These documents are:

  • certificates of competency;
  • certificates of proficiency;
  • endorsements; and
  • medical certificates.

This recommendation if the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) came from the 2010 Manila Amendments, Regulation I/2, paragraph 16.

In the summer of 2018, Canada informed the IMO about the establishment of an online system for verifying certificates. This is aligned with our commitment to:

  • fully comply with the STCW;
  • ensure vessels are staffed and operated by properly trained and certified seafarers;
  • discourage unlawful ways of issuing certificates; and
  • support Port State control activities.

What you need to know

You can now go online to verify the status of any Canadian-issued:

  • certificate of competency;
  • certificate of proficiency;
  • endorsement; and
  • medical certificate.

You will need to complete the following fields on the online system:

  • Candidate Document Number (CDN);
  • Date of Issue (YYYY-MM-DD); and
  • Certificate Name.