DEP programs, CÉGEPs and apprenticeship pathways across Quebec
Every electrician in Quebec starts at the same place: a DEP Électricité, the province’s vocational diploma in electrical work. Quebec’s path is unlike the rest of Canada — you earn the DEP first, then qualify through one of two licensing systems depending on where you want to work. Electrician schools in Quebec all deliver that same DEP; the directory below compares where.
The DEP (Diplôme d’études professionnelles) is 1,800 hours, about 17 months full-time, issued by Quebec’s Ministère de l’Éducation and taught in centres de formation professionnelle (plus a few private career colleges) — not CÉGEPs. It comes in two identical versions: 5295 Électricité (French) and 5795 Electricity (English).
After the DEP you choose a track: construction work, regulated by the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ), or non-construction (industrial / institutional) work under the Quebec government’s Certificate in Electricity. The directory lists every vocational centre offering the DEP, so you can compare language, region and intake before you commit.
Current as of October 2026. Program availability, intakes, tuition and licensing rules can change — verify with the centre, the CCQ and the Quebec government before applying.
The DEP Électricité — Quebec’s entry credential
The DEP is the standard way into the trade. It qualifies you to enter an apprenticeship — it does not, on its own, make you a licensed electrician. Here’s the standard:
DEP Électricité at a glance
- Length — 1,800 hours, about 17 months full-time
- Codes — 5295 Électricité (French) · 5795 Electricity (English); identical duration and competencies
- Issued by — Ministère de l’Éducation (MEQ); taught at centres de formation professionnelle + some private colleges
- Admission — Generally Secondary IV (language, second language, math); adult routes via TDG / TENS
- Tuition — Heavily subsidized for eligible Quebec residents; budget separately for tools, boots, clothing, books (AFE aid may apply)
- Covers — Electrical theory, wiring, motor controls, lighting, industrial installs, Code de construction du Québec (Ch. V), blueprints, safety, labs
⚠ Important — the DEP is the start, not the finish
Graduating from the DEP does not make you a journeyman. It qualifies you to enter an apprenticeship — the CCQ apprenticeship for construction, or the provincial apprenticeship for non-construction. Full qualification comes only after you complete the apprenticeship hours and pass the qualification exam.
Two licensing pathways after your DEP
Your DEP qualifies you for both tracks, but the licensing body, apprenticeship length and exam differ. Most people start with construction, because a CCQ compagnon can later obtain the provincial Certificate in Electricity without extra requirements — earning both from one path.
The credential
DEP Électricité
The 1,800-hour vocational diploma every Quebec electrician starts with. Opens the door to either apprenticeship track.
Construction
CCQ apprenticeship
Job-site work (new builds, renos, commercial). Regulated by the CCQ: job guarantee → apprentice card (CCA) → 8,000 h (4 × 2,000) → qualification exam → compagnon (CCC).
Non-construction
Certificate in Electricity
Industrial / institutional work (plants, hospitals, schools). Quebec-government route: minimum 5,000 h apprenticeship under a certified electrician → provincial exam → Certificate.
Beyond compagnon you can add the Red Seal endorsement (interprovincial mobility) or become a contractor via the RBQ licence + CMEQ membership.
Electrician Schools in Quebec
Our Quebec directory lists every vocational training centre offering the DEP Électricité (5295) and Electricity (5795). Use the filters to narrow by language (French / English), type (public / private) and city.
💡 Tip: Use the Language chip for French or English instruction, or type a city in the search box.
What’s the DEP Électricité?
The DEP Électricité is Quebec’s 1,800-hour vocational diploma in electrical work — Ministère code 5295 in French and 5795 in English. It’s the standard entry credential for the province’s electrician licensing path. Below, use the filters to narrow by public/private, language, or search by city.
Looking specifically for Greater Montreal? → Montreal electrician schools page.
Montréal 5 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Career Development Services (CDS)
Verdun
Public
EN
|
Variable (RAC pathway) | By appointment (RAC pathway) | ||
|
CIMME – Centre intégré de mécanique de métallurgie et d’électricité
LaSalle
Public
FR
|
1800 heures sur 16 mois | 1,800 h | Inscriptions 2×/an (hiver + fin été); attente ~1-1.5 an | |
|
École des métiers de la construction de Montréal (EMCM)
Montréal
Public
FR
|
$990 | 1 800 heures (environ 16 mois) | 1,800 h | 9 nov 2026; 16 nov 2026 (soir); 18 jan 2027; 25 jan 2027 (soir); 15 mars 2027; 10 mai 2027 |
|
Institut technique Aviron de Montréal (Campus 5460)
Ville Mont-Royal
Private
EN + FR
|
1,800 hours (~17 months) | 1,800 h | 2 sept 2026 (full); 10 nov 2026; 2 fév 2027 (evening); 8 mars 2027; 12 mai 2027 | |
|
Pearson Electrotechnology Centre (PEC)
Lachine
Public
EN
|
1800 hours (~16 months) | 1,800 h | Via admissionfp.com — 2–3 year wait list |
Montérégie 4 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. Pierre-Dupuy
Longueuil
Public
FR
|
1800 heures | 1,800 h | ||
|
C.F.P. Sorel-Tracy (Centre Bernard-Gariépy)
Sorel-Tracy
Public
FR
|
Not extracted (PDF-linked on page) | 1800 heures sur ~18 mois | 1,800 h | 28 septembre 2026; 25 janvier 2027 |
|
École professionnelle de Saint-Hyacinthe
Saint-Hyacinthe
Public
FR
|
$630 | 1800 heures sur ~24 mois | 1,800 h | Automne + hiver (via admissionfp.com) |
|
École professionnelle des métiers – Édifice Laurier
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Public
FR
|
Not published |
Capitale-Nationale 2 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aviron Québec Collège Technique
Québec
Private
FR
|
Not published | |||
|
ÉMOICQ
Québec
Public
FR
|
$428 | 1507 heures sur 16 mois (per school); 1800 heures per official DEP | 1,800 h | Automne 2026 (EA2026); Hiver 2027 (EH2027) |
Chaudière-Appalaches 2 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. Gabriel-Rousseau
Lévis
Public
FR
|
$760 | 1800 heures sur ~18 mois (30 h/sem) | 1,800 h | Août 2026; Octobre 2026; Janvier 2027; Mars 2027 |
|
CIMIC – Centre intégré de mécanique industrielle de la Chaudière
Saint-Georges
Public
FR
|
$4,321,518,453,221,920,079,872 | 1800 heures (~2 ans; possibilité 1,5 an) | 1,800 h | 27 août 2026; 30 sept 2026; départs réguliers août/sept/avril |
Estrie 2 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. 24-Juin
Sherbrooke
Public
FR
|
$1,080 | 1800 heures sur 2 ans (jour) | 1,800 h | Août 2027; Janvier 2028; Août 2028 (dates TBD) |
|
CRIF – Centre régional intégré de formation
Granby
Public
FR
|
1800 heures (26-30 h/sem, ~1 an scolaire) | 1,800 h | 31 août 2026 |
Laurentides 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Centre d’études professionnelles Saint-Jérôme
Saint-Jérôme
Public
FR
|
Not extracted (PDF-linked on page) | 1800 heures sur 60 semaines (30 h/sem) | 1,800 h | Day 7h55-15h05; Evening 15h10-22h15 (via AdmissionFP) |
Lanaudière 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. des Moulins
Terrebonne
Public
FR
|
$51,515 | 1800 heures sur 16 mois | 1,800 h | Cohortes 2027-2028 (jour et soir); voir page |
Laval 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. Le Chantier
Laval
Public
FR
|
$100,158 | 1800 heures sur ~22 mois (30 h/sem, jour) | 1,800 h | Cohorte ELEC26-27B (date TBD) |
Mauricie 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. Qualitech
Trois-Rivières
Public
FR
|
1800 heures sur 2 ans | 1,800 h |
Centre-du-Québec 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. Paul-Rousseau
Drummondville
Public
FR
|
1800 heures sur 19 mois | 1,800 h |
Outaouais 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CFP des Portages-de-l’Outaouais – Asticou
Gatineau
Public
FR
|
1800 heures sur 67 semaines | 1,800 h |
Bas-Saint-Laurent 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. Pavillon-de-l’Avenir
Rivière-du-Loup
Public
FR
|
1800 heures sur 2 ans (28 h/sem) | 1,800 h |
Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F.P. Jonquière – Édifice du Royaume
Jonquière
Public
FR
|
~1800 heures sur 16 mois | 1,800 h |
Côte-Nord 2 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CFP de l’Estuaire
Baie-Comeau
Public
FR
|
1800 heures (formule modulaire) | 1,800 h | ||
|
CFP de Sept-Îles
Sept-Îles
Public
FR
|
1800 heures | 1,800 h |
Gaspésie – Îles-de-la-Madeleine 2 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C.F. de La Côte-de-Gaspé
Gaspé
Public
FR
|
1800 heures | 1,800 h | ||
|
CFP Bonaventure
Bonaventure
Public
FR
|
$912,001 | 1800 heures sur 2 ans (900 h/an) | 1,800 h |
Abitibi-Témiscamingue 1 school
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Centre Polymétier
Rouyn-Noranda
Public
FR
|
$71,325 | 1800 heures sur 15 mois | 1,800 h |
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How to become a licensed electrician in Quebec
- Earn your DEP Électricité. 1,800 hours (~17 months) at a vocational centre, in French (5295) or English (5795). Secondary IV entry or an adult route (TDG / TENS).
- Choose your track. Construction (CCQ) or non-construction (provincial Certificate in Electricity).
- Construction: register with the CCQ. Get a job guarantee (electricians: ≥150 h over ≤3 months) → certificat de compétence apprenti (CCA).
- Log 8,000 apprenticeship hours. Four periods of 2,000 h; your employer reports them to the CCQ.
- Pass the CCQ qualification exam. Eligible after the apprenticeship — or at 85% of it — then receive your compagnon card (CCC). You’re a journeyman.
- Non-construction route: or log 5,000+ hours under a certified electrician and pass the provincial exam for the Certificate in Electricity.
For someone progressing continuously, expect roughly five to six years from starting the DEP to construction compagnon. Timelines depend on how steadily you accumulate apprenticeship hours.
Quebec construction electrician — avg compagnon earnings
$86,336/yr
Average 2024 earnings for CCQ compagnon electricians working more than 500 hours in the year (construction sector). Apprentices averaged $41,321. Source: Commission de la construction du Québec, 2024.
→ Read the full guide: How to Become an Electrician in Quebec
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a licence to work as an electrician in Quebec?
Yes. For construction work you need a valid CCQ competency card (apprentice or compagnon). For non-construction (industrial / institutional) work you need the Quebec government’s Certificate in Electricity. The DEP alone is the training credential, not the licence.
What’s the difference between 5295 and 5795?
They’re the same DEP Électricité program. 5295 is the French version, 5795 is the English version — identical duration (1,800 h) and competencies; only the language of instruction differs.
How long does it take to become an electrician in Quebec?
The DEP is ~17 months. The construction apprenticeship is 8,000 hours (about four years at 2,000 h/yr). Start-to-compagnon is roughly five to six years, depending on how fast you log hours.
Do I need the DEP, or can I go straight to the CCQ?
The DEP is the standard entry route. It qualifies you to enter the apprenticeship; it is not the licence itself. A few equivalency routes exist — contact the CCQ or the school service centre to have prior experience assessed.
How much does the DEP cost?
Public DEP training is heavily subsidized and tuition is low for eligible Quebec residents. You still budget for tools, boots, clothing and books. International students pay international tuition. Check each listing for specifics.
Construction or non-construction — which should I choose?
Most start with construction (CCQ), because a compagnon can later obtain the provincial Certificate in Electricity without extra requirements — unlocking both. Going the other direction is harder.
Can I work in other provinces with a Quebec qualification?
Through the Red Seal endorsement (passed by a CCQ compagnon), most provinces recognize your qualification with minimal extra steps. Without it, expect to write the local jurisdiction’s exam.
Can I study the DEP in English?
Yes — the 5795 Electricity program is the English-language DEP, identical to the French 5295. Use the Language chip in the directory to find English-delivery centres.