Let's Explain what an Occupational Scuba Diver is.
An Occupational SCUBA Diver is a professional diver who performs underwater work as part of their paid job, typically following government-regulated safety and training standards. These divers use scuba gear (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), but unlike recreational divers, their dives are work-focused, risk-assessed, and legally regulated.
Here’s a breakdown of what defines an Occupational SCUBA Diver:
They Dive for Work, Not for Fun
Occupational SCUBA Divers are hired to perform specific tasks underwater, such as:
They Dive for Work, Not for Fun
In Alberta (and across Canada), occupational diving falls under Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) regulations. These laws define::
Working outside these regulations—even with good intentions—can be illegal and dangerous.
Occupational Divers Have Specialized Training
While a recreational Search & Recovery specialty course is valuable, it does not qualify you to work as an occupational diver. Occupational SCUBA Divers typically complete:
Why Does All This Matters
If someone hires a recreational diver to perform an underwater recovery (like retrieving a lost phone or checking a boat propeller), they could be putting the diver at serious risk and breaking safety laws—even with good intentions.
The Bottom Line
If money or work is involved, diving becomes occupational diving, and that’s a different world from recreational diving.
Hire trained, certified commercial divers. Recreational divers dive for fun, not for hire.
