Key takeaways
- Regulated professions are licensed by each province, not by the federal government
- Contact the regulator before you arrive if you can; it can take months or years
- Some professions start with a national body, such as NNAS for nurses or the Medical Council of Canada for doctors
- You can often work in a related, non-regulated job while you get licensed
- Federal Foreign Credential Recognition loans of $15,000 to $30,000 can help pay for exams and training
What is a regulated profession?
A regulated profession or trade is one where the law says you need a licence, certificate or registration to work or to use the job title. Examples are nurses, doctors, engineers, teachers, lawyers and electricians. The licence comes from a regulator (also called a college, order or association) in the province where you work. Each province has its own regulator, so a licence in Ontario does not automatically let you work in Quebec.
Most jobs are not regulated. For those, employers decide if your education and experience are enough. An Educational Credential Assessment can still help; see educational credential assessments.
Not sure of your NOC code? Use the NOC code finder.
How the finder works
Choose your profession and the province where you want to work. The tool shows:
- The regulator in that province, with a link to its website
- Any national body you must go through first, such as the National Nursing Assessment Service (NNAS) for nurses outside Quebec, the Medical Council of Canada for doctors, or the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) for pharmacists
- The regulators in the other three provinces, so you can compare before choosing where to live
- Five first steps that apply to almost every profession
We list the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 code for each profession, because immigration programs and Job Bank use it.
Example: a nurse moving to Ontario
Maria is a registered nurse from the Philippines who plans to live in Ontario. The finder shows the College of Nurses of Ontario as her regulator and the NNAS as her first step. NNAS reviews her nursing education, registration and work history once, and sends a report to the province she chooses. The College then tells her which exams or courses she needs. If she later moved to Quebec, she would apply to the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec instead, which has its own process and French-language requirements.
Steps to get licensed
- Start early. IRCC advises contacting your regulator before you arrive. Licensing can take months or years.
- Read the internationally educated applicant page on the regulator’s website. Fees, exams and timelines are listed there.
- Order documents from home: transcripts, course outlines, proof of registration and letters from employers. Many regulators want them sent directly by your school or home regulator, which can take time.
- Take a language test if the regulator requires one. Scores are often higher than for immigration.
- Look for bridging programs run by colleges and settlement agencies. They prepare you for exams and Canadian practice.
- Plan your costs. The federal Foreign Credential Recognition loan offers $15,000 to $30,000 for exam fees, training and related costs.
Working while you wait for your licence
Many people work in a related, non-regulated job while they get licensed: a nurse as a personal support worker or health care aide, an engineer as a technologist, a doctor as a clinical research assistant, a teacher as an education assistant. This brings Canadian experience and references. Read our credential recognition guide and Canadian resume and job search guide.