Exceptions to Instructor Course Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Exceptions

The Canadian Red Cross provides a formal process to obtain official exceptions to Instructor course eligibility requirements.  

Letters of Exception to the Canadian Red Cross First Aid Program Standards may be requested when an Instructor course candidate holds certifications, or has experience, that may be deemed equivalent to the eligibility requirements listed in the Canadian Red Cross First Aid Program Standards.

This process was formerly referred to as a Prior Learning Assessment Review (PLAR), however the PLAR process has been replaced by the current Letter of Exception policy.

Exceptions to Required Qualifications

If you have experience and Certifications that you believe are equivalent in scope and nature to the eligibility requirements for an Instructor Development course, you may qualify for a Letter of Exception.

You must contact the Canadian Red Cross directly to request an official Letter of Exception to the normally required qualifications.

Your facilitating Instructor Development Center is not directly involved with the Letter of Exception request or approval process.

Unless you provide Medi-Pro with an official Letter of Exception, completed and signed by a designated Canadian Red Cross staff member, you will be required to obtain the prerequisite certifications, as listed in the Canadian Red Cross Program Standards.

The Letter of Exception approval process can be lengthy, so you should begin the process as soon as possible.

     

Request for Exception

You will need to contact the Canadian Red Cross National Contact Center (NCC) yourself to request a Letter of Exception to the Instructor course eligibility qualifications normally required by the Program Standards.

Medi-Pro First Aid is not directly involved with the Letter of Exception request or approval process.

The Letter of Exception approval process can be lengthy, so you should begin the process as soon as possible.

Canadian Red Cross National Contact Center (NCC)

• 1-877-356-3226
• myrcsupport@redcross.ca

     

Letter of Exception

If your request for an exception is approved, you will receive a letter of confirmation outlining the parameters and nature of this exception from the Canadian Red Cross.

Your official Letter of Exception should include the following...

1. For which Instructor Development courses your current qualifications render you eligible
2. What additional steps and conditions, if any, will accompany the exception
3. Date of issuance and expiration date for the exception (Letters of Exception are generally valid for one year)
4. Name and contact information of the Canadian Red Cross staff member authorizing the exception

Verbal confirmation of your eligibility with a Canadian Red Cross representative is not sufficient.

     

Submit Exception Letter

Once you have received an official letter of exception from the Canadian Red Cross, you will need to email a copy of the letter to your Instructor-Trainer and/or the Instructor Development Center providing your Instructor course.

Letters of Exception are usually attached to an email received from a Canadian Red Cross staff member, as a PDF document.

In some cases, your Letter of Exception may be embedded in the body of the email that you receive from the Canadian Red Cross representative.

Your Instructor-Trainer cannot approve your Instructor course registration based on this exception until they receive the official authorization letter as issued to you in writing by the Canadian Red Cross.