Markham, Ontario Hiring guide
Markham Firefighter Recruitment: Requirements & Hiring Process
Your guide to joining Markham Fire & Emergency Services
Department size
9 fire stations
Serving Markham
Operations firefighter recruitment
No active postings on our boardBoard listings update from our recruitment dashboard; they may not include every City opening.
Last official-source review: October 25, 2026 · 2027 recruitment: applications close November 1, 2026. This review is separate from board availability.
How to become a Markham firefighter
- 1
Check your mandatory certificates
Have accredited NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II, NFPA 1072 HazMat Operations and the specified current First Aid/CPR certificates ready before you apply.
- 2
Complete all three OFAI stages
Check every required assessment certificate, including both Stage Three components. For the 2027 recruitment, keep certifications valid through March 22, 2027 if selected to continue.
- 3
Prepare one clear application package
Put NFPA 1001 I & II and NFPA 1072 first among your certificates. Combine certifications into one file where possible, and check every upload before submitting.
- 4
Apply through Markham’s Career Centre
Complete the candidate profile, job questions, uploads and final review. Save your submission confirmation. The firefighter posting says submitted applications cannot be updated.
- 5
Get ready for assessments and offer-stage checks
Prepare for the City’s assessments and watch for your invitation. Arrange offer-stage checks when requested. If you don’t already hold DZ, you must obtain it within six months of hiring.
The department at a glance
Markham firefighters work from nine stations across a growing, diverse York Region community. Alongside emergency calls, you’ll train, help prevent fires, speak with residents and keep your crew’s equipment ready. Planning to apply? Start with your certificates and expiry dates. Markham requires current OFAI Stages 1, 2 and 3. The details labelled “2027 recruitment” below come from requisition 4883.
More than firefighting
Crews respond to fires, medical emergencies, rescues, vehicle collisions and hazardous materials incidents. Between calls, they train, plan for incidents, check apparatus and equipment, look after the station and teach fire safety. Explore the station directory, from Thornhill and Unionville to Cornell, to get to know the neighbourhoods you could serve.
Pay & working pattern
First-class firefighter — annual base rate · $123,567 per year
Effective January 1, 2026
Probationary pay: $74,140 annualized for months 0–6, then $80,319 for months 6–12. First-class annual base is $123,567 effective January 1, 2026. Source: the City/MPFFA 2024–2026 collective agreement, Appendix A, printed page 31. First-class pay is a later classification, not starting pay. Overtime and recognition pay are additional; check for a successor schedule after December 31, 2026.
Markham describes rotating 24-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays, averaging 42 hours per week. Crews live and work closely together, so reliability, shared station duties and respectful communication matter alongside emergency skills.
Current recruitment: the 2027 intake
Markham’s 2027 Probationary Firefighter recruitment opened in October 2026. Requisition 4883 closes November 1, 2026, with OFAI listing 11:59 PM. These details were reviewed October 25, 2026. Give yourself time to check every upload before submitting.
For this intake, OFAI Stages 1, 2 and 3 must be current when you apply. If you move forward, maintain them and First Aid/CPR through March 22, 2027. DZ can be obtained within six months of hiring. March 22 is a certificate deadline, not a confirmed start date.
A note on the opening date
Markham lists October 12, 2026 as the opening date; OFAI lists October 13. Both list a November 1 deadline, with OFAI giving 11:59 PM. Use the live City application portal for the final deadline.
Markham firefighter salary and probationary pay
First-class annual base pay is $123,567, effective January 1, 2026. Probationary pay is $74,140 annualized for months 0–6, then $80,319 for months 6–12. The later annual base rates are fourth class $86,497, third class $98,854 and second class $111,210. The probationary figures are annual rates, not six-month payments. Source: Appendix A of the 2024–2026 agreement, printed page 31. Overtime and recognition pay are additional. Advancement conditions and a successor agreement may affect later intakes. Firefighters work rotating 24-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays, averaging 42 hours per week.
Minimum qualifications
These requirements come from requisition 4883. Pay attention to when each item is needed: most certificates are required when you apply, DZ has a six-month allowance, and some checks come at the offer stage. Future postings may change the rules.
- 01Age, work eligibility and education
- Be at least 18, legally entitled to work in Canada, and have an Ontario Secondary School education or equivalent, or a higher level of education.
- 02NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II
- Hold both levels from a recognized accreditation board, such as IFSAC or ProBoard, when applying. Markham says applicants still obtaining required certifications will not be considered.
- 03NFPA 1072 HazMat Operations
- Have NFPA 1072 Hazardous Materials Operations when you apply. Awareness-only training doesn’t meet the Operations requirement. Ask the City about equivalency if your certificate names a different standard.
- 04Current OFAI Stages 1, 2 and 3
- All three stages must be current at application. For requisition 4883, applicants selected to proceed must maintain certification validity up to and including March 22, 2027. No expired Stage One exception is stated.
- 05First Aid and CPR
- The posting asks for Standard/Intermediate First Aid and CPR “C” HCP/BLS, valid when you apply and maintained through March 22, 2027. Check the level and expiry date. If your provider uses different wording, ask the City about equivalency. EMR isn’t listed as the minimum medical certificate.
- 06Ontario DZ licence: six-month allowance
- Have a valid Ontario Class DZ licence, or obtain it within six months of hiring. Your NFPA, OFAI and First Aid/CPR certificates are still required when you apply.
- 07Driving record
- If offered employment, you’ll need an abstract showing fewer than three demerit points and no more than two infractions, with a maximum of one moving and one non-moving conviction. Any demerit points must be within 12 months of removal from the licence. The City decides whether your record meets these limits.
- 08Medical readiness, hearing and immunization
- Be physically and mentally able to perform firefighter duties safely and have prescribed normal unaided hearing. If offered employment, provide immunization records for mumps, measles, rubella, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis B and tetanus. Follow the City’s instructions for medical documentation.
- 09Criminal record and vulnerable sector screening
- The posting requires applicants to be criminal-record free unless a pardon under the Criminal Records Act has been granted and not revoked. A satisfactory vulnerable sector screening is a condition of employment; it cannot be dated earlier than 30 days before the conditional offer and must accompany the signed job offer. Do not order it too early.
- 10English communication and shift availability
- Be able to communicate clearly in spoken and written English and work rotating 24-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays.
What strengthens your application
Markham lists these as preferred qualifications. You don’t need every asset. Pick the ones you can support with examples from your own experience.
Experience under pressure
Markham values experience in busy, stressful workplaces. Describe a time you had competing demands, how you chose what to do first and how you kept others informed.
Fire-related education
The City lists a Fire Protection Engineering Technician/Technology diploma and a Firefighter Pre-Service Education & Training Program as assets. You’ll still need the mandatory NFPA certifications and minimum school qualification.
Teaching and leadership
Coaching, teaching, counselling and recreation leadership can help you show how you explain a task, adapt to different people and support a group. Choose an example where you helped someone learn or succeed.
Languages and community connection
Additional languages, especially those widely spoken in Markham, and community volunteering are assets. Explain how you’ve helped people and why you want to serve this community.
Teamwork
Choose a team example where your contribution is clear. Explain how you worked with others, handled disagreement or responded to feedback.
Aptitude & physical testing
You’ll need OFAI certificates before applying, then complete Markham’s own selection process. For requisition 4883, Stages 1, 2 and 3 must be current at application and maintained through March 22, 2027 if you move forward. Check each certificate: they don’t all expire together.
FACT written assessment
The FACT covers reading, mathematical reasoning, map reading, writing and personal characteristics. OFAI describes 110 multiple-choice items, up to three hours and a pass/fail result. Markham requires a current certificate.
Hearing, vision and encapsulated treadmill
Hearing, vision and the encapsulated treadmill are separate assessments. Follow OFAI’s instructions for each, including the vision form, and make sure every certificate has been processed before you apply.
FPAT and technical skills
Stage Three includes both FPAT and the Firefighter Technical Skills Assessment. Markham requires the full stage, so check that you have both certificates.
Plan around the earliest expiry
OFAI lists two years for FACT, hearing and vision; six months for the encapsulated treadmill; and one year for FPAT and technical skills. You must pass both technical-skills sections. Check the expiry dates on your certificates and plan renewals around Markham’s March 22, 2027 requirement. Leave time for processing. The reviewed posting doesn’t require OFAI Stage Four swimming to apply.
Written test preparation
Getting ready for the FACT?
Try our free FACT practice test with original questions and explanations. Use it to work on the questions you find difficult. You’ll still need the official OFAI certificates and the required physical and medical assessments.
Try our free FACT practice testNeed the licence prerequisite?
Working toward DZ? Practise the separate Ontario Class D and air-brake knowledge tests alongside your driver training. You’ll still need to complete the official licensing tests.
Ontario Class D and Z written-test prepThe recruitment process
After screening, Markham invites selected applicants to further assessments. Requisition 4883 doesn’t give a fixed interview format or full timeline; your City invitation will explain the next step.
- 1
Apply online
Submit your cover letter, résumé, certificates, licences and other requested documents through the Career Centre before closing. Markham won’t consider incomplete applications or required certifications still in progress.
- 2
Application screening
The selection committee reviews minimum requirements and preferred qualifications. Meeting the minimums doesn’t guarantee an invitation. The City contacts applicants it is considering for interview or testing.
- 3
Further job-related assessments
Selection can include written, oral, physical/medical, practical and/or psychological testing. The posting doesn’t specify an MMI format or number of interviews. Read your invitation for what to expect.
- 4
Offer-stage checks and documents
Follow directions for immunization records, the driver’s abstract and satisfactory vulnerable sector screening. Submit the vulnerable sector check with the signed job offer, observing its date restriction. Applicants pay their own additional certificate, travel, testing and screening costs.
Check your inbox and junk folder for City emails, including messages sent through ADP. Markham says it can’t provide individual recruitment updates or feedback during the process. Use the City’s instructions for accommodations or any requested follow-up.
How should you organize your documents?
Put NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II and NFPA 1072 HazMat Operations first among your certificates, as the posting asks. Combine certifications into one file if possible. Markham doesn’t ask you to merge every application document into one PDF, and the reviewed sources didn’t give a firefighter-specific file-size limit.
Keep your cover letter and résumé ready for the portal. For the certificate package, start with the required NFPA documents, then add OFAI, First Aid/CPR and other requested licences or education records. That order after the NFPA documents is a suggestion to make the file easy to follow.
Open each file before uploading. Check that scans are readable, pages are complete, names match and expiry dates are easy to find. A simple filename such as Surname_Firstname_Certifications.pdf helps. Use the portal’s file types and size limits. You can’t update a submitted firefighter application, even if you later change your profile. Save the confirmation and a copy of what you sent.
Your application checklist
Use this preparation checklist alongside the current posting. Checking an item does not confirm eligibility.
Practical ways to prepare for Markham
Prepare examples of service, teamwork, communication, accountability, leadership and adapting to change—the behaviours named in Markham’s posting. Be clear about what you did and what happened. Include a time you accepted feedback or fixed a mistake.
Learn about the community. Look at the nine-station map and explore the neighbourhoods. Think about how you’d explain a fire-safety message to someone whose language, background or needs differ from yours. Draw on your own experience helping people.
Plan your tests and renewals together. Write down each assessment date, expiry date and next booking. The treadmill certificate lasts six months, so it may need attention sooner than the others. Read the pre-assessment guides and leave time for processing and any eligible renewals.
Set aside money and time for testing, certificates, travel and screening. Markham makes candidates responsible for these additional costs. Having a plan will make it easier to respond when an invitation arrives.
Hiring dates and recruitment history
The 2027 recruitment opened October 12, 2026, according to the City, and closes November 1; OFAI lists 11:59 PM. A start date, intake size and recurring application schedule weren’t confirmed in the sources reviewed. March 22, 2027 is the certificate-validity deadline. Watch Markham’s Career Centre and our Ontario recruitment directory for later openings.
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Common questions
Guidance for Markham applicants. Confirm details with the referenced official sources and current posting.
Do I need a DZ licence before applying to Markham?
For requisition 4883, you can apply with DZ or obtain it within six months of hiring. Your NFPA, OFAI and First Aid/CPR certificates must already be in place when you apply.
Can I apply while my NFPA or OFAI certifications are still in progress?
No. Markham won’t consider applicants still completing required certifications. You’ll need accredited NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II, NFPA 1072 HazMat Operations and current OFAI Stages 1, 2 and 3. A test booking isn’t enough.
Does Markham accept an expired FACT certificate, or FPAT without technical skills?
Requisition 4883 requires current certificates for all three OFAI stages, with no expired-FACT exception. Stage Three includes both FPAT and technical skills. If you move forward in the 2027 recruitment, maintain the certificates through March 22, 2027.
What First Aid and CPR certificates are required?
Standard/Intermediate First Aid and CPR “C” HCP/BLS, valid when you apply and maintained through March 22, 2027 for this intake. Check both the level and expiry date. Ask the City about equivalency if your provider uses different terms.
What driving record will Markham accept?
The posting asks for fewer than three demerit points and no more than two infractions, with a maximum of one moving and one non-moving conviction. Any demerit points must be within 12 months of removal from the licence. The abstract is provided if an employment offer is extended; the City determines whether the record meets its criteria.
What goes first in the certificate upload, and can I edit my application later?
Put NFPA 1001 Firefighter I & II and NFPA 1072 HazMat Operations first among your certificates. Markham asks candidates to combine certifications into one file if possible. Review every page before submitting: the firefighter posting says applications cannot be updated once submitted. Follow the live portal for file formats and size limits.
Is Markham hiring now, and when would I start?
As reviewed October 25, 2026, requisition 4883 is open for the 2027 recruitment and closes November 1, 2026; OFAI lists 11:59 PM. The reviewed sources do not confirm a hire date or complete selection timeline. March 22, 2027 is a certification-validity deadline, not a promised start date. After this vacancy closes, check the City for the next opportunity.
Go straight to the source
Reviewed against official Markham sources on October 25, 2026. Requirements, certificate validity and intake dates can change.
Firefighter Academy is an independent preparation platform and is not affiliated with Markham Fire & Emergency Services, the City of Markham or OFAI. This guide does not confirm eligibility or guarantee advancement or employment. Use the current official posting and your City instructions for decisions about your application. Hero photograph: Markham Civic Centre, Raysonho / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0.
Your next step
Plan your application to Markham Fire & Emergency Services
Confirm the City’s current requirements and application dates. Preparing for the written test? Start with independent practice.
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