

• B) After completing your CAQ application and paying the fees, you will need to create an account and submit the required documents on the ARRIMA platform.

Once your documents have been uploaded to the ARRIMA platform, it is essential to ensure that you submit your application.

Once you have submitted your application, the MIFI will issue a decision within 25 business days (i.e., 5 weeks) for 80% of applications. If you have not heard back after this period, please check your application online to find out its status and/or contact a MIFI agent by phone at +1 (514) 864-9191.

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6) Student visa

*** International flight students only ***

After obtaining your CAQ, you must submit your application for a Study Permit.

This is the second step to complete online, which will ultimately allow you to obtain your student visa, which will be issued to you at customs upon your arrival at Montreal airport.

Start by reading the Instruction Guide provided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

In order to compile your file, you must gather various documents described HERE.

• Provincial letter of attestation: ** Your CAQ **
• Level of education: High school – Diploma
• Study program: Pilot training courses
• Annual tuition fees: **amount of your quote **
• Name of establishment: Hélicraft
• Helicraft Designated Educational Facility (EED) Number: O120206253925 (the first character is the uppercase letter "o")

If this is your first time applying for a visa to Canada, you will not have a CIN. In this case, leave this field blank.

It is essential to wait until you have obtained your Study Permit AND have your biometric data collected BEFORE arriving in Canada.

This time, the Canadian government will charge you a fee (between $150 and $250) for processing your application and, if applicable, for collecting your biometric data.

Processing times vary: you can check the current processing times yourself.

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7) Biometric data

*** International flight students only ***

After submitting your study permit application, you will receive a letter informing you that you must provide your biometric data and telling you where you can go to do so.

You will then have a maximum of 30 days to appear in person at an official biometric data collection center.

How to proceed? Click HERE to follow the steps of the procedure.

List of official centers: https://visa.vfsglobal.com/fra/fr/can/attend-centre/what-happens-at-centre

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8) Health and Hospitalization Insurance

*** International flight students only ***

All international flight students in Quebec are required to have health and hospitalization insurance for themselves and any accompanying dependents, and to maintain this coverage for the entire duration of their studies.

We recommend that you contact your usual insurance provider or take out international student insurance such as Chapka Assurance or Globe Partner.

Reference: compulsory health and hospital insurance

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9) Aviation headset

Your future job requires you to have your own headphones.

The most commonly used models are the Bose A30, Lightspeed Zulu 3, 4, or Delta Zulu, all equipped with an ANR noise reduction system.

You can also opt for a full-face helmet if you wish: Evo 252, MSA Gallet LH250, LD HCM-R, etc.

Choosing your headset is primarily a matter of taste and budget. The differences in use will be difficult to notice between a Bose, a Lightspeed, or a full-face helmet for a novice pilot.

IMPORTANT: Your headset must have a U174 (helicopter) plug, and we recommend a coil cord for your comfort.

If you’d like, you can provide Hélicraft’s address for the delivery of your helmet. In that case, we’ll notify you by email as soon as we receive it, and we’ll keep it safe until you arrive at the school:

• Helicraft
• 6500 Savane Road
• Saint-Hubert, Longueuil, QC J3Y 1C3
• Canada