PFI Professional Instructor Development Package:
Become a Professional Freediving Leader
The PFI Professional Instructor Development Package is a comprehensive training pathway designed for experienced freedivers who are ready to take the next step into leadership, safety supervision, and professional instruction.
Combining three of PFI's most important leadership-level programs, this package provides the knowledge, practical skills, rescue capabilities, teaching experience, and professional development necessary to progress from advanced safety diver to certified PFI Freediver Instructor.
Throughout the program, candidates will develop the confidence and competence to safely supervise freedivers, manage emergency situations, deliver effective instruction, and uphold the highest standards of professional freediving education.
Training combines classroom learning, confined water development, open water application, rescue evaluations, teaching presentations, and mentorship-based coaching designed to prepare candidates for real-world instructional environments.
This professional development pathway includes:
PFI Recreational Safety Freediver
PFI Assistant Freediver Instructor Development Course (IDC)
PFI Freediver Instructor Evaluation Course (IEC)
Whether your goal is to teach freediving professionally, become a stronger leader within your local community, support expedition and training operations, or deepen your understanding of safety and performance, this package provides a complete progression through the PFI leadership system.
***Registration Form at Bottom of Page***
DETAILS:
Location: Victoria or Campbell River
COST: $3500 + GST
2026 Course Dates:
AUG 2 - 12 - Victoria BC & Campbell River (based off visibility of waters at time of course)
Medical Forms are organized and managed by each student. Once registered students have a duty to support their program by completing their medical form with Doctor’s Stamp and Signature included SHOULD IT BE REQUIRED. If there are any questions regarding the medical form it’s the students’ duty to ask and be on top of it well prior to their course dates. Failure to organize your own medical form prior to your course is not grounds for rescheduling or cancelling your course with Bottom Dwellers.
Included Courses:
PFI Recreational Safety Freediver
The Recreational Safety Freediver course is the foundation of the PFI leadership pathway.
This advanced rescue and safety-focused program develops the skills required to effectively supervise and protect freedivers during training and recreational diving activities. Candidates learn to identify problems before they become emergencies, manage hypoxic events, conduct surface and subsurface rescues, perform lost diver procedures, and coordinate effective responses during freediving incidents.
The focus of this course is building confidence, situational awareness, rescue competency, and sound decision-making under pressure.
Key Topics
Surface and subsurface blackout management
LMC recognition and response
Rescue techniques and diver recovery
Lost diver procedures
Dynamic and static apnea supervision
Recovery breathing coaching
Safety equipment preparation
Recreational freediving safety systems
PFI Assistant Freediver Instructor Development Course (IDC)
The Instructor Development Course is designed to prepare candidates for instructional leadership roles within the PFI system.
Building upon the rescue and supervision skills developed during the Recreational Safety Freediver course, candidates begin learning how to effectively teach, supervise, evaluate, and mentor students in both confined and open water environments.
The IDC places significant emphasis on communication, presentation skills, student management, teaching methodology, risk management, and demonstration-quality performance.
Candidates will develop the ability to conduct briefings, teach practical skills, supervise training activities, and support certified instructors during freediving courses.
Key Topics
Teaching methodology
Student supervision and control
Professional communication
Classroom presentations
Pool and open water teaching presentations
Demonstration-quality skill execution
Risk management and liability awareness
Open water operational leadership
PFI Freediver Instructor Evaluation Course (IEC)
The Instructor Evaluation Course is the final step toward becoming a certified PFI Freediver Instructor.
During the IEC, candidates are formally evaluated on their ability to perform and teach all required freediving skills to professional standards. The course focuses on instructor readiness, leadership, judgment, communication, rescue competency, and educational effectiveness.
Candidates must demonstrate mastery in both teaching and practical skill performance while successfully completing a series of evaluations, presentations, rescue scenarios, and open water assessments.
Successful completion of the IEC qualifies candidates for certification as a PFI Freediver Instructor.
Key Topics
Instructor-level teaching evaluations
Confined water presentations
Open water teaching evaluations
Professional rescue assessments
Student supervision
Open water capacity evaluations
Standards and procedures knowledge
Instructor professionalism and ethics
Prerequisites
The PFI Professional Instructor Development Package is intended for experienced freedivers who are ready to advance into leadership, rescue, supervision, and instructional roles.
Because this package combines the Recreational Safety Freediver, Assistant Freediver Instructor Development Course (IDC), and Freediver Instructor Evaluation Course (IEC), candidates should possess strong foundational freediving skills, comfort in open water environments, and a commitment to professional-level training.
Minimum Prerequisites
To enroll in this package, candidates should:
Be at least 18 years of age (or meet minimum age requirements established by PFI).
Hold a current PFI Freediver certification or an equivalent certification from a recognized training agency.
Demonstrate strong swimming ability and overall watermanship.
Be in good physical condition and medically fit for freediving activities.
Be comfortable diving in open water environments and participating in rescue-focused training.
Possess a positive attitude toward teamwork, leadership, and professional development.
Required Certifications
Prior to completion of the instructor pathway, candidates must provide proof of:
Current Adult and Child Emergency Care certification (or equivalent).
Current Oxygen Administration certification (or equivalent where permitted by law).
Candidates who do not currently hold these certifications may be able to complete them as part of their overall instructor development pathway. Please contact us to discuss available options.
Recommended Experience
While not always mandatory, candidates will benefit from having:
Regular freediving experience in open water environments.
Experience diving with a buddy and participating in structured training sessions.
Familiarity with depth line training and recreational freediving safety procedures.
Candidate Assessment
Each candidate's experience and certification history may be reviewed prior to acceptance into the program. Equivalent certifications from other recognized freediving agencies may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If you are unsure whether your experience meets the prerequisites, we encourage you to contact us directly. We are happy to discuss your background and help determine the most appropriate pathway toward becoming a PFI Freediver Instructor.
Why Choose the PFI Professional Instructor Development Package?
PFI has long been recognized as one of the most respected freediving education systems in the world. Built upon a philosophy of safety, performance, and practical skill development, PFI instructors are known throughout the freediving community for their strong rescue capabilities, professional standards, and commitment to quality education.
By completing this package, candidates benefit from a structured progression that builds each level upon the last, creating stronger instructors through experience, repetition, and mentorship.
Benefits of the Full Package
Follow a complete and logical progression from safety diver to instructor
Develop industry-leading rescue and supervision skills
Build confidence in both confined and open water environments
Receive mentorship throughout the entire instructor pathway
Learn professional teaching and coaching techniques
Gain valuable leadership and communication skills
Train to internationally recognized PFI standards
Become part of a global community of professional freedivers and educators
Most importantly, this pathway develops instructors who are not only capable of teaching freediving skills, but who can confidently manage risk, create positive learning environments, and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the freediving community.
Is This Program Right For You?
This package is ideal for experienced freedivers who:
Want to teach freediving professionally
Are passionate about safety and rescue
Enjoy mentoring and helping others learn
Wish to develop leadership skills
Want to become valuable members of training and expedition teams
Are committed to maintaining high professional standards
Who Makes a Great Instructor:
Great instructor candidates are curious, safety-focused, humble, reliable, and passionate about helping others succeed. While strong diving ability is important, the most successful instructors are often those who communicate clearly, lead by example, remain calm under pressure, and genuinely enjoy supporting the growth of other freedivers
If you're ready to take the next step in your freediving journey and become a leader within the sport, the PFI Professional Instructor Development Package provides the training, mentorship, and experience to help you get there.
How to Register for a Course: (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)
Step 1: Confirm Course Availability.
Step 2: Download, read fully and have a complete understanding of the Waiver/Liability Release and Medical Form.
Step 3: Fill out the Registration form below on this page after referencing the course equipment requirements and medical form links below.
Step 4: Upon receipt of your registration form we will send you an ‘Adobe Sign’ Waiver as acknowledgement of your understanding of the document. When you have a full understanding of the Waiver and Liability release and you consent to its terms you may fill out and complete that agreement.
Step 5: After completing your electronic waiver and liability release acknowledgement via Adobe Sign you will be prompted to Make Payment for your seat for the desired available course with us via e-transfer.
Payments are made to Bottom Dwellers via E-transfer. You will receive an electronic receipt for your payment once received which will be input by us manually through Online Store via ‘Squareup’.
*IF A COURSE IS FULL and you wish to be WAITLISTED please feel free contact Bottom Dwellers
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*To participate in any of Bottom Dwellers' courses you must meet the requirements of the medical form provided by Performance Freediving International. Bottom Dwellers instructs the Performance Freediving International System which upholds the highest standards of educational foundation in our attempts to provide the safest and most efficient learning environment for our students. To consult this form, please follow the link below.
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