Licensing guide · Northwest Territories

How to Become a Housing Maintainer in Northwest Territories

Last checked 2 sources checked

Do you need certification?

Certification is voluntary

Housing maintainer is a voluntary trade in Northwest Territories. You can work in the trade without a certificate.

Protected titles
Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“Work in Voluntary trades may legally be performed with or without certification or apprenticeship training”

From ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/housing-maintainer.shtml, checked October 11, 2026.

At a glance

Licence status
Voluntary certification See the source
Routes
Annual fees
Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations

Your roadmap

Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations has no page of its own for this trade. These are the steps it gives for every designated trade in Northwest Territories.

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

Trained in Canada

  • 4 steps without a listed fee
  • Listed time: 48 months (only 1 of 4 steps state a time)

  1. You must pass an entrance examination to meet the minimum educational requirements for the apprenticeship program.

    Source
    “To get into an apprenticeship program, you must pass an entrance examination to meet the minimum educational requirements. A pass is 70% and there are different tests, depending on the trade.”
    ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades

  2. Speak to a Career Development Officer or visit an ECE Service Centre to register for technical training seats.

    Source
    “Seats for technical training at Aurora College and Alberta institutions generally open in May for the following school year. Speak to a Career Development Officer or visit an ECE Service Centre to register.”
    ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades

  3. Complete the apprenticeship, splitting time between working and technical training at school.

    Time: 4 years
    Time source
    “The length of time it takes to become a journeyperson depends on the trade, but it is usually four years, with time split between working (80%) and technical training at school (20%).”
    ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades
    Source
    “The length of time it takes to become a journeyperson depends on the trade, but it is usually four years, with time split between working (80%) and technical training at school (20%).”
    ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades

  4. Pass the written certification examination required for certification in the trade.

    Source
    “Written Certification Examination Indicates if there is a written examination required for certification.”
    ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/housing-maintainer.shtml

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations

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

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

No separate route for this group.

Source
“Trade qualifiers are people who have experience working in the trade, but have not completed an apprenticeship program in Canada.”
ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/housing-maintainer.shtml

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

No separate route for this group.

Source
“Trade qualifiers are people who have experience working in the trade, but have not completed an apprenticeship program in Canada.”
ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/housing-maintainer.shtml

Official page for this route

Requirements

Conditions the regulator sets on top of the roadmap steps.

Education

  • Apprenticeship applicants must meet the minimum educational requirements by passing an entrance examination with a mark of at least 70%.

    Source
    “To get into an apprenticeship program, you must pass an entrance examination to meet the minimum educational requirements. A pass is 70% and there are different tests, depending on the trade.”
    ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades

Already licensed in another province?

Not stated

The pages do not state how someone already licensed in another Canadian province or territory registers in the Northwest Territories.

Source
“Trade qualifiers are people who have experience working in the trade, but have not completed an apprenticeship program in Canada.”
ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/housing-maintainer.shtml

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations

Exams

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations

Demand and pay

No Job Bank wage or outlook data for this occupation yet.

Housing maintainers in other provinces and territories

Regulated in 2 of the other 12 jurisdictions checked so far. The rules differ from one place to the next.

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

Compare housing maintainer licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 11, 2026.

  1. Housing Maintainer - Ellis Chart ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/housing-maintainer.shtml · fetched October 9, 2026
  2. Thinking about a Career in the Trades? | Education, Culture and Employment ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades · fetched October 9, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

Do you need a licence to work as a housing maintainer in Northwest Territories?

No. Certification is available, but it is not required to work in the trade in Northwest Territories. Certification is managed by Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations.

Which exams are required?

entrance examination, Written Level Examinations, Written Certification Examination.

Getting Licensed? Get Your Resume Ready Too

Nainly pairs expert resume assessment with a done-for-you career marketing campaign, so your profile keeps reaching decision-makers while you work through the licensing steps.

Schedule a Call

Free consultation. No commitment.