List of licensing bodies for regulated professions in Canada
Credit to Author: Canadian Immigrant| Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2019 22:35:02 +0000
Is your profession regulated in Canada? If so, your international education may not be enough to start practising in your field here once you immigrate. Many professions, from health care to teaching to trades are regulated in Canada, meaning you will need to be certified to practise here. Depending on what your international credentials are, you may have to relicense, which would entail further studies, examinations and/or practicums.
Here below is a resource list of the most common licensed professions and their related licensing or regulatory bodies.
Generally speaking, licensing bodies usually have an overarching national association, but licensing requirements are usually provincially based, so you’ll have to relicense with the provincial body, depending on which province or territory of Canada you make your new home.
Note also that the relicensing process isn’t always the same in each province so certification in one province might not be automatically transferable to another, depending on the industry.
There are also a few organizations that offer a foreign credentials assessment service, where you can get more information on how transferable your international credentials are. But if you know your profession is licensed and you know which provincial regulatory body to go to, then going straight to them for more information first is often best.
READ MORE: Many colleges and universities or regulatory bodies offer immigrant bridging programs for several professions as well. Here’s a list of bridging programs.
List of licensing bodies for regulated professions in Canada
Accounting
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA) or CPA Canada is the national organization established to support a unified Canadian accounting profession, amalgamating Canada’s previous CA, CGA and CMA designations.
If you’re an internationally trained accountant, you can contact the CPA licensing body in your province to find out how you can become licensed as a CPA in Canada. Note the CPA designation is different from CPA designations in the U.S. and other countries.
Provincial/territorial accounting bodies
CPA Alberta
CPA British Columbia
CPA Manitoba
CPA Ontario
CPA New Brunswick
CPA Northwest Territories and Nunavut
CPA Nova Scotia
CPA Quebec
CPA Saskatchewan
CPA Yukon
Architecture
Canadian Architectural Certification Board is the national certification board of the architecture profession. It offers useful information for internationally trained professionals as part of its Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect Program (BEFA).
Provincial/territorial architectural bodies
CACB Newfoundland and Labrador
CACB Northwest Territories and Nunavut
Ontario Association of Architects (OAA)
Dentistry
Dental licensure is a provincial responsibility in Canada. Each province/territory has a dental regulatory authority/licensing body that establishes regulations and requirements for the licensure of general practitioners within their jurisdiction. But like other professions, it has overarching national organizations where you can find more information, including Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada and National Dental Examining Board of Canada.
Provincial/territorial dentistry bodies
Alberta Dental Association and College
College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia
Newfoundland & Labrador Dental Board
Northwest Territories & Nunavut Dental Association
Provincial Dental Board of Nova Scotia
Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario
Dental Council of Prince Edward Island
College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan
Dietitians
Dietitians must register with the provincial regulatory body in order to practice. The regulatory body will assess your academic and practicum experience to determine eligibility. In most provinces, the national Canadian Dietetic Registration Examination (CDRE) is a requirement for registration once academic and practicum requirements have been met. The CDRE is administered by the provincial regulatory bodies listed below. Learn more also at of Dieticians of Canada.
Provincial/territorial dietician bodies
College of Dietitians of Alberta
College of Dietitians of British Columbia
College of Dietitians of Manitoba
New Brunswick Association of Dietitians
Newfoundland and Labrador College of Dietitians
Nova Scotia Dietetic Association
College of Dietitians of Ontario
Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec
PEI Dietitians Registration Board
Saskatchewan Dietitians Association
Doctors/Physicians
All postgraduate residents and all practising physicians must hold an educational or practice licence from the medical regulatory authority in the province or territory where they study or practise.
Provincial/territorial regulatory bodies for doctors/physicians
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta
College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba
College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland & Labrador
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
Collège des médecins du Québec
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan
Health and Social Services – Government of the Northwest Territories
Department of Health and Social Services – Government of Nunavut
Early Childhood Education (ECE)
Each of Canada’s jurisdictions has several different programs for child care and early childhood education. There are regulations in place for the delivery of services in each province and territory in Canada.
Provincial regulatory ECE bodies
Government of British Columbia
Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta
Manitoba Family Services and Labour
College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE) Ontario
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Engineering
To be a professional engineer (P.Eng.) in Canada, you need to become licensed by a Canadian provincial or territorial engineering association. You can still work in engineering before being licensed if you are supervised by a professional engineer (P.Eng.)
Provincial/territorial engineering bodies
Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta
Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba
Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists
Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario
Professional Engineers Ontario
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan
Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador
Engineers and Geoscientists New Brunswick
Human Resources
To become a human resources professional, a degree, diploma or certificate in a field related to human resources management or a related field such as business management, commerce, etc, is required. The Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation is believed to be an asset by employers, but it’s not technically a requirement to work in HR. In Ontario, HR professionals have the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) designation instead.
Provincial/territorial HR bodies
CPHR British Columbia and Yukon
CPHR Newfoundland and Labrador
Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario
Information Technology
Canada has a booming tech industry with jobs in software development, data analysis and other related areas. Bodies like Canada’s Association of Information Technology Professionals (CIPS) are responsible for the regulation of IT professionals.
Provincial/territorial IT bodies
Information and Communication Technologies Association of Manitoba
CIPS Newfoundland and Labrador
Law
Founded in 1972, the Federation of Law Societies of Canada was established to primarily uphold the laws of the country without any prejudice. The federation covers Canada’s 14 provincial and territorial law societies in collective practice and implementation entirely independent from the Canadian government. Learn more at National Committee on Accreditation.
Provincial/territorial law societies
Law Society of British Columbia
Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society
Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador
Law Society of Prince Edward Island
Chambre des notaires du Quebec
Law Society of Northwest Territories
Nursing
Nurses in Canada educate, perform research-based scientific care and are the patient’s advocate on health, illness and disease. There are different levels of nurses from licensed practical nurses, to registered nurses. Learn more at Canadian Nurses Association.
Provincial/territorial nursing bodies
College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta
College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia
College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba
College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia
Midwifery
Midwifery is recognized as a legal and regulated profession in most Canadian provinces and territories. Midwives must be registered with the regulatory authority in the province or territory in order to work legally. Learn more at Canadian Midwifery Regulators Council.
Provincial/territorial midwifery societies
College of Midwives of Alberta
College of Midwives of British Columbia
College of Midwives of Manitoba
Midwifery Regulatory Council of Nova Scotia
Midwifery Council of New Brunswick
Northwest Territoties Health Professional Licensing (Midwifery)
College of Midwives of Ontario
Ordre Des Sages-Femmes du Quebec
Saskatchewan College of Midwives
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists treat injured, ill or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is the national organization that supports the more than 17,000 occupational therapists (OTs) who work or study in Canada.
Provincial/territorial occupational therapists societies
Alberta College of Occupational Therapists
College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba
College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
New Brunswick Association of Occupational Therapists
Newfoundland & Labrador Occupational Therapy Board
College of Occupational Therapists of Nova Scotia
PEI College of Occupational Therapists
Sasakatchewan Society of Occupational Therapists
Social Work
Social work regulatory boards generally require that social work degrees must be obtained from programs of social work that are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE), or other nationally recognized accrediting agencies. Degrees earned outside the U.S. and Canada must be determined to be equivalent. One widely used equivalency service is the CSWE International Social Work Degree Recognition and Equivalency Service (iswdres@cswe.org).
Provincial/territorial social work boards
Alberta College of Social Workers
British Columbia College of Social Workers
Manitoba College of Social Workers
New Brunswick Association of Social Workers
Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Social Workers
Nova Scotia College of Social Workers
Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers
PEI Social Work Registration Board
Order of Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists of Quebec
Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers
Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut Territories
Teaching
Currently in most jurisdictions in Canada, the basic requirement to enter the teaching profession is the successful completion of Grade 12 and four additional years of post-secondary education as well as at least one year of professional studies in teacher education. Since there are variations to this basic requirement, candidates should directly contact the relevant certification agency in the province where they wish to teach.
Provincial/territorial teaching bodies
Certification of Teachers Regulation (Alberta)
Teacher Regulation Branch of the BC Ministry of Education (formerly known as the British Columbia College of Teachers)
Teaching Certificates and Qualifications Regulation (Manitoba)
Teacher Certification (Newfoundland & Labrador)
New Brunswick Teachers’ Association
Teacher Certification (Nova Scotia)
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (PEI)
Teacher Certification (Saskatchewan)
Trades
Each province has bodies that govern specific trades professions. There are quite a few differences across the country, so check the websites of the province where you live for more information on apprenticeships, certification and qualification criteria for various trades.
Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training
Industry Training Authority (ITA) British Columbia
Post Secondary Education, Training and Labour (New Brunswick)
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour (Newfoundland & Labrador
Apprenticeship and Trades (Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency
Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification (Nunavut)
Ontario trades
Apprenticeship Training and Skilled Trade Certification (PEI)
Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission
Yukon trades
Romanian-born veterinarian Marius Vasilescu. Photo by Sandra Minarik
Veterinary Medicine
In Canada, licensing for veterinary medicine is the responsibility of the provincial veterinary association or a separate licensing body empowered by provincial legislation. The general requirements to practise veterinary medicine are similar but specific requirements differ from province to province. The websites of the licensing bodies in each of the 10 provinces and territories are listed below.
Provincial/territorial veterinary bodies
Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA)
College of Veterinarians of British Columbia
The College of Veterinarians of Ontario
Manitoba Veterinary Medical Association
New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association
Newfoundland and Labrador College of Veterinarians
Health and Social Services (Northwest Territories)
Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association
Order des Medicins Veterinaires du Quebec
Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association
The above is not an exhaustive list of all regulated professions and licensing bodies. If you have an update for us, please email editor@canadianimmigrant.ca.