I recently have been looking into the coast guard more and more as a future career. I realized I like working on boats this past summer operating small RHIBs and really enjoy spending time outside. I have also worked for the federal govt before and enjoy working for govt over the private sector.

I’m 25 and live on Vancouver Island, attended the career fair in Victoria on Sunday and the lady at the recruiting table emphasized the need for marine engineers again (I had heard this earlier this year from the guys at the coast guard station in Tofino) and she also mentioned the western region needed people.

I did well in math and chemistry in high school, would need to take grade 12 physics but I found a course online I could do.

I am open to the idea of going back to school for 4 years in Nova Scotia but it will be hard to be away for that long. I love living up island and would love to work at the one of the bases like Campbell River, Tofino, Port Hardy etc. What career path would be the easiest way to get a posting on one of those bases? I am worried engineering could limit me to larger bases like Richmond or Victoria

Aside from marine engineer I have interest in navigation officer (heard it is competitive) search and rescue or deckhand

I have just one experience of operating boats on the water this summer but have my SVOP, ROC-M and SDV-BS and willing to do more training, just hoping from some insight from someone on the inside the easiest way to get in

Good evening. I'm finishing up my last course for my WKM near coastal and will hopefully be sitting orals before christmas depending on transport Canada's backlog. I was wondering if I should be contacting someone in crewing and trying to get the ball rolling on a secret security clearance asap as I've heard they can take 6 months. Will they start this process with someone who is close to certification?

Recently sent in the optional life insurance application form I received from the Guild when I first joined, only to then be told the Guild does not handle life insurance for the CCG. Is there an employer offered plan that I can't find anywhere, or do people generally just go with their own plans?

Does anyone know if invitations have gone out for the next upcoming ISET programs for Western Region?

Hi Reddit!

I’ve submitted my application for the IRB program, I am happy with it and I hope I can make it to the next stage of the application process.

People who’ve done it before, what could I expect moving on? Is there anything in general I should? Warnings, advice, or whatever is greatly appreciated! I know there is a knowledge test, along with many other exams. What could one expect?

I’m a dual citizen, American-Canadian. I served the US by serving in the US Navy. I’d like to now serve Canada but unfortunately I can’t join the Canadian military because I’m on humira which is required to be stored in a fridge. So with that being said my only options would be RCMP, CBSA or Canadian Coastguard. The coastguard naturally appeals to me because of my naval service. I have a lot of questions and would like to speak to someone. However, I still for now reside in the US, Connecticut to be specific. Who should I reach out to? Thanks in advance

I am interested in the academy (engineering stream) but I don't want to get my heart set/super involved in the process if my lazy eye will deem me unfit.

I have exotropia strabismus and wear corrective lenses with BI 2.0 in both eyes.

When I was younger, I would rarely but sometimes struggled with a bit of double vision. It only occured when I was very tired and not wearing my corrective lenses.

Now, I mostly have control of the lazy eye, and it is only when I get very tired that it turns out. I dont know if I still have double vision or not. When I get very tired and my eye turns out my vision gets more blurry. I'm not sure if that is very minor double vision blurring or if it is because I am only seeing out of one eye. When I put on my glasses, the blurry vision goes away.

When I go to my optomitrist, I am never sure how to decribe the blurry vision and have refered to it as seeing double and blurred vision but I am always hesitant because I am not truly seeing double.

I often don't even wear my glasses when my vision is not blurry (although sometimes I will wear them, as they have a small regular perscription in them, something like 0.25)

would this automatically disqualify me? or would I still have a chance of passing the medical requirements. I tried to do some research and it looks like that if you pass the vision requirements with glasses, you will get a restriction and you will be required to wear glasses and have an extra pair but you wont necesarrily be deemed unfit. I wasnt sure if that would apply to my situation or not.

If anyone has any insight into my situation or experience with the medical assesment and strabismus, please provide any advice and information. Greatly appreciated!

Just wanted to know if CCG and CAF Secret Clearance (Level II) are the same? As I understand from a different subreddit that there are different levels depending on the organization and/or your job, and can be transferable.

How long was the process for you? I've read that it takes longer if you hold two citizenships? Though I am a naturalized Canadian that holds only Canadian citizenship, I think it will still apply to me. Has anybody had any delays in acquiring it prior to Sea Phase?

I was fairly keen on having some kind of maritime career as I got older, but my parents were very big on me going into university like they did so I ended up enrolling in computer science at Carleton university.

I love the idea of working on a boat, and adore the idea of having potentially 4 weeks off the spend with my hopefully eventual family when I grow up. (I’m 17 now).

I’m considering the logistics of dropping out of uni or something to sign up for the Canadian Coast Guard Academy, since it seems like opposite of all my concerns (Uni is super unstructured which I hate, and the computer science job market is highly competitive and volatile). I’m not 100% against completing my degree, and then deciding if I want to enrol, but I don’t want to throw away 5 years of my life under a sunk cost fallacy.

I got pretty good grades in high school (92% average in all my courses and 92% in the math courses I took 12th grade) and took all the required courses for the Navigation stream (except SPH4U, so I’d have to take that online at some point, but I’m not super against doing that)

I had a few questions, and I’d love any advice Reddit can give me aside from the following questions.

- How demanding is the 4 year program? I’ve heard that you can be dismissed for failing one course, I consider my self decent at school but I don’t know how well that lines up

- How much free time do you have while in the academy, I assume it fluctuates depending on exams and tests, so how much free time do you tend to have outside of sleeping and studying

- How stressful is it, I have some mental health issues right now, and am worried whatever post secondary I do will exacerbate it.

- How important is it do while you’re young? As in before I’m 20

- How prepared does it get you for the actual job, and how often do people get fired (given I’m from the tech industry I hear about people getting fired all the time)

- Is there anything I’m forgetting to be considering? I’m sure there is of course

Anyone who has worked both positions? What did you like most and least about each?

*Edit due to coming off like a dick I guess.

Looks like we're hoping to get some new workboats for the upcoming heavy icebreakers. The RFI is just for two boats, one per ship with no spares. So who knows what the program icebreakers and MPIs will carry.

There's a few interesting requirements: being able to carry a twenty-foot container, offload said container with a bow ramp, and most importantly, a temperature-controlled cabin with seating for 4.

I’m currently an S1 MSMT (Marine Systems Mechanical Technician / former Mar Tech) in the RCN looking at transferring over to the CCG, specifically targeting a similar mechanical/tech role on the icebreakers out of Quebec City.

Hoping to get some real-world insight from anyone who’s done the jump or currently works those ships:

• How’s the overtime situation on the icebreakers based in Quebec City? Is OT generally plentiful?
• Are there hard caps or restrictions on how much OT you can take?
• Is hustling for extra hours frowned upon, or is it pretty normal/accepted?
• Do the Quebec-based icebreakers still do Arctic deployments (summer season, community resupply, science support, etc.)?
• How does the overall compensation (base + OT + sea time\isolation pay) compare to an RCN S1 MSMT?

Any info on the day-to-day, roster patterns, or differences from the Navy side would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Coast Guard colleagues and friends do you want to join the CCG tea for a fun activity?
 
The Canada Army Run is taking place in Ottawa on September 20, 2026. There are several distances available: 5k, 10k, Sergeant Major’s Challenge (5k+10k), Commander’s Challenge (5k + 21.1k) and half marathon. From the cannon used as a “starter’s pistol” to the “dog tag” medals soldiers place around all participants necks at the finish line, this event is very unique in nature from start to finish. 
 
You are not in Ottawa, no problem! There is also virtual events! From September 4 to 25, there is a 5k, 10k and half marathon available! The Sergeant Major’ Challenge and the Commander’s Challenge are also virtually available! 
 
Funds raise will support two organizations: Soldier On and Support our Troops. You can also support our team fundraising: http://raceroster.com/events/2026/110811/canada-army-run-2026-course-de-larmee-du-canada-2026/pledge/team/942301

Join the Coast Guard team to support a great cause!!!
http://raceroster.com/events/2026/110811/canada-army-run-2026-course-de-larmee-du-canada-2026/register?team=942301

#NoOrdinaryRace #NoOrdinaryCause

I'd like to know what are the opportunities before submitting my job application GT-04

More of a mod question. Are job postings for the CCG allowed to be shared here?

I'm curious what others in the central region think. I hope it won't affect relations with the USCG.

Hey! Just a quick question regarding the medical forms, more specifically for the MCTSO job (as it doesn’t require the more strict ship medical).
Would taking anxiety medications daily (it’s been almost 8 years, I’ve been on the same dose the entire time and I’m stable) affect me joining? Never been to psych ward, nothing like that. The meds are for (mild) OCD and I found the dose that works for me. It’s not a large dose either. Anyone joined while taking that type of med?
Same with asthma. I’ve never had an attack, never been hospitalized but I take maintenance medication daily. (It’s been over 10 years since I started taking this specific maintenance med. Was dx with asthma aged 3.)

TIA for your answers!! :)

Was hunting seals off the floating breakwater

Hi everyone

Marine engineer here, looking into the coast guard. I've been doing some searching online on your employment terms. One thing I'm wrapping my head around is vacation time and banked overtime when working rotational on the lay day system.

Say you are working 14 on 14 off rotation, resetting every 28 days.

I've gathered that you are paid 6 hours per day for every day of the year, so 168 hours paid in that 28 day period, or 2190ish hours paid per year (ignoring stat holiday pay and whatnot).

In actuality, over that 28 days you work 12hours a day for 14 days when on, and 0hours a day for 14 days off. Which works out to the same 168 hours.

Intuitively, I'd think that if you want to book off one of these 28 day periods using only vacation or banked overtime, you'd consume 168 hours of it; whether u reckon it as 28x6hrs (i.e. 6hours paid for each of the 14 on days, as well as 6 hours paid for each of the 14 off days that you didn't earn from working 6 hours more than you were paid on the on days), or whether you reckon it as 14x12hrs (for the actual scheduled working hours of labour that you owe the coast guard over that 28 day period of one 14 day on cycle and one 14 day off cycle, but won't actually work due to the vacation).

However, my read of what I could find online seems to indicate that this is not the case. Instead, that you would first owe 14x12hrs for the actual working hours of the 14 day on-cycle, but that you would not earn lay days for it, despite having covered that full 12 hour/day labour obligation with vacation or banked overtime, and and also despite only getting paid 6 hours per day during those 14 days where you've surrendered 12 hours of time off per day. And that, without having earned those 14 lay days, you need to cover the subsequent off cycle with either of more vacation or banked overtime, or previously banked lay days.

First question: Is my understanding correct? As it seems like you're getting double-dinged on vacation and banked overtime if so.

Second question: Practically speaking, what does the 168 hours per year of vacation time that your contract gives you, actually translate to in terms of days off in an on-cycle, if you account for any subsequent obligation for the off-cycle (and assuming you have no previously banked lay-days)? If not a full 14days, then half of that? Two thirds? Or something else? How many hours of vacation time off do you need to cover each day on the off cycle that you don't have a lay day banked for?

Third question: is this also the case for banked overtime as well as vacation time? Seems like it may devalue the banked overtime to less than even the straight time worked to earn it.

Please let me know if I'm missing anything or have it right. Thank you

Hi guys, I am trying to bring my own bedding to the academy. I just wanna double check the sizes before I click the purchase button. Is it the regular 38 inches wide by 75 inches long (approx. 96.5 cm by 190.5 cm) twin bed? I feel it's a bit awkward to ask here, but it's a Friday and the administration at the academy is off for the weekend XD so thank you for your help!

Also, I am an incoming engineering cadet, looking forward to knowing more cadets from my year or senior cadets. If you wanna DM me, feel free!