Licensing Bodies for Regulated Professions in Canada

One of the things you will need to know early as you work on your Canada immigration journey is whether your profession is regulated in Canada or not. Many professions, for instance health care, are regulated in Canada. The implication is that you will need to be certified to practice in Canada. For some degrees, it might entail further studies, examinations and/or practicums. You will find below the list of licensing bodies for regulated professions in Canada.

It is important to point out that the re-licensing process is not always the same in each province. Therefore, certification in one province might not be automatically transferable to another. This is why you need to be sure of your destination province before you start.

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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.

As a new immigrant, you are most likely internationally trained. So, you will need to contact the CPA licensing body in your province to find out how you can become licensed as a CPA in Canada. The list of the provincial accounting bodies is provided below

Architecture

Canadian Architectural Certification Board is the national certification board of the architecture profession. You will find useful information for internationally trained professionals as part of its Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect Program (BEFA). The list of some of the bodies is provided below:

For other programs, click here.

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Dentistry

Dental licensure is solely the responsibility of each province n Canada. Each province or territory has a dental regulatory authority that establishes regulations and requirements for the licensure of general practitioners within their jurisdiction. However, there are overarching national organizations where you can find more information,. These are Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada and National Dental Examining Board of Canada You will find below the web address for each provincial body.

Dietitians

As a Dietitian, you have to register with the provincial regulatory body in order to practice. In most provinces, you need to pass the national Canadian Dietetic Registration Examination (CDRE). This is after the academic and practicum requirements are met. You can learn more also at of Dieticians of Canada. Please note that the CDRE is administered by the provincial regulatory bodies listed below.

Doctors and Physicians

Like the case with Dentists, all residents and practicing physicians must hold an educational or practice licence from the medical regulatory authority in the province or territory where they study or practise. You will find below the web address for the body in each province

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Engineering

You need to become licensed by a Canadian provincial or territorial engineering association in order to be able to practise as a professional engineer (P.Eng.) in Canada, However, you can still work in engineering before being licensed if you are supervised by a professional engineer (P.Eng.). See below the list of the respective body in each province or territory.

Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Each province or territory has several different programs for child care and early childhood education. They also have regulations in place for the delivery of services in their jurisdiction. You will find details for each province and territory in Canada in the list

Human Resources

To become a human resources professional, a degree, diploma or certificate in a field related to human resources management is required. If you have a degree or diploma in a related field such as business management, commerce, etc, you also stand a chance. 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. For instance, in Ontario, HR professionals have the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) designation instead.

Information Technology

Canada has a booming tech industry with jobs in software development, data analysis and other related areas. Canada’s Association of Information Technology Professionals (CIPS) is responsible for the regulation of IT professionals.

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Law

The Federation of Law Societies of Canada primarily upholds 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. You can learn more at National Committee on Accreditation. You will find below list of the body in respective province / territory.

Midwifery

Most Canadian provinces and territories recognize Midwifery as a legal and regulated profession. So, in order to work legally, you must be registered with the regulatory authority in the province or territory. The list for all the provinces and territories are provided below.

Nursing

There are different levels of nurses from licensed practical nurses, to registered nurses. Learn more at Canadian Nurses Association.

Occupational Therapy

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. The Provincial / territorial occupational therapists societies are listed below

Social Work

Social work regulatory boards require that social work degrees must be obtained from programs of social work that are accredited. The bodies in charge of accreditation are Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE), or other nationally recognized accrediting agencies. So, if you have a degrees earned outside the U.S. and Canada, the equivalent in Canada must be determined. One widely used equivalency service is the CSWE International Social Work Degree Recognition and Equivalency Service. See below the list of the Provincial / territorial social work boards

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Teaching

In most jurisdictions in Canada, the basic requirement to enter the teaching profession is the successful completion of Grade 12. In addition, you need four additional years of post-secondary education as well as at least one year of professional studies in teacher education. You should contact the relevant certification agency in the province where you wish to teach.

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)
Ontario College of Teachers
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. So, check the websites of the province where you intend to live for more information on apprenticeships, certification and qualification criteria for various trades.

Veterinary Medicine

Licensing for veterinary medicine is the responsibility of the provincial veterinary association or a separate licensing body empowered by provincial legislation. Even tough the general requirements to practise veterinary medicine are similar, specific requirements differ from province to province. The websites of the licensing bodies in each of the provinces and territories are listed below.

Editorial’s Note: The above is not an exhaustive list of all regulated professions and licensing bodies. So, you may need to dig deep once you identify if your profession is regulated.

If you are looking to start a business, check out our article on resources available to business owners in Canada.

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