It’s no longer news that welders in Canada are in high demand. As construction projects and different manufacturing continue to grow in several provinces like Ontario, BC, Alberta, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, etc, there will continue to be strong demand for welders in these provinces.
In fact, statistics show that the welding industry contributes more than $5 billion to the Canadian economy and employs over 300,000 individuals. So it’s not a bad decision to become a part of this booming field, and there are several welding schools in Canada to back you up.
Moreover, there are also very affordable welding schools in the country for those interested in programs that will not break their banks, and also welding colleges for international students in Canada.
Before we list these schools let’s first know how long it will take you to become a welder in the country.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Welder in Canada
You’ve heard a lot about welding – how promising the career is, high job demand, even good earning potential – but you want to know how long it will really take you to complete this program in Canada. Well, the simple answer is it depends on the path you choose.
So if you intend to go on the route of a Welder Apprenticeship, you’ll spend 3 to 5 years – but mostly 3 years according to the welding schools we’ve listed. If you intend to enroll in a Pre-employment Welding Program, it can last a few weeks or months which will provide you with some foundational training that can prepare you for an apprenticeship.
Some welding colleges in Canada provide a welding and Fabrication Technician program that lasts approximately 2 years and a Welding Technique program that lasts up to year 1 which can lead to an entry-level welding career.
Another factor that can impact the length is your pace of learning, some students will understand welding concepts faster compared to others.
All said, we provided the program length of each school to help you decide on the right school.
Best Welding Schools in Canada
We provided the link to each welding school so you’ll be able to contact them for more inquiries. You can also take advantage of virtual tours provided by many schools.
1. Vancouver Island University (British Columbia)
- Program Length: 7 months
- Location: 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5S5
- Tuition: $3,425.87 (7 months x $489.41 per month)
Just like other graduates of VIU, you have a high chance of working in shipyards, fabrication shops, or a variety of construction industries, when you graduate.
2. Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT)
- Program Length: 1 year
- Location: 130 Henlow Bay, Winnipeg, MB R3Y 1G4
- Tuition:
- $6,516 (Canadian Students)
- $17,850 (International Students)
This is one of the best welding schools in Canada that is affiliated with CWA (Canadian Welding Association), CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau), and Apprenticeship Manitoba.
3. Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Program Length: 1 year
- Location: Offered at all four of their campuses across the province: Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina, and Saskatoon.
- Tuition:
- $9,510 (Canadian Students)
- $21,217 (International Students)
The Welding program provided by Saskatchewan Polytechnic will provide hands-on instruction in cutting processes, gas metal arc, gas tungsten arc, shielded metal arc welding, general shop practice, shop safety, using blueprints, etc.
4. Conestoga College – Welding and Fabrication Technician (Ontario)
- Program Length: 2 years
- Location: 299 Doon Valley Drive, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4M4, Canada
- Tuition:
- $2,696 (Canadian Students)
- $14,163 (International Students)
This is one of the best welding schools in Ontario that will teach you how to follow metal fabrication projects from the computer-aided engineering drawing (CAD) stage, through to the cutting and forming processes of piece parts, to the fitting, welding, and inspection of fabrications.
5. Canadore College – Mechanical Techniques – Welder-Fitter
- Location: 5001, North Bay, Ontario P1B 8K9
- Tuition:
- 30 Weeks – Ontario College Certificate: $2720.24
- 42 Weeks – Ontario College Diploma: $5440.5
In any of these programs, you’ll be able to learn Welding theory and practice, Layout and fitting, Trade calculations, Blueprint reading, etc.
6. Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) – Welding and Fabrication Technology
- Program Length: 2 years
- Location: 1301-16 Avenue NW, Calgary AB, T2M 0L4
- Tuition:
- $10,500 (Canadian Students)
- $19,572 (International Students)
Just like other best welding schools in Canada that we have listed, SAIT also provides an integrated learning experience, which combines theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on skills in a blend of classroom and lab work. SAIT also has a record of 100% graduate employment rate.
7. Fanshawe College – Welding and Fabrication Technician (CO-OP)
- Program Length: 60 weeks
- Location: Blvd. London, Ontario Canada N5Y 5R6
- Total Cost of Program:
- $7,885.80 (Canadian Students)
- $32,252.56 (International Students)
This program will start by teaching you Math for Welding, Industrial Safety & Rigging, then progress to Intro to Computer-Aided Design, then at the final level you’ll learn several topics including Robotics and Welding, etc.
8. Niagara College Canada – Welding
- Program Length: 1 and 2-2.5 years
- Locations:
- Welland Campus: 100 Niagara College Boulevard, Welland, Ontario L3C 7L3
- Daniel J. Patterson Campus: 135 Taylor Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
- Tuition:
- $5,334.48 per year (Canadian Students)
- $18,179.50 per year (International Students)
This is one of the welding colleges in Ontario that provides three (3) welding classes which are:
- Welding Techniques – takes 1 year to complete
- Welding Technician (2-year diploma)
- Welder Apprenticeship (2 to 2.5 years to complete)
9. Humber – Welding Techniques
- Program Length: 2 semesters
- Location: Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9W 5L7
- Tuition:
- $5,512.95 (Canadian Students)
- $17,803.01 (International Students)
One of the interesting things about enrolling in Humber is that it has one of the highest graduate employment and employer satisfaction rates.
10. Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)
- Program Length: 2 years
- Locations: Their welding program is offered in Dartmouth, Yarmouth, Stellarton, Port Hawkesbury, and Sydney
- Tuition:
- $3,620 (Domestic Students)
- $11,690 (International Students)
This is among the welding schools in Canada that will teach you how to permanently join pieces of metal together, and also teach you how to read and interpret blueprints and welding process specifications, plus so many other lessons.
11. Northern College
- Program Length: 1 and 2 years
- Location: 140 Government Rd E, Kirkland Lake, ON
- Tuition:
- $2,720.56 per year (Canadian Students)
- $14,382 per year (International Students)
Northern College is among the best welding schools in Ontario and is an authorized training body for the International Institute of Welding (IIW) and recognized diploma programs by the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT).
12. Fleming College – Welding and Fabrication Technician
- Program Length: 4 Semesters
- Location: 599 Brealey Dr. Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B1
- Tuition:
- $2261.96 per semester (Canadian Students)
- $8757.92 per semester (International Students)
There are lots of things to learn in this Welding and Fabrication Technician program including selecting and applying welding processes and troubleshooting welding equipment, etc.
13. St. Lawrence College – Welding and Fabrication Technician
- Program Length: 2 years
- Location: 2 St. Lawrence Drive, Cornwall, Ontario, K6H 4Z1
- Tuition:
- $2,721.36 per year (Canadian Students)
- $15,960 per year (international students)
Besides the fact that St. Lawrence College provides a very affordable welding program, it is one of the welding colleges in Canada that also provides scholarships & bursaries to help students reduce their fees.
14. Sheridan College
- Program Length: 1 & 2 years
- Location: 7899 McLaughlin Road, Brampton, Ontario L6Y 5H9
Sheridan provides a 1 year Welding Techniques program that will teach you fundamental welding techniques and current theories. And a 2 year Welding and Fabrication Technician program that teaches you the advanced knowledge you need to begin a welding career.
15. Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
- Program Length: 2 years
- Location: 11762 – 106 Street Edmonton, AB, Canada, T5G 2R1
- Tuition:
- $253 per credit hour (Domestic Students)
- $743 per credit hour (International Student)
This program moves from foundational classes to advanced training that is in demand by industry. Interestingly, it is a direct pathway into apprenticeship trades training at NAIT without having to first be a registered apprentice.
16. George Brown College
- Program Length: 1 year
- Location: 175 Kendal Avenue, Toronto ON M5R 1M3
- Tuition:
- $8,447 (Domestic Students)
- $19,084 (International Students)
George Brown is among the best welding schools in Ontario with state-of-the-art welding labs featuring 26 stations and virtual welding simulations, which will help you to hone your skills in a controlled setting.
17. Sault College
- Program Length: 1 year
- Location: 443 Northern Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada, P6B 4J3
- Tuition:
- $2,716.50 per year (Domestic Students)
- $15,469.40 per year (International Students)
Just like other welding schools in Canada, Sault College will teach you the popular welding processes including Shielded Metal Arc Welder (SMAW or stick welder), Gas Metal Arc Welder (GMAW or MIG welder), Gas Tungsten Arc Welder (GTAW or TIG welder), and Flux Cored Arc Welder (FCAW).
18. College of New Caledonia – Welder Foundation
- Program Length: 1 year
- Location: 3330-22nd Ave. Prince George, BC, V2N 1P8
- Tuition: $4,084
Just like the name, you’ll be learning the basics of skilled welding which will enable you to operate welding equipment to weld ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
19. British Columbia Institute of Technology – Welding
- Program Length: Varies
- Location: 3700 Willingdon Ave. Burnaby, British Columbia
| Program | Welder Foundation | Welder Apprenticeship | Welding, Level A | Welding, Level B |
| Tuition (Domestic Students) | $5,035.80 | $4,854.68 (full program) | $157.87 (full program) | $157.87 (full program) |
You can see that BCIT provides different welding programs to accommodate different students, and all of them provide the training required for Provincial Welder certification.
20. Okanagan College – Welder Foundation
- Program Length: 28 weeks
- Locations: The Welder Foundation is offered in its four locations: Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, and Salmon Arm
- Tuition:
- $4,475.12 (Kelowna, Penticton, Salmon Arm)
- $4,533.92 (Vernon)
This is another class that is best for students with little or no previous experience in the welding trade because it supplies them with the necessary skills to seek employment in the welding industry as an apprentice or foundation welder.
21. Red Deer Polytechnic – Welder Apprenticeship
- Program Length: 3 years
- Location: 100 College Blvd | Red Deer | AB | T4N 5H5 | Canada
- Tuition: $4,354.5 ($1,451.5 per period)
This is one of the few welding Polytechnics in Canada that provides a 3-year welder apprenticeship program where you’ll spend a lot of your technical training in shops to support and apply the theory you learn in class.
22. RRC Polytech – Welding
- Program Length: 1 year
- Tuition:
- Domestic Students: $6,166 per year
- International students: $18,620 per year
In this 1-year program, you’ll learn to perform calculations, interpret blueprints and sketches, layout work, cut to layouts, and assemble and weld in all positions as required in the completion of work assignments.
23. Keyano College – Pre-Employment – Welder
- Program Length:
- Location: 8115 Franklin Avenue, Fort McMurray, Alberta, T9H 2H7
- Tuition:
- Domestic Students: $6,755 per year
- International students: $20,265 per year
This is one of the welding schools in Canada that will give you the skills needed to succeed in a welding entry-level position.
24. Great Plains College – Welding
- Program Length: 8 months
- Tuition: $7,565
This is among the Welding programs in Canada that provide knowledge and skill development in operating welding equipment and performing basic welding operations using current welding practices.
25. University of the Fraser Valley
- Duration:
- Welding Level A: 8 weeks
- Welding Level B: 16 weeks
- Welding foundation: 34 weeks
- Location: 33844 King Road, Abbotsford BC, Canada V2S 7M8
- Tuition: $148.50 per week
You can see that the University of the Fraser Valley provides 3 kinds of welding programs to suit different students; the Welding Level B and A and Welding Foundation.
26. College of the North Atlantic – Welder
- Locations: the program is offered in five different locations; Burin, Corner Brook, Labrador West, Placentia, Prince Philip Drive
- Program Length: 36 Weeks
This welding program offers training in joining and severing metals in beams, girders, vessels, piping, and other metal components.
27. Confederation College
- Program Length: 32 weeks
- Location: 1450 Nakina Drive, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, P7B 0E5
- Tuition:
- $2,780 (domestic students)
- $16,632 (international students)
This is one of the best welding schools in Ontario that will teach you the basics of conventional and new welding techniques, and you’ll watch yourself progress as your projects come to life.
28. Lambton College – Welding Techniques
- Program Length: One-Year
- Location: 1457 London Road, Sarnia, ON, N7S 6K4
- Tuition: $4,100.94
This welding program in Ontario covers the core content found in the first level of the Welder (456A) and Metal Fabricator (437A) apprenticeship programs in Ontario.
29. Mohawk College – Mechanical Techniques (Welding and Fabrication)
- Program Length: 1 academic year
- Location: 135 Fennell Avenue West, Hamilton, ON
- Tuition:
- $1,354.04 per semester (domestic students)
- $8,805 per semester (international students)
This is among the welding schools in Canada that will start by teaching you intro to the first level of the in-school curriculum of the Welder trade then progress through to an introduction to fabrication, aligned to current industry standards.
30. North Island College – Welder Foundation Harmonized Certificate
- Program Length: 28 weeks
- Location: Campbell River, Port Alberni
You’ll Earn level 1 and 2 technical training credit and work-based training hours toward your Interprovincial (Red Seal) certification by enrolling in this program.
31. Durham College
- Program Length: Four semesters
- Location: 1610 Champlain Avenue, Whitby, ON, Canada L1N 6A7
- Tuition:
- $2,722 per year (domestic students)
- $14,530 per year (international students)
This is one of the best welding colleges in Ontario that won’t only be training you to become skilled in multiple welding processes but will also teach you how to read blueprints and metal fitting.
32. Georgian College
- Program Length: 1 year
- Location: One Georgian Dr., Barrie ON L4M 3X9
- Tuition:
- $3,384.33 per semester (domestic students)
- $7,145 per semester (international students)
Besides the usual course outline that most other best welding schools in Canada provide, Georgian College also provides you the experience in safe work practices and weld inspection methods from well-seasoned, experienced Canadian Welding Bureau-qualified instructors.
33. Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies
- Location: Regina and Saskatoon
- Program Length: Varies
- Tuition:
- Welding Applied Certificate (includes Apprenticeship Level 1): $3,265
- Welding Certificate (includes Apprenticeship Level 1 and 2): $5,077
- Apprenticeship Level 2 Technical Training: $735
- Apprenticeship Level 3 Technical Training: $840
You can see that SIIT provides different welding programs with varying duration
34. Stanford International College of Business and Technology – Welder Training (Part-time)
- Program Length: 27 Weeks
If you’re looking for a welding program for part-time students, this is one of the best options. You’ll also be involved in classroom theory that covers technical material and blueprints and practical hands-on training.
35. Thompson Rivers University
- Program Length: Varies
- Location: 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8 Canada
- Course Cost:
- Introduction to Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG): $579
- Introduction to Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG): $629
Besides the fact that Thompson Rivers University provides different introductory welding courses for students, it also Welder Testing and Upgrading.
36. Suncrest College
- Program Length: 35 Weeks
- Location: Yorkton (TTC)
- Tuition:$6,600 (Domestic)
- Yorkton (TTC)
In this program, you’ll be spending 75% of your time in Suncrest College’s welding shop learning from highly qualified instructors. You’ll learn to work on your own and as part of a team.
37. Surrey Schools – Welding
- Program Length: 28 weeks
- Location: 92 Avenue, Surrey, B.C. Canada V3V 0B7
This is among the welding schools in Canada that provide Level 1 and 2 Foundation Training and a Kwantlen Polytechnic University Certificate of Completion.
38. Medicine Hat College – Welder Apprenticeship
- Program Length: 3 Years
- Location: 299 College Drive SE, Medicine Hat, AB
This is one of the few welder apprenticeship programs offered in Canada which provides qualified instructors in their newly renovated space and offers the most up-to-date technology in the industry.
39. Collège Boréal – Welding Techniques
- Program Length: 2 semesters
- Location: 21 Lasalle Blvd. Sudbury ON P3A 6B1
This program prepares students to work in the steel product manufacturing and welding industries, as well as in construction, mining and forestry.
40. College of the Rockies
- Program Length: 5 to 28 weeks (depending)
- Location: 2700 College Way, Box 8500, Cranbrook B.C, V1C 5L7
College of the Rockies provides two kinds of welding programs a 28-week Welding Foundation program; and an Apprenticeship program that has varying duration depending on the level.
Key Takeaway
There you have it, you can now easily choose which welding school in Canada can serve your goals, learning style, and budget, and provide the best pathway to join one of Canada’s welding industries. We’ve provided the length of each program, tuition, and location to help you decide on the right welding school for you.
