Lt(Navy) Michael Cormie
Fleet Diving Unit(Pacific)

  • Twelve new clearance divers graduated Oct 10 from Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) after completing the RQS1 course
  • Divers are trained in deep-sea mine disposal, underwater repairs, salvage operations, and explosive ordnance disposal across Canada and abroad.
  • The RCN is encouraging motivated members to challenge the Clearance Diver Assessment Centre (CDAC) and pursue one of the Navy’s most exciting careers.

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After 13 months of training above and beneath ocean waves, 12 new clearance divers are surfacing with pride.

On Oct 10 at Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific) (FDU(P)), students from the 2025 Clearance Diver Rank Qualification Sailor First Class (RQS1) course will officially graduate. These graduates are set to receive official clearance diver dolphin pins as a symbol of their accomplishment. Among the graduating class is Sailor Third Class (S3) Thomas Fournier, who joined the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) through the 2023 Naval Experience Program (NEP). S3 Fournier, originally from Muskoka, Ontario, then challenged the Clearance Diver Assessment Centre (CDAC) in Feb 2024. The CDAC manages the screening, evaluation, and selection for those looking to join the Clearance Diver RQS1 course.

“My experience on the clearance diver course was the best year of my life. I had an amazing time. There were lots of opportunities for self development, professional-development, and team cohesion,” said S3 Fournier. “Everyone I worked with was very helpful and supportive of working through challenges. Overall, my experience was very positive. I have developed as a person in many, many ways, and I am ready to add to wherever I go as a clearance diver.”

Clearance divers are the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) deep-sea mine disposal specialists. As such, they dive with various equipment including the Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus (CABA), the Rebreather, and the Surface Supplied Breathing Apparatus (SSBA) to carry out duties. Clearance divers also operate recompression chambers to support diving operations and support Health Services with recompression treatments and submarine search and rescue (SUBSAR). Additional duties include maintaining diving equipment for all CAF diving teams, including Search and Rescue technicians and combat divers.

Following graduation, some graduates are set to begin their careers at the School of Diving, where aspiring CAF divers are trained. Other graduates plan to provide underwater repairs and maintenance support to His Majesty’s Canadian (HMC) ships and participate in salvage and mine countermeasure operations. Notably, clearance divers are also trained for advanced conventional munitions disposal to meet the CAFs’ domestic explosive ordnance disposal mandate. This often requires divers (frequently those with the rank of Sailor First Class) to deploy across B.C. to recover military ordnance and, when necessary, safely dispose of it using explosives.

S3 Fournier is prepared to deploy on various operations and exercises. These may include mine countermeasures executed on Operation (Op) REASSURANCE in the Baltic or Black Sea, the disposal of historical Second World War ordnances on Pacific islands during Op RENDER SAFE, or working alongside Canada’s Indo-Pacific allies on Op HORIZON.

“We’re always looking for fit, smart, and motivated people to become Clearance Divers,” said Lt(Navy) Michael Cormie of FDU(P). “We’re in a period of reconstitution, where we are focused on increasing the amount of clearance divers available to support CAF operations. I encourage people to apply for what’s arguably one of the best jobs in the Navy.”

Voluntary Occupation Transfer to the role of a clearance diver is open to all non-commissioned member (NCM) trades, with or without previous diving qualifications and experience. Changes are also being introduced for officers seeking to become Clearance Diving Officers (CLDO), with all officers (regular or reserve) now able to challenge the CDAC to become a CLDO, regardless of trade. For those interested in challenging the CDAC:

  • Deadline to submit a Component Transfer package is Oct 31 for Reservists.
  • Deadline to submit a Voluntary Occupation Transfer package is Oct 17 for Regular Force members.