Licensing guide · Alberta

How to Become a Communication Technician in Alberta

Last checked 5 sources checkedNOC 72205

Do you need certification?

Certification is voluntary

Communication technician is a voluntary trade in Alberta. You can work in the trade without a certificate.

Protected titles
Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“4-Period Apprenticeship Program Optional Certification”

From tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/022, checked October 11, 2026.

At a glance

Licence status
Voluntary certification See the source
Routes
Annual fees
Not stated by the regulator Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Your roadmap

Every route is listed. Follow the one that matches where you trained.

Trained in Canada

  • 4 steps without a listed fee

  1. You must find a suitable employer who is willing to hire and train you as an apprentice.

    Source
    “Apprentices must find suitable employers who are willing to hire and train apprentices.”
    alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/communication-tec...

  2. You apply to become a registered apprentice, and you can register before meeting the entrance requirements as long as you meet the eligibility requirements.

    Source
    “You can register as an apprentice before you meet the entrance requirements.”
    tradesecrets.alberta.ca/get-started/become-an-apprentice/eligibilit...

  3. Before enrolling in your first period of classroom instruction you must meet the entrance requirements, which include specific high school courses, or pass an entrance exam instead.

    Source
    “Entrance requirements include specific high school courses that you must have passed.”
    tradesecrets.alberta.ca/get-started/become-an-apprentice/eligibilit...

  4. You complete four 12-month periods with on-the-job training hours and classroom instruction, passing a theory exam to complete each period.

    Source
    “The term of apprenticeship in Alberta is 4 years (four 12-month periods) that include a minimum of 1,500 hours of on-the-job training each year plus 6 weeks of classroom instruction in each of the first three years and 8 weeks of classroom instruction in the fourth year.”
    alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/communication-tec...

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

4 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

  • 1 step without a listed fee

  1. You submit a copy of a recognized trade certificate from outside Alberta.

    Source
    “1. Submit a copy of a recognized trade certificate from outside Alberta.”
    tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/022

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

1 step without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Other listed fees

The regulator lists these without tying them to one step, so they are not in the route totals above. Check which apply to you.

Requirements

Conditions the regulator sets on top of the roadmap steps.

Education

Experience

  • Through the Trades Qualifier Work Experience Program you must complete 72 months and 9000 hours of verifiable Communication Technician work experience.

    Source
    “1. Complete 72 months and 9000 hours of verifiable Communication Technician work experience.”
    tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/022

Other

Already licensed in another province?

Extra steps

Communication technicians trained in other provinces can work in Alberta if they hold a recognized certificate or license, and the Recognized Credentials Program requires submitting that certificate and passing a theory exam.

Source
“Communication technicians trained in other provinces and territories can work in Alberta if they hold a certificate or license recognized by Alberta or have the skills and knowledge expected of a journeyperson certified in Alberta.”
alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/communication-tec...

  1. Submit recognized certificate

    Source
    “1. Submit a copy of a recognized trade certificate from outside Alberta.”
    tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/022

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Not stated by the regulator Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Exams

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training

Demand and pay

Job Bank figures for NOC 72205, Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians. Wages for 2023-2024 in Canadian dollars an hour; outlook for 2025-2027.

Job Bank wages and outlook in Alberta and Canada
WhereLowMedianHighOutlook
Alberta $25.00 $37.05 $42.86 Moderate (3 of 5)
Canada $21.63 $33.80 $42.86 —

Wages by region and job outlook in Alberta

Wages in every province and territory

Communication technicians in other provinces and territories

Regulated in 5 of the other 12 jurisdictions checked so far. The rules differ from one place to the next.

  • British Columbia Voluntary certification
  • Saskatchewan Not confirmed yet
  • Manitoba Not confirmed yet
  • Ontario Not confirmed yet
  • Quebec Voluntary certification
  • New Brunswick Not confirmed yet
  • Nova Scotia Voluntary certification
  • Prince Edward Island Not confirmed yet
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Not confirmed yet
  • Yukon Not confirmed yet
  • Northwest Territories Voluntary certification
  • Nunavut Voluntary certification

Compare communication technician licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 11, 2026.

  1. Tradesecrets - Communication Technician tradesecrets.alberta.ca/trades-in-alberta/profiles/022 · fetched October 10, 2026
  2. Communication Technician: Certifications in Alberta - alis alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/certifications-in-alberta/communication-tec... · fetched October 8, 2026
  3. Tradesecrets - Meet Requirements tradesecrets.alberta.ca/get-started/become-an-apprentice/eligibilit... · fetched October 9, 2026
  4. Tradesecrets - Entrance Exams tradesecrets.alberta.ca/apprentice-services/prepare-for-an-exam/ent... · fetched October 9, 2026
  5. Tradesecrets - Prior Learning Assessments tradesecrets.alberta.ca/get-started/become-an-apprentice/prior-lear... · fetched October 9, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

Do you need a licence to work as a communication technician in Alberta?

No. Certification is available, but it is not required to work in the trade in Alberta. Certification is managed by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.

Which exams are required?

Entrance exam, Theory exam.

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