Occupational Therapists (OTs)

Governing Bodies

College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia (CHCPBC) – The regulatory body for occupational therapy in British Columbia, responsible for licensing and overseeing the practice of occupational therapy in the province.

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) – The national professional association for the profession of occupational therapy in Canada. Accredits Canadian occupational therapy programs and administers the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE).

Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) – The national organization of Canadian occupational therapy regulators. Administers the Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS) for internationally educated occupational therapists.

Education and Licensure

Canadian-educated OTs must have successfully completed a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from a program accredited by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) that includes at least 1,000 hours of supervised fieldwork experience as part of the program. Successful completion of the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE) is required to be fully licensed with the CHCPBC.

Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (IEOTs)

To obtain licensure as an internationally educated occupational therapist, you will need to first apply to the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) and complete their Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS). The SEAS program assesses the extent to which your education is substantially equivalent to the education and competencies obtained by occupational therapists educated in Canada.

Financial Support Available

Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS)

Currently, all SEAS assessments are conducted remotely, therefore, you do not have to be in Canada to initiate and participate in the program.

SEAS is divided into three steps:

SEAS Step 1

Academic Credential Assessment

You must arrange for World Education Services (WES) to grant ACOTRO access to your educational assessment. Both your application and WES report will be reviewed. If your academic qualifications are deemed equivalent to a Canadian degree in occupational therapy, you may move on to the next step of the SEAS program.

For this initial step, you will also be asked to provide proof of identity documents.
SEAS Step 2
Step 2 includes three assessments:

SEAS Language Readiness Assessment – If you were educated in a language other than English or French, you must achieve the minimum score in each language skill area for one of ACOTRO’s approved language tests.

Profession-specific Credential Assessment (PSCA) – Includes an evaluation of your occupational therapy course curriculum and fieldwork hours.

Jurisprudence Knowledge Assessment Test (JKAT) – The exam assesses your knowledge and understanding of the laws, regulations, practice standards, ethical frameworks, and guidelines that govern the practice of occupational therapy in Canada.
SEAS Step 3

Outcome Report

After completion of all the SEAS assessments and steps, your file will be reviewed by the Determination Committee. There are three possible outcomes of the SEAS process:

Substantial equivalency has been met.
The IEOT will receive a certificate of substantial equivalency and is eligible to apply for registration with CHCPBC.
Substantial equivalency will be achieved with successful completion of gap-filling activities.
Upon successful completion of gap-filling requirements, the IEOT will receive a certificate of substantial equivalency and be eligible to apply for registration with CHCPBC.
Substantial equivalency has not been met. Gaps in education and/or competencies are numerous and significant and would not be adequately addressed with gap-filling.
The IEOT will NOT receive a certificate of substantial equivalency.

Licensing Exam

Once you are deemed substantially equivalent, you can apply to CHCPBC.

ACOTRO will grant you eligibility to write the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE).

After passing the NOTCE, internationally educated occupational therapists are eligible to apply for full licensure with CHCPBC.

Provisional Licensure

Provisional licensure is a class of registration that may be issued to applicants who are waiting to write the NOTCE. Provisional occupational therapists may practice the full scope of occupational therapy under the supervision of a general occupational therapist. Internationally educated occupational therapists may apply for provisional licensure once the SEAS Assessment with ACOTRO is complete.