The MTI Way International Driver Training Program

This 27 week program provides students with the skills and knowledge to become entry level Class 1 Professional Drivers in Canada.

Course Overview

Professional Truck Drivers are needed in Canada and some trucking companies are hiring foreign drivers. Which companies are hiring and how many drivers are needed is constantly changing. Foreign drivers must be sponsored by a trucking company to receive a work permit as a Temporary Foreign Worker to work legally in Canada. Trucking companies recruit drivers from different countries and most of those drivers then need to get a Canadian license when they arrive in Canada.

The MTI Way International Driver Training Program offers you the opportunity to come to Canada and achieve your Canadian Driver’s License, even without having any prior truck driving experience, before applying for jobs in Canada. Having your Canadian truck drivers license prior to applying for employment does not guarantee you will get a job in Canada but it will make you more desirable to hire for Canadian companies. As an entry level Professional Driver it will be more difficult to get a job in Canada and in most cases you will need to return to your home country and gain additional experience, before a Canadian Trucking Company will consider hiring you. It’s important to remember that you are coming to a new country and the rules for driving and trucking will be different than what you are used to. Employers expect you to be able to perform to Canadian standards and this will require you to learn new information, adapt your skills and behave in a Professional manner at all times.

Admission Requirements

Applications for The MTI Way International Driver Training Program will be opening soon, stay tuned!

Even if you have little to no commercial driving experience, this course will provide you with the knowledge to meet the expectations of Canadian employers as an entry-level professional driver and the training to obtain your Canadian Class 1 Driver’s Licence. This course will take 27 weeks to complete and requires that you obtain a Canadian Study Visa prior to coming to Canada.

Mountain Transport Requires:

A valid Canadian Study Visa for the 27-week duration of this program
Proof you have a minimum of 2 years of non-learner driving experience from your home country
- Bringing the original documents to Canada with you is critical to getting your drivers license in Canada
- We will ask you to provide MTI admissions staff with electronic copies before you travel so we can verify you have the required documents
Study and Memorization of ICBC's "Driving Commercial Vehicles Manual" prior to leaving your home country

For full steps and details regarding admissions, please read our International Admissions page.

ICBC Requires:

A current driver's license showing at least two years of driving or the issue date of your first license
An original driver license record or letter of experience document that shows at least two years of driving. You can combine documents from multiple jurisdictions to reach the two-year requirement.

If you choose to provide a driver license record or letter of experience, it must:

Be original (photocopies and email printouts are not accepted), or a copy of the
original that has been approved and stamped by the licensing body.
Be signed by or on the letterhead of a verifiable licensing body.
Include the name, address and phone number of the licensing body.
Include your name, birth date, driver's license number (or other unique identifier) and class of license(s) held.
Indicate the date your license was originally issued.

If your document is not in English, you'll need to get it translated by an ICBC-approved translator. All documents must be translated from original documents or from a copy of the original that has been approved and stamped by a driver licensing office. The original or stamped and approved copy of the original must also be presented when submitting a translated document to a driver licensing office. Fees and services vary for each translator; please contact them for more information.

When you arrive in Castlegar the first step in licensing will be to gain your learner permit to drive a car and MTI will help you to prepare for that with our PTD 101 course.

Course Outline

PTD 101 - Automobile Operation in Canada

Duration: 2 Weeks

Minimum 40 Hours Classroom

This minimum 40 hour, 2-week course begins with a 1-day orientation for international students and prepares the students to challenge the ICBC Class 5 written exam.

PTD 102 - Automobile Operation in Canada Practical

Duration: 4 Weeks

Minimum 40 Hours BTW + Minimum 40 Hours Observation

This minimum 80 hour, 4-week course prepares the students for their Class 5 practical evaluation with ICBC. Students also learn advanced skills such as highway, mountain and (when available) winter driving. Training will be conducted in urban, rural, highway and mountain environments.

Many International students struggle with the legal and cultural expectations of driving in North America. Gaining mastery of right of way rules and how to interact safely and courtesy with the other road users. These are foundational skills that help to prepare students for PDT 104.

PTD 103 - Commercial Vehicle Operation In Canada

Duration: 4 Weeks

Minimum 80 Hours Classroom

This minimum 80-hour, 4-week course, prepares the students for their Class 1 and Air Brakes written exam at ICBC. The in-depth review of this information continues the students journey to understand and integrate into the driving styles and expected behaviours on the roadways of North America. This information lays the foundation for the British Columbia MELT program.

PTD 104 - MELT Bobtail Operations

Duration: 4 Weeks

Minimum 40 Hours BTW + Minimum 40 Hours Classroom/Yard

This minimum 80-hour, 4-week program begins the journey to become an entry level professional driver with a combination of classroom, yard and hands on driving of bobtail tractors. The integration of information across the three learning environments provides all learning styles with the opportunity to retain and practice the skills and knowledge being taught.

PTD 105 - MELT Tractor Trailer Operations

Duration: 8 Weeks

100 Hours BTW + 60 Hours Classroom/Yard/Observation

This 160-hour, 8-week program builds off the basic bobtail operations in PDT 104 minimum and adds a semi trailer. On road operations include both empty and loaded tandem axle trailer as well as loaded tridem operations in the mountains. The classroom training and testing is completed in this portion of the program and skills evaluations in the yard and on the road begin.

PTD 106 - MELT Advanced Tractor Trailer Operations

Duration: 4 Weeks

Minimum 60 Hours BTW + Minimum 20 Hours Observation

This minimum 80-hour, 4-week program expands the student’s skillset with more challenging driving, use of multi trailer combinations and heavier loads. Yard and driving skills evaluations are completed during this program.

PTD 107 - ICBC Road Test Preparation

Duration: 1 Week

Minimum 20 Hours BTW/Yard as required

This minimum 20-hour program provides an opportunity for final preparation for the ICBC government road-test. This includes the scheduling of the road test for the student as well as the use of and instructor support on road test day.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition

Non-Refundable Application Fee	$500
Registration Fee*	$13,500
Total Tuition	$54,000

Tuition Payment

Deposit*	$20,000
Prior to End of Week 10	$20,000
Prior to End of Week 20	$14,000
Total	$54,000

*The Registration Fee must be paid prior to a letter of acceptance being issued. If the student is unable to obtain a Study Visa, the registration fee will be refunded less a 10% processing fee. Upon successfully obtaining a Study Visa the registration fees will be applied directly to your deposit.

Additional Fees

ICBC Fees:

Class 5 Learners Written KnowledgeTest	$15
Class 5 Road Test	$50
Class 5 License	$75
Class 1 Learners Written Knowledge Test	$15
Class 1 Road Test	$60
Medical Processing Fee	$28
Updated License Fee	$17

Doctor's Medical Examination:

$100 - $200

Meals and Accommodations are the responsibility of the student. Once you receive your study permit approval, our staff will work with you to find suitable accommodations.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the MTI way International Driver Training Program will have obtained a British Columbia Class 1 drivers license with Air Brake endorsement. The training they receive will provide them with the skills necessary to be considered an entry level Professional Driver in Canada. Further training and Professional development will be required to further improve your mastery of the skills needed to be an elite member of the transportation community. Professional drivers are on a life long learning path as technology and equipment is constantly changing.

Graduation from the MTI Way International Student program does not get you a work permit. It provides you with the opportunity to be added to a Canadian trucking companies LMIA. Carriers are looking for drivers who are landed in Canada with a Canadian license to immediately take spots on their open LMIA’s. The number and location of job opportunities will vary from time to time, and you will need to apply directly to the company with the opportunity. If a job is not ready for you to take on immediately, you may have to return to your home Country (with your Canadian driver’s license) and apply to Canadian jobs from there.

This course is not currently eligible for the Post Graduation Work Permit Program.