Advanced College Diploma - Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Technology

The Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Technology advanced diploma is the three-year technologist route in building mechanical systems.

The technician foundation in refrigeration, heating, air conditioning and controls extends in the third year into design and analysis: HVAC system design and equipment selection, heating and cooling load calculation, duct and hydronic system design, energy modelling and building performance analysis, building automation system design and integration, commissioning and system balancing, sustainable and low-carbon mechanical design, and project management and estimating for mechanical work.

Load calculation and energy modelling are the skills that move graduates from service into design consulting. With Ontario buildings under increasing energy performance requirements, mechanical designers who can model and document performance are in growing demand.

One point international students should understand about Ontario trades: this program is a college credential, not an apprenticeship. It gives you the theory, shop skills and safety certifications employers want, and it can shorten an apprenticeship, but full trade qualification in Ontario runs through a registered apprenticeship with an employer sponsor and a certificate of qualification. Plan for that step rather than assuming graduation completes it.

Humber Polytechnic — formerly Humber College — is Ontario’s largest public college and a Designated Learning Institution (DLI O19376943122). The North campus in Etobicoke is its main site, running technology, engineering, health science, business and skilled trades programs in purpose-built labs and shops rather than lecture halls, with three intakes a year and the deepest employer network in the Greater Toronto Area.

Its field maps to CIP 47.0201 (HVAC and refrigeration technology). Important: this is a college credential rather than a degree, so it is not exempt from the November 2024 PGWP field-of-study restriction — eligibility depends on this CIP field appearing on IRCC’s eligible list when you apply. Humber publishes a PGWP-eligible program list with CIP codes; check it, and confirm with an Apply Study Visa counsellor before committing. IRCC makes the final decision.