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Equivalent first aid certificates

Learn your options for fulfilling the mandatory requirement to hold a first aid, or equivalent qualification, on a domestic commercial vessel.

Marine Order 505 (Certificates of competency – national law) 2022 requires that you hold a certificate that meets the requirements of unit of competency HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, or another certificate that we consider to be equivalent. Most first aid certificates will expire after 3 years and we won’t accept expired first aid certificates.

HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation does not meet the requirement for Provide first aid and will not be accepted.

The following certificates are considered equivalent to HLTAID011:

  1. A current HLTAID003 Provide first aid.
  2. A current HLTAID004 Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting.
  3. A current HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an education and care setting certificate.
  4. A current HLTAID006 Provide advanced first aid certificate
  5. A current HLTAID014 Provide Advanced First Aid certificate.
  6. A current HLTAID005 Provide first aid in remote situations certificate.
  7. A current HLTAID013 Provide First Aid in remote or isolated site certificate.
  8. A current IMCA Diver medic technician certificate / Certificate IV in hyperbaric operations (Diver medical technician).
  9. A current certificate of registration under the Medical Board of Australia as a medical practitioner.
  10. A current AHPRA certificate of registration as a nurse or midwife.
  11. A current AHPRA certificate of registration as a paramedic
  12. Elementary first aid STCW VI/1 and code section A-V1/1, table A-VI/1-3 .
  13. Medical first aid STCW VI/4 (1) and code section A-VI/4 paragraphs 1 to 3.
  14. Medical care on board ship STCW VI/4 (2) and code section A-VI/4 paragraphs 4 to 6.
  15. A current New Zealand First aid certificate unit standards 6400, 6401, 6402 – or refresher training certificate unit standards 6400, 26551, 26522.

Important Disclaimer

These instructions are summary information only. We make decisions about seafarer certificates under Marine Order 505 (Certificates of competency — national law) 2022 . Please refer to this document for full details of eligibility and other requirements for certificate applications.

Last updated: 10 November 2023