Filipino seafarers cleared to crew Canadian-flagged ships for first time

Philippines-Canada reciprocal arrangement will make it easier to find qualified seafarers for work aboard Canadian ships and ashore. CHAMBER OF SHIPPING PHOTO

Filipino seafarers can now crew Canadian-flagged vessels for the first time with a work visa and without first securing permanent residency status.

This is the result of a reciprocal arrangement Canada and the Philippines signed on March 29 recognizing Philippine certificates of competency for Filipino sailors known as Standard for Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

The deal is meant to fill a reportedly acute shortage of officers and regular seamen in Canada’s maritime industry.

“Industry and other government departments have communicated to Transport Canada the need in finding qualified seafarers to assume various roles aboard ships and ashore to support marine operations,” Transport Canada spokesperson Hicham Ayoun said in a statement to CBC News.

The agreement is good for ship owners and supply chains, according to Bruce Burrows, president and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce, who said Filipinos could be expected to start working this year.

The Canadian Coast Guard is also said to be looking at Filipino and other foreign seafarers as possible sources of personnel. Canada already has reciprocal arrangements with Australia, France, Norway, Ukraine, Georgia and the United Kingdom.

“We are exploring considerations around security clearances, work visas and Transport Canada requirements that CCG will have to fulfil to obtain the STCW certification endorsement for each candidate,” Department of Fisheries and Oceans spokesman Craig Macartney told CBC.

Questions have been raised regarding the Philippine competency certification’s compliance with ship safety standards set by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization.

However, the European Maritime Safety Agency subsequently accepted the Philippines’ claim of taking corrective action. The Philippines remains on the IMO’s list of countries that meet its standards.

Burrows said Canada would not have entered into the arrangement with the Philippines unless it was comfortable with the seafarers’ competency levels.

“Our ship owners who also work in global operations are familiar with a number of these seamen. And so they have seen them as great workers on ships and know their competencies already and they’re very happy to seek and receive applicants now from the Philippines,” Burrows said.