Basic Requirements

To apply for a job as a Regular Member of the RCMP, you must meet the following basic requirements:

• Be a Canadian citizen;
• Be of good character;
• Be proficient in English or French;
• Have a Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or equivalent;
• Possess a valid, unrestricted Canadian driver's licence;
• Be at least 19 years of age at the time of engagement (may apply at 18 years of age);
• Meet medical/health standards;
• Be willing to relocate anywhere in Canada; and
• Be physically fit.

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Canadian citizen:
You must be a Canadian citizen. If you were born outside of Canada, you must become a Canadian citizen before applying to the RCMP. For more information, visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site at www.cic.gc.ca

Good character:
The conduct of an applicant is observed during the entire recruiting process and they will be advised of the behavior standards which will be expected of them throughout the application process and throughout their career as a Regular Member of the RCMP, if they are accepted for training and hired as Peace Officers.  They will be required to acknowledge an understanding of the expectations and responsibilities identified, and will be held to account to these expectations.  These expectations regarding conduct will also apply to you while you are off-duty.

Proficient in English or French:
You must be able to speak, write, comprehend and read either French or English. You do not need to be bilingual.

Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or equivalent:
You must have a secondary school (high school) diploma. If your education was obtained outside Canada, you must get an equivalency assessment. Contact your local recruiting office for more information on how to obtain this assessment.

If you did not complete secondary school, you must obtain an equivalency assessment. For more information, contact your local board of education or adult learning centre to be assessed and take a General Educational Development (GED) test.

Valid Canadian driver's licence:
To write the RCMP Police Aptitude Test (RPAT) a valid, unrestricted Canadian driver's licence is required.

A valid, unrestricted Canadian driver's licence means that you have full driving privileges in the province the licence was issued. If your driving has been limited, it would be to your advantage to gain more experience before attending the Cadet Training Program.

Be at least 19 years of age at the time of engagement (may apply at 18 years of age):
At 18, you can apply to the RCMP and go through the selection process and basic training. However, you must be 19 years old to be hired as a Regular Member.

Meet medical/health standards:
You must meet minimal medical standards as assessed by RCMP Health Services. This includes a full medical, laboratory test(s), and physical, vision, dental, hearing (audiogram) and psychological examinations.

Willing to relocate anywhere within Canada:
As Canada's national police service, the RCMP offers a career with unparalleled mobility. With hundreds of detachments across Canada, RCMP members have the chance to experience life in many parts of Canada, and work at different levels of policing - municipal, provincial and federal. When you graduate from the RCMP Academy, you must be willing to relocate to any one of our urban or rural detachments.

With very few exceptions, new Regular Members are not posted to Quebec or Ontario.

Physically fit:
Police work is physically demanding. It is extremely important to achieve and maintain a high level of fitness before entering the Cadet Training Program. Our training program is not designed to get you into shape, but rather to prepare you for the rigours of policing. If you arrive in less than good physical condition, you will start training at a distinct disadvantage.

Not only will you increase your risk of injury, you will struggle with both the physical and academic aspects of the Cadet Training Program.

It's important that you start working on your fitness now! See the PARE section of our web site for more information on how to prepare.

Required documents

During the application process, you will be asked to produce the following documents:

• birth certificate;
• social insurance number;
• a statement of driving record and a valid driver’s licence;
• resume;
• secondary school diploma and transcript of marks; and
• if not born Canadian, certification of Canadian citizenship.

You will need the following certificate prior to attending the Cadet Training Program:

• a valid standard first aid certificate, including CPR for infant, child and adult (valid for the duration of the Cadet Training Program) from an organization approved under the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

To view the list of organizations visit Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

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FAQs

I am a Canadian Citizen, but I live outside Canada, can I still apply?
Unfortunately, the recruiting process is conducted in Canada only. If you meet the basic requirements and wish to apply to become a Regular Member of the RCMP, you will have to travel to Canada at your own expense.

What kind of courses should I take in high school, college or university to prepare for a career as a regular member with the RCMP?
The RCMP does not recommend one course of study over another. While one of the basic requirements is a high school diploma or equivalent, we hire applicants from all educational background and areas of study. The RCMP also promotes and encourages continuous learning.

What if I was educated outside of Canada?
If your education was obtained outside of Canada, you will require an equivalency assessment. You may obtain this equivalency through the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials Web site. An applicant can also obtain a provincial department of education accepted High School Equivalency Certificate.