Canadian Coast Guard Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) student program (Summer 2027)

Gear Up, Save Lives, Make a Difference. Apply to be a crew member of the Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) student program.

What you will gain

• training in search and rescue operations;
• rewarding real-world experience in delivering on-water search and rescue; 
• experience working with local agencies during rescues and other incidents;
• opportunities for professional growth and leadership roles;
• development of professional networks, including with other students;
• access to many exciting and rewarding career opportunities with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).

What you will do

Search and Rescue operations can occur at any time of the day or night, during all types of weather and sea conditions. As part of a crew, you have the serious responsibility of responding to mariners in distress or need of assistance, including but not limited to:

• vessels that are disabled, aground, capsized, broken down, lost in the fog, taking on water;
• persons overboard;
• medical emergencies.

At minimum, each IRB crew consists of one (1) Coxswain and two (2) crew members.

When will you work?

• Summer contract period will range from the end of April 2027 to early September 2027 (may vary by location and operational needs).
• Crews operate on a rotating schedule of 14 consecutive days of work followed by 14 days of rest. During your 14 days of work, you will live and work with your crew. Regional differences may apply.
  • To maintain pay continuity throughout the contract period, payment is averaged over both days of work and days of rest.
• Lodging and a shared meal budget will be provided during your scheduled work periods. CCG does not provide living arrangements or meals during off-duty periods.

Where will you work?

The Canadian Coast Guard's Inshore Rescue Boat Service operates 25 stations across Canada.

During your application, you will be asked to indicate your preferred region for employment. Due to operational requirements, please note that your training location as well as your assigned location for search and rescue operations may differ from your initial preference. Geographic flexibility is therefore required for the entire duration of the process and the employment period.

To learn more about station locations, please visit the Inshore Rescue Boat station locations page.

Atlantic Region Stations (Dartmouth and St. John’s)

• Maritimes: the stations are located in Saint John (NB), Shediac (NB), Halifax (NS), Mahone Bay (NS), Pictou (NS) and Charlottetown (PE).
• Newfoundland & Labrador (NL): the stations are located in Conception Bay South, Terra Nova National Park, and Lewisporte.

Central Region Stations (Québec and Sarnia)

• Great Lakes (ON): the stations are located on Gereaux Island, in Twelve Mile Bay, in Corunna, St. Williams, on Hill Island, and in Mitchell’s Bay.
• St. Lawrence (QC): the stations are located in Saint-Anicet, Vaudreuil, Beaconsfield, Longueuil, Sorel, and Trois-Rivières.

Western Region Stations (Victoria)

• Victoria (BC): the stations are located in Nootka Sound, Sointula, Cortes and Kelsey Bay.

What we are looking for

We are looking for full-time post-secondary students who:

• are reliable, calm, and able to make safe and sound decisions in a high stress environment;
• are hardworking and motivated people who are eager, willing to learn, and ready to work in difficult conditions;
• are fluent in French to work in the province of Québec and fluent in English to work in all other regions;
• have general knowledge of marine safety.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible for the IRB student program, you must meet and be able to provide proof of the following requirements:

• be registered as a full-time student in a post-secondary accredited academic institution, this includes persons with disabilities considered to have full-time status by their academic institution;
• meet the minimum age requirement to be employed in the province or territory of work;
• be returning to full-time studies in the next academic term, in Fall 2027 session.

Preference will be given to candidates with Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status over non‑Canadians who are eligible to work in Canada. See the Directive on Student Employment for more information on the Government of Canada's requirements for student employment.

For more information on eligibility, please visit Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP).

All information collected during the selection process, including behaviour and communication, from the time of application to the end of the process, may be used to assess candidates and make hiring decisions.

Conditions of employment

You must meet and maintain the following conditions during employment:

1. Applicants are responsible for obtaining the following:

• • a valid Standard First Aid certification with CPR-C/AED certification, or accepted equivalent certification;
  • a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card or accepted certificate of equivalency;
  • a valid Restricted Radio Operator Certificate - Maritime (ROC-M) with VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) endorsement;
  • a valid unrestricted driver’s license* that allows you to drive a motor vehicle in Canada. *Note: A valid driver’s licence is a full driver’s licence. This does not include a driver’s licence with restrictions as part of any provincial graduated licencing. You will be asked to present an original, unrestricted driver’s licence.

2. If your application is selected, CCG will coordinate the following:

• successfully complete the National IRB marine knowledge exam and interview;
• successfully complete the IRB Program assessment;
• obtain and maintain a reliability security status; Learn about the security screening process.
• complete and meet the standards of a Health Canada Medical exam which includes a:
  • hearing test
  • physical examination
  • colour-vision examination;
• successfully complete the paid training course (approximately 16 days) on water and in the classroom, including written and practical examinations, that certifies candidates in:
  • Marine Advanced First Aid (MAFA) or Advanced Medical First Responder (AMFR) (may vary depending on training location)
  • CCG Small Craft Training Basic Course
    • Marine Emergency Duties – Small non-pleasure domestic vessel basic safety (SDV-BS)
    • Small Vessel Operator Proficiency (SVOP) training
  • CCG Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training (RHIOT) course (may vary depending on training location)

3. Applicants must also:
   • Maintain strict adherence to the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces Code of Values and Ethics, Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector, Directive on Conflict of Interest, and Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAOD) 7021-1, Conflict of Interest.
   • work full-time hours and various shifts, including weekends and holidays;
   • work overtime as required;
   • be redeployed to another rescue station during employment if necessary, based on operational needs.
   • wear and maintain the provided CCG uniform to CCG uniform standards;
   • use and maintain all personal protective equipment when in the operational field as per CCG policies and directives;
   • adhere to the IRB Operational Standing Orders and Standard Operating Procedures.

Additional information

• The Canadian Coast Guard is a special operating agency within the Department of National Defence. Effective September 1, 2025, the Canadian Coast Guard has transferred from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to the Department of National Defence (DND) by Order-in-Council.
• It is your responsibility to verify your email, including monitoring your junk/spam folders, for new communication regarding this selection process, and to inform us of any change of address, phone number and email address by contacting DFO.CCGStudentRecruitmentProgram-ProgrammeDeRecrutementGCC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
• If you are not notified by the end of January 2027, you will not be considered for summer 2027 positions; we encourage you to re-apply next year if you still meet the eligibility requirements.
• A pool of qualified candidates will be established from this selection process, but not all applicants will be hired.
• Candidates can expect to receive communications within 1 week of the closing date.
• Information about lodging and meals during training will be provided by regional Coast Guard staff. No employment is granted until all parts of the training have been successfully completed

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Department of National Defence is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive team that reflects Canada's population. To achieve a representative workforce, selection may be based on qualified candidates self-declaring as belonging to one or more of the designated groups: Indigenous Peoples, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and women. We encourage you to indicate if you belong to any of the designated groups when you apply.

To learn more, visit our website on Self-declaring for Government of Canada jobs.

Giving you the best chance to succeed!

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Coast Guard are committed to running inclusive and barrier-free recruitment processes.

At every step, from the application process to the end of the assessment process, accommodation measures or adjustments are available to you.

Tell us what you need. Examples include accessible environments, different formats, larger fonts, adaptive technology, extra time, individual testing, and more.

Accommodation measures are designed to remove barriers to a fair assessment and allow candidates to fully demonstrate their competencies.

 For more information on accommodation measures, please consult the following link: Applying for Government of Canada jobs: Testing and accommodation measures.

 All information received regarding accommodations is confidential.

To request accommodation measures or adjustments, and for any questions about the process or the position, please contact us at: DFO.CCGStudentRecruitProgram-ProgrammederecrutdetudiantsGCC.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Deadline to apply: November 2, 2026