Commercial Airline Pilot in Canada (Transport Canada CPL, IFR and ATPL)
Airline pilot Canada requirements: Category 1 medical, PPL, the Canadian commercial pilot licence, multi-engine IFR and the ATPL toward First Officer and Captain
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Where it leads
- Student pilot
- Commercial pilot (CPL holder)
- Flight instructor
- Charter / regional pilot
- First Officer
0 of 13 gates cleared
Before you spend money or years
Check these first; they can end the journey before it costs you
Go / no-go check
Red light: check these before paying any fees.
Training is expensive (one school estimates CAD $39,695.73 for the CPL with multi-engine and IFR after the PPL, before time building and living costs), a licence does not guarantee an airline job, and airline hiring changes with the economy. Check your Category 1 medical before committing large sums.
Is this you?
Tick the ones that are true for you.
13 gates to the cockpit
13 gates in 4 legs. Tap a gate to read it; log the date when you clear it.
Understand the job, the two entry paths and what has to be true before training makes sense. Next: check eligibility.
Licences are issued when you document citizenship and meet the standards for age, medical fitness, knowledge, experience and skill. A licence application must include evidence of English or French proficiency at the operational or expert level. Next: the Category 1 medical.
The Commercial and Airline Transport Pilot Licences require a Category 1 medical certificate (the PPL requires Category 3, and a student pilot permit – aeroplane accepts a medical declaration or a Category 1, 3 or 4 certificate). Next: choose a training route.
Most pilots train step by step (PPL, CPL, multi-engine, IFR) at a flight school or college. Graduates of an approved integrated course follow CARs 426.75 instead of the standard CPL hours. Next: start flying.
The PPL – Aeroplane requires age 17, a Category 3 medical, 40 hours of ground school, the PPAER exam (60% in each subject area) and at least 45 hours of flight training, including 17 hours dual and 12 hours solo with a 150 NM cross-country. Next: commercial ground school.
The CPL requires at least 80 hours of commercial ground school and at least 60% in each of four subject areas of the CPAER exam: Air Law, Navigation, Meteorology and Aeronautics – General Knowledge. Next: commercial flight training.
🛑 Money step: continue when your go / no-go check above is green.
The CPL – Aeroplane requires at least 200 hours in aeroplanes (100 PIC, including 20 hours cross-country PIC) and, after the PPL, 65 hours of commercial training: 35 dual (including 5 night and 20 instrument) and 30 solo, including a 300 NM cross-country with three full-stop landings. Next: multi-engine and IFR.
Airline flying uses multi-engine aircraft under IFR. The multi-engine class rating needs its own flight test, and a Group 1 instrument rating comes from a flight test in a multi-engine aeroplane. The ATPL is endorsed only with a Group 1 rating. Next: your first flying job and airline preparation.
Many pilots build experience in other flying jobs before an airline hires them, and airlines assess crew skills as well as handling. Next: airline entry.
Airlines hire First Officers who meet their published minimums. A type rating qualifies you on a specific aircraft; who pays varies by airline. Next: building airline experience.
As a First Officer you build the experience the ATPL requires. Next: the ATPL and command.
The ATPL – Aeroplane requires age 21, a Category 1 medical, at least 70% on SAMRA, SARON and INRAT, 1,500 hours and a skill test as PIC of a multi-engine aeroplane flown with a co-pilot (or an IFR pilot proficiency check). Becoming a Captain also depends on your airline’s upgrade process and vacancies.
More about this career
About the job, pay where you live, questions people ask, and where this career can take you next.
About the job
What you’d do
- Inspect the aircraft before flight and check passenger and cargo loading for weight and balance
- Coordinate flight activities with ground crews and air traffic control
- Contact control towers for take-off clearances and arrival instructions
- Monitor aircraft equipment and systems in flight and handle any emergencies or malfunctions
- Keep in touch with flight dispatchers and weather forecasters during flights
- Prepare flight evaluation reports
Where you’d work
- Airlines
- Air freight companies
- Flying schools
- Other public and private sector aircraft operators
Licence to practise
Registration is with Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA)
- Be at least 18 and hold a valid Category 1 medical certificate
- Complete at least 80 hours of commercial ground school
- Score at least 60% in each subject and overall in the CPAER written exam
- Log at least 200 hours in aeroplanes, including 100 hours as pilot-in-command and 65 hours of commercial training after the PPL
- Pass the commercial pilot flight test within the 12 months before you apply
Sourced facts for this region
Licensing requirements, pay and training costs taken from the sources listed below. This is the latest information checked, not live data; confirm with the regulator before acting.
Licensing authority
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA)Last checked: Oct 8, 2026
Licensing requirements
- Student Pilot Permit: at least 14. Private Pilot Licence – Aeroplane: at least 17. Commercial Pilot Licence – Aeroplane: at least 18. Airline Transport Pilot Licence – Aeroplane: at least 21. Transport Canada
- Student Pilot Permit – Aeroplane: a Civil Aviation Medical Declaration or a Category 1, 3 or 4 medical certificate. Private Pilot Licence: Category 3. Commercial and Airline Transport Pilot Licences: Category 1. Transport CanadaMedical standards and the examination process are not summarised here.
- A licence application must include documentation that the applicant demonstrated, through an evaluation, the ability to speak and understand English or French (or both) at the operational or expert level. Justice Laws Website, Government of Canada
- Licences are issued when the applicant documents citizenship and meets the standards for minimum age, medical fitness, knowledge, experience and skill. Knowledge means ground school and Transport Canada written exams; no school-subject or degree requirement is set for the licences. Justice Laws Website, Government of CanadaTransport CanadaColleges, flight schools and airlines set their own entry requirements.
- Applicants provide proof of citizenship (for example a passport, citizenship certificate or Permanent Resident Card) with a licence application. Justice Laws Website, Government of CanadaTransport CanadaThis is documentary proof for licence issue; the right to work in Canada for an airline is a separate question not covered by these sources.
- PPL: 40 hours of ground school and at least 60% in each subject area of the PPAER exam. CPL: 80 hours of ground school and at least 60% in each of four subject areas of the CPAER exam. Instrument rating: at least 70% on INRAT. ATPL: at least 70% on SAMRA, SARON and INRAT. Transport Canada
- PPL – Aeroplane: at least 45 hours of flight training, including 17 hours dual (3 cross-country, 5 instrument) and 12 hours solo (5 cross-country with a 150 NM flight). Transport Canada
- CPL – Aeroplane: at least 200 hours of flight time in aeroplanes, including 100 hours PIC with 20 hours cross-country PIC; after the PPL, 65 hours of commercial flight training (35 dual, including 5 night and 20 instrument, and 30 solo, including a 300 NM cross-country and 5 hours solo at night). Graduates of an approved integrated course follow CARs 426.75 instead. Transport Canada
- CPL flight test (Standard 428, Schedule 4) within the 12 months before applying. Transport Canada
- Instrument rating: 50 hours cross-country PIC (10 in the category) and 40 hours of instrument time (no more than 20 ground time), including 15 hours dual instrument instruction and a 100 NM dual IFR cross-country with approaches at two locations. A Group 1 rating comes from a flight test in a multi-engine aeroplane. The multi-engine class rating requires its own flight test (Standard 428, Schedule 7). Transport Canada
- ATPL – Aeroplane: at least 21, Category 1 medical, a CPL not restricted to daylight, and 1,500 hours total flight time (at least 900 in aeroplanes), including 250 hours PIC in aeroplanes (up to 100 PIC under supervision) with 100 hours cross-country (25 at night), 100 hours at night (30 in aeroplanes), 100 more cross-country hours as PIC or 200 as co-pilot, and 75 hours instrument time (no more than 25 ground time). Skill test as PIC of a multi-engine aeroplane required to be flown with a co-pilot, or an IFR pilot proficiency check; only a Group 1 instrument rating is endorsed. Transport Canada
Latest available salary information
Last checked: Oct 8, 2026
| Role | Range | Data type | Source |
|---|
Pay depends on employer, role, aircraft, seniority and hours. These figures are not a promise of earnings, and figures of different types are not combined.
Training cost (published examples)
Example published cost estimate: CPL with multi-engine and instrument ratings at one flight school (after the PPL)
CA$39,696 – upper estimate not established
Includes
- Dual and solo flight training, multi-engine/instrument dual, simulator and ground briefings at Transport Canada minimums
- Books and equipment
- Flight test fees (night rating, CPL, multi/IFR)
- Transport Canada licensing and exam fees ($400)
Not included
- Private Pilot Licence training
- Time building needed to reach 200 hours (the school estimates about 42 more hours)
- Medical examination
- Accommodation and living costs
- Hours above Transport Canada minimums
One school’s estimate at regulatory minimums, not a Canadian market range. Prices are subject to change. MFC Training (Moncton Flight College)
Limitations of this information
- No reliable pilot-specific Canadian pay source was found on airlines’ own sites. Official occupation statistics were not used because they combine airline pilots with flying instructors and other occupations, so no salary figure is shown.
- The training-cost example is one school’s estimate after the PPL; it excludes the PPL and time building.
- No source reviewed gives a reliable overall timeline.
- Airline cadet programmes and work-right requirements in Canada were not reviewed in this batch.
Sources (3)
- Transport Canada — Standard 421 — Flight Crew Permits, Licences and Ratings (Canadian Aviation Regulations), page modified 20 Aug 2026Last checked: Oct 8, 2026 · Sections cited: 421.06, 421.19, 421.26, 421.30, 421.34, 421.38 and 421.46.
- Justice Laws Website, Government of Canada — Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433), section 401.06Last checked: Oct 8, 2026
- MFC Training (Moncton Flight College) — Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with Multi-IFR — cost estimateLast checked: Oct 8, 2026 · One flight school in New Brunswick; based on Transport Canada minimums.
Every step in full
The complete text of every step, to read or print. Work through them in the journey above.
Is Aviation Right for You? Path A (after high school) and Path B (after a degree) 1 steps
Compare Path A (after high school or 10+2) with Path B (after a degree)
Path A: you can hold a student pilot permit from 14, a PPL from 17 and a CPL from 18. Path B: graduates follow the same Transport Canada licences — a university degree does not replace any medical, ground school, written exam, flight-hour or flight-test requirement. College aviation programmes can combine training with a diploma or degree; that is an academic and financing choice, not a licensing shortcut.
Real-world task: Write a one-page decision note: your entry path, why you want to fly, your backup plan and the questions you still need answered before paying any fees.
Why it matters: Both paths lead to the same Transport Canada licences, so the real decision is about timing, money and a fallback.
Checklist
- Write down which path applies to you (high-school student, graduate or career changer)
- List your reasons for choosing aviation and your backup plan if training stops
- Read Transport Canada’s Standard 421 sections for the PPL, CPL and ATPL
Check Eligibility: Age, Citizenship Documents and Language Proficiency 1 steps
Verify your eligibility and documents
Ages: student pilot permit 14, PPL 17, CPL 18, ATPL 21. Proof of citizenship can be, for example, a passport, citizenship certificate or Permanent Resident Card. Schools and airlines set their own entry requirements, including any right-to-work rules.
Real-world task: Make an eligibility checklist (age, citizenship document, language evaluation, school entry requirements) and record which items you already meet.
Why it matters: Missing documents or a language evaluation can delay a licence that is otherwise ready to issue.
Checklist
- Collect a document accepted as proof of citizenship
- Plan how you will be evaluated for English or French language proficiency
- Check each school’s and airline’s own entry requirements, including any school qualifications and right to work
- Note the licence ages: student permit 14, PPL 17, CPL 18, ATPL 21
Get Your Category 1 Medical First 1 steps
Book and complete a Category 1 medical examination
Book the examination with a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner and bring reports for any significant medical history.
Real-world task: Complete your Category 1 medical examination and record evidence of completion (category and date).
Why it matters: Without a Category 1 medical you cannot hold a CPL, so finding an issue early protects your money.
Checklist
- Find a Civil Aviation Medical Examiner near you
- Gather reports for any significant medical history before the appointment
- Complete the Category 1 examination
- Keep your medical certificate and note its validity
Choose a Route: Flight School, College Programme or Integrated Course 2 steps
Compare training providers and routes
Compare flight schools and college programmes on aircraft availability, instructor availability, weather patterns and total cost. Check whether a course is an approved integrated course.
Real-world task: Compare three training options in a table (approval, route, total quoted cost, exclusions, location) and choose one with written reasons.
Why it matters: The provider and route decide most of your cost and timeline.
Checklist
- Shortlist three providers and confirm they are Transport Canada-approved flight training units
- Ask about aircraft and instructor availability and typical waiting times
- Ask whether the course is an approved integrated course
- Compare what each written quote includes and excludes
Build a complete training budget
As one published example, MFC Training (New Brunswick) estimates CAD $39,695.73 for a CPL with multi-engine and instrument ratings after the PPL, at Transport Canada minimums — excluding the PPL, about 42 more hours of time building, the medical and living costs.
Real-world task: Create a training budget with a low and a high case, listing every excluded cost and how each will be paid.
Why it matters: Financing can create significant debt, and employment is not guaranteed after the licence.
Checklist
- Ask each provider for a written total cost, including what is excluded
- Add the PPL, time building to 200 hours, the medical and living costs
- Add a contingency for hours above minimums and retests
- If you need a loan, compare repayments against the time before you earn an airline salary
Student Pilot Permit and Private Pilot Licence 1 steps
Fly your first solo and earn the PPL
Learn aircraft handling and procedures, fly solo on your student pilot permit, complete ground school and pass the PPAER written exam and the PPL flight test.
Real-world task: Pass your PPL flight test and record evidence of completion (licence issue date).
Why it matters: The commercial training requirements are counted from the issue of the PPL.
Checklist
- Open a logbook and record every flight accurately
- Complete PPL ground school (Canadian Aviation Regulations, meteorology, navigation, airframes and engines)
- Fly the 150 NM solo cross-country with two full-stop landings away from base
- Pass the PPAER exam and the PPL flight test
Commercial Ground School and the CPAER Exam 1 steps
Complete commercial ground school and pass the CPAER
Ground school covers the Canadian Aviation Regulations, aerodynamics, meteorology, airframes, engines and systems, flight instruments, radio and electronic theory, navigation, flight operations, licensing and human factors.
Real-world task: Pass the CPAER written exam and record evidence of completion (result and date).
Why it matters: The written exam is a licence requirement and the foundation for IFR and ATPL exams later.
Checklist
- Complete at least 80 hours of commercial ground school
- Study Air Law (regulations, rules and orders, air traffic services) with practice exams
- Study Navigation, Meteorology and Aeronautics – General Knowledge
- Book and pass the CPAER written exam
Commercial Flight Training and the CPL Flight Test 1 steps
Build the required experience and pass the CPL flight test
Track every category of time against Standard 421, and use cross-country flights to practise navigation, flight planning, weather judgement and decision making together. Use standard radio telephony on every flight.
Real-world task: Plan and fly the 300 NM solo cross-country with three full-stop landings away from base and record evidence of completion in your logbook.
Why it matters: The long cross-country tests navigation, planning, weather judgement and decision making together.
Checklist
- Track total, PIC and cross-country PIC time against the CPL minimums
- Plan the 300 NM solo cross-country with full-stop landings at three other aerodromes
- Practise standard radio telephony phraseology on every flight
- Pass the CPL flight test within 12 months before applying
Multi-Engine Class Rating and Group 1 Instrument Rating 1 steps
Earn the multi-engine class rating and Group 1 instrument rating
The instrument rating requires 50 hours cross-country PIC, 40 hours of instrument time (no more than 20 ground time) including 15 hours dual instrument instruction and a 100 NM IFR cross-country, and at least 70% on the INRAT exam.
Real-world task: Pass your Group 1 instrument rating flight test and record evidence of completion (rating and date).
Why it matters: Multi-engine IFR skills are central to airline operations and required for the ATPL.
Checklist
- Complete multi-engine training and pass the multi-engine class rating flight test
- Complete instrument flying training, including precision and non-precision approaches
- Practise engine failure after take-off and single-engine go-arounds
- Pass the INRAT exam and the instrument rating flight test
First Flying Jobs and Airline Preparation 1 steps
Build experience and prepare for airline selection
Practise crew communication and standard operating procedures, and prepare for aptitude tests, technical interviews and simulator assessments.
Real-world task: Complete an airline assessment or simulator evaluation and record evidence of completion (stage reached and date).
Why it matters: Selection tests crew skills, not just handling.
Checklist
- Prepare an aviation CV with licences, ratings and logbook totals
- Practise crew communication and standard operating procedures in a simulator if possible
- Practise aptitude tests and technical interview questions
- Track airline job postings and their published minimums
Airline Entry and Type Rating 1 steps
Apply to airlines and complete the type rating
Apply when your licence, ratings, medical and experience meet the airline’s minimums, then complete the type rating and line training.
Real-world task: Complete your type rating and line training and record evidence of completion (aircraft type and release date).
Why it matters: The type rating and line training qualify you to fly a specific airliner as First Officer.
Checklist
- Check each airline’s minimum requirements before applying
- Clarify who pays for the type rating and whether a bond applies
- Complete type rating ground and simulator training
- Complete line training under supervision
First Officer: Building ATPL Experience 1 steps
Track your progress toward the ATPL
The ATPL – Aeroplane requires 1,500 hours (at least 900 in aeroplanes), including 250 hours PIC, 100 hours at night, additional cross-country time and 75 hours of instrument time.
Real-world task: Reach an ATPL logbook milestone (for example 1,000 hours) and record evidence of completion with your totals by category.
Why it matters: Command eligibility depends on meeting the ATPL minimums and your airline’s own criteria.
Checklist
- Track total, aeroplane, PIC, night, cross-country and instrument time against the ATPL minimums
- Practise crew resource management on every flight
- Keep your Category 1 medical, licence and instrument rating valid
- Prepare for the SAMRA and SARON written exams
ATPL, Command Upgrade and Long-Term Career 1 steps
Obtain the ATPL and prepare for command
Pass the ATPL written exams and skill test, then prepare for your airline’s command upgrade. Later roles can include Training Captain or check pilot, depending on the airline.
Real-world task: Obtain your ATPL and record evidence of completion (issue date); later, record your command upgrade.
Why it matters: The ATPL and the airline’s upgrade process are what move a First Officer to the Captain’s seat.
Checklist
- Pass the SAMRA and SARON exams (INRAT already passed for the IFR rating)
- Complete the ATPL skill test or qualifying pilot proficiency check
- Prepare for your airline’s command upgrade assessment
- Keep developing decision making and leadership as the senior pilot
Questions people ask about Commercial Airline Pilot in Canada (Transport Canada CPL, IFR and ATPL)
Clear answers regarding timelines, prerequisites, salaries, and study strategies.
Can I become a commercial airline pilot after 10+2 or high school in Canada?
Yes. Transport Canada sets ages rather than school subjects: student pilot permit from 14, PPL from 17, CPL from 18 and ATPL from 21. Schools and airlines set their own entry requirements.
Can I become an airline pilot in Canada after graduation?
Yes. Graduates follow the same Transport Canada licences — a degree does not replace any medical, ground school, written exam, flight-hour or flight-test requirement.
Do I need Physics and Mathematics?
Standard 421 sets no school-subject requirement for the licences; knowledge is shown through ground school and Transport Canada written exams. Colleges and flight schools may set their own academic entry requirements.
Do I need a university degree to become a pilot in Canada?
No degree is required for the licences. Airlines decide their own hiring requirements.
What medical certificate do I need?
A Category 1 medical certificate for the Commercial and Airline Transport Pilot Licences (Category 3 for the PPL).
How much does pilot training cost in Canada?
It varies by school and route. As one published example, MFC Training estimates CAD $39,695.73 for a CPL with multi-engine and instrument ratings after the PPL, at Transport Canada minimums — excluding the PPL, time building, the medical and living costs.
How long does training take?
It varies — no reliable overall timeline was found. It depends on weather, aircraft and instructor availability, exam attempts, finances, medicals and airline recruitment.
How much do airline pilots earn in Canada?
Reliable pilot-specific salary data was not available from the sources reviewed, so no figure is shown for any role (trainee/cadet, First Officer, Senior First Officer, Captain or wide-body Captain). Official occupation statistics were not used because they combine pilots with other occupations. Pay depends on the airline, aircraft, base and seniority.
What happens after the CPL?
Most pilots add a multi-engine class rating and a Group 1 instrument rating, build experience, prepare for airline selection and then complete a type rating and line training as First Officer.
How do I become an airline Captain in Canada?
By building experience to the ATPL minimums (1,500 hours, at least 900 in aeroplanes), passing SAMRA, SARON and INRAT, holding the ATPL and completing your airline’s command upgrade when seniority and vacancies allow.