Academic Credentials for Mental Health Professionals in Canada

Canada has no national licence in any mental health profession. Each province and territory sets its own entry qualification, and for the same title the required degree can differ from one province to the next. This guide sets out what each profession requires and where the requirement is written down.

Quick answer: which qualification leads to which registration

The table gives the shape of each route. Because registration is provincial, the last column names who holds the register, not a single national body.

What this guide covers: the ten provinces. Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut appear here only in passing, mainly for psychiatric nursing, which is regulated in all three,³⁰ and for occupational therapy, which is not a regulated profession in any of them.⁴⁸

Why the province matters more than the degree name

Regulation is provincial and territorial

Health professions are licensed by provincial and territorial bodies, called colleges in most of the country and orders in Quebec.²⁴³²⁵⁰ A qualification that opens a register in one province may not open it in another.

Accrediting a programme is not the same as licensing a person

Several national bodies accredit training programmes or certify individuals, and none of them licenses anybody. CPA and APA accredit doctoral programmes and internships, which several regulators then recognise;⁷ CASWE-ACFTS accredits BSW and MSW programmes;²⁸ CCPA and CAMT certify individuals.²²⁴⁰ Permission to practise still comes from a provincial regulator, where one exists.

Quebec counts university years differently

Quebec students go from secondary school to a CEGEP. Pre-university college training leads to a Diploma of College Studies over two years; a Quebec bachelor's degree then runs three or four years depending on the field, and a master's one or two.⁴² A three-year Quebec bachelor's is not a shortened degree, and comparisons elsewhere should account for the CEGEP years.

Psychology: the entry degree differs by province

This is where published accounts most often go wrong, and the correction has to be exact. Six of the ten provinces do require a doctorate for the title psychologist: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Four accept a master's for the title itself: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. What the shorthand misses is the level below the title. Four of the six doctoral provinces license master's holders under a separate protected title of their own: psychological associate in Ontario, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island, School Psychologist in British Columbia. Counting both routes, a master's opens a regulated psychology register in eight of the ten provinces. Only Quebec and New Brunswick have no master's-level psychology category at all.

One consequence worth planning around. The master's route is not a lesser version of the same licence. An Ontario psychological associate holds a certificate authorising autonomous practice and sits the same three examinations as a psychologist, reaching it through four years of post-master's experience rather than a year of post-doctoral supervision.³ In Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador a master's holder registers under the title psychologist itself.⁵⁶¹¹¹²

The supervised stage, and the examinations

Every province adds a supervised period after the degree, and its length is set locally. Ontario requires 1 500 hours, or twelve months, of post-doctoral supervised practice under two College members.² Alberta requires 1 600 hours of evaluated practice.⁴⁴⁴ Saskatchewan requires one year, defined as 1 500 hours, as an accredited pre-doctoral internship or as post-master's or post-doctoral supervised experience.⁶ Manitoba requires two years for the doctoral route and four for the psychological associate route.¹¹

The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology is the common written examination across these jurisdictions. Most add a jurisprudence component and an oral examination. Ontario requires all three, with the two written examinations attempted within one year of the supervised practice certificate being issued.² Alberta's second examination is the Law and Ethics for Alberta Psychologists examination, which a provisional psychologist must attempt within six months of provisional status being granted.⁴⁴ Saskatchewan sets a pass mark of 70% on the EPPP and adds an oral interview; Nova Scotia requires the EPPP and an oral examination.⁶¹²

Accreditation shortens the route rather than replacing the licence. British Columbia recognises doctoral programmes and pre-doctoral internships accredited by CPA or APA; applicants from non-accredited programmes go through an equivalency determination before they may sit the examinations.⁷

One dated warning for Alberta. The criteria CAP applies today are its 2023 Criteria, which recognise master's and doctoral degrees and name approved Alberta master's programmes.⁵ On 23 January 2026 Council approved new Criteria effective 1 January 2030, applying to every application received on or after that date regardless of when the programme was completed.⁴³ A degree begun now may be assessed under the later set, so read both before choosing a programme.

Psychotherapy and counselling therapy

Five jurisdictions regulate this work under a protected title today, and British Columbia becomes the sixth on 29 November 2027.⁴⁵ Elsewhere it is not restricted, and the credentials people hold are voluntary certifications rather than licences.

Ontario

The College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario requires a master's-level programme central to the practice of psychotherapy: a master's degree, or an equivalent graduate diploma admitting from a bachelor's-level programme.¹⁵ Graduates enter the Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) category and practise under clinical supervision while completing the rest.

To transfer to the Registered Psychotherapist category a registrant must pass the registration examination, complete 450 direct client contact hours, and complete 100 hours of clinical supervision, at least half of it individual or dyadic.¹⁴ The examination is the Canadian Professional Standard for Counselling and Psychotherapy entry-to-practice competency assessment.¹⁴ All of that must be done within five years of the Qualifying certificate, with the examination first attempted within 24 months.¹⁴

Quebec

In Quebec the title psychotherapist and the practice of psychotherapy are reserved. Anyone who is neither a physician nor a psychologist needs a psychotherapist permit from the Ordre des psychologues du Québec, on four requirements.¹⁰

• Membership of one of seven listed professional orders: guidance counsellors, criminologists, occupational therapists, nurses, psychoeducators, sexologists, or social workers and marriage and family therapists¹⁰
• A master's degree in the field of mental health and human relations¹⁰
• 765 hours of university-level theoretical training, allocated across theoretical models, common factors, critical tools, classification and psychopathology, biology, legal and organisational aspects, and ethics¹⁰
• A 600-hour supervised placement: at least 300 hours of direct treatment with a minimum of ten clients, each of whom must have received at least 10 hours; 100 hours of individual supervision; and 200 hours of other activities related to the practice of psychotherapy¹⁰

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island

All three Atlantic colleges regulate counselling therapy at master's level and require a supervised candidacy after graduation. In full they are the Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists,¹⁶ the College of Licensed Counselling Therapists of New Brunswick, continued under that name by section 3 of the Licensed Counselling Therapy Act,¹⁸ and the College of Counselling Therapy of Prince Edward Island.²¹ The details differ.

The rest of the country

Counselling is not a regulated profession in Saskatchewan or Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba applicants who fall short of the psychology standard are pointed to CCPA membership, not a counselling register.¹¹ British Columbia is the jurisdiction with a date. The Health Professions and Occupations Act replaced the Health Professions Act there on 1 April 2026, and psychotherapists are among the professions being brought under the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia in 2027.⁴⁶ Anyone who wishes to practise psychotherapy in British Columbia and call themselves a psychotherapist must be licensed by that college, and the licensing takes effect on 29 November 2027.⁴⁵ The exclusive titles and the scope of practice sit in Part 10 of the Health and Care Professionals Regulation, B.C. Reg. 131/2025, headed Practice of Psychotherapy, which comes into force on the same day. It sets the scope as assessing a patient's mental health status, using psychosocial interventions with a focus on communication-based therapies, and advising on mental health.⁴⁷ Until then psychotherapy is not restricted there, and practitioners rely on voluntary bodies such as CCPA and the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors.²²⁵¹

Alberta is the other one to watch, and it has no date. The government has asked the College of Alberta Psychologists to take on the regulation of counselling therapists, and the separate College of Counselling Therapy of Alberta that earlier legislation contemplated is not being proclaimed.²³ At the time of writing counselling therapy does not appear among Alberta's regulated health professions.²⁴

The national certification

The Canadian Certified Counsellor designation is granted by the Registrar of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. It is a certification, not a licence, and is open only to CCPA professional members holding a master's or doctoral degree in counselling. Four courses are compulsory: counselling theories, counselling skills, professional ethics and a counselling practicum.²²

Applications run through one of three pathways: practicum-based, work experience completed within five years of graduating, and a CCC-Qualifying pathway for applicants whose degree is not yet conferred.²² The practicum route asks for at least 150 hours of direct client counselling and a minimum of 10 hours of direct supervision. The work experience route instead requires 800 hours of direct client counselling in the five years before applying. An applicant short of the 150 hours needs at least 75 accrued in the practicum to be eligible for the CCC-Qualifying designation.²²

Psychiatry

Psychiatrists qualify as physicians first, then complete residency training. The Royal College sets 60 months of approved residency as the minimum, beginning with a broadly based clinical year. That figure comes from the specialty training requirements for those who began training on or after 1 July 2015; the current Competence by Design document agrees, describing psychiatry as "planned as a 5-year residency program" with no mandated period of training in any one stage.²⁵²⁶

Residency runs under Competence by Design in four stages: Transition to Discipline, Foundations of Discipline, Core of Discipline, and Transition to Practice. The final year may be taken concurrently with training for certification in child and adolescent psychiatry or geriatric psychiatry.²⁶

Psychotherapy inside psychiatric training

Psychotherapy is a required training experience, not an optional add-on. Residents must deliver cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic therapy, family or group therapy and one other evidence-based psychotherapy, at the Core stage if not already done at Foundations, and review a logbook of psychotherapy cases with a supervisor.²⁶ Core-stage clinical experience also covers geriatric, child and adolescent, and consultation-liaison psychiatry, and the delivery of electroconvulsive therapy.²⁶

Social work

The accredited degree is the common entry point. CASWE-ACFTS accredits Bachelor and Master of Social Work programmes against its Educational Policies and Accreditation Standards, on roughly eight-year cycles.²⁸

Ontario shows how that translates into registration. An applicant needs a degree from a CASWE-accredited Canadian programme, one the College has approved as equivalent, or a combination of qualifications and experience it deems equivalent; those who qualified more than five years earlier must also show currency of practice.²⁷

Ontario also registers a second, distinct profession with no equivalent in many countries: a social service worker enters on a diploma from an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology rather than a degree, registered by the same college under a separate title.²⁷

The clinical designation

Several provinces add a clinical class on top of general registration. In British Columbia a Registered Clinical Social Worker may assess, diagnose and treat mental disorders using the DSM, which general registration does not authorise; entry requires a board-approved master's in social work, specified advanced learning and supervision hours, and the Association of Social Work Boards clinical examination.²⁹

Psychiatric and mental health nursing

Registered Psychiatric Nurse: a distinct profession

The Registered Psychiatric Nurse is a regulated profession in its own right, not a specialisation of general nursing, and describing it as a Western Canadian profession is out of date. RPNs are registered and licensed in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories and Nunavut,³⁰ across nine regulators, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut sharing one college.³²

Entry requires one of eight approved psychiatric nursing programmes in Canada, or in Yukon a programme deemed equivalent, followed by the Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada Examination and the requirements of the relevant regulator. Graduates hold a baccalaureate or a three-year equivalent diploma, and Brandon University has offered a Master of Psychiatric Nursing since 2011.³¹

Who regulates them varies. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have dedicated psychiatric nursing colleges; the other provinces regulate RPNs within a wider nursing college, and in Yukon licensing sits with the territorial government. The PEI College of Nursing and Midwifery was established in 2026 by a merger of two predecessor colleges.³²

Registered Nurses working in mental health

Registered nurses reach mental health practice through their general nursing qualification plus specialty certification. The Canadian Nurses Association credential is CPMHN(C), Certified in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (Canada), and the specialty is open to registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and nurse practitioners.³⁴

Eligibility is by specialty hours, not a further degree: either 1 950 hours in the specialty within the last five years, or 1 000 hours plus 300 hours of formal specialty education at a college or university. The credential runs five years, renewed through continuous learning hours or by rewriting the examination.³³

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapists work extensively in mental health settings and register provincially. Ontario requires a Bachelor of Science or Master of Science in occupational therapy obtained in Canada, or a degree its Registration Committee considers equivalent.³⁵

Two further requirements sit alongside the degree: at least 1 000 hours of fieldwork or clinical practicum inside the programme, and a pass in the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination run by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. Education obtained outside Canada is reviewed by ACOTRO.³⁵ British Columbia offers a provisional licence under supervision pending the examination.³⁶

Read the Ontario degree wording carefully before choosing a programme. CAOT's accreditation standards take the master's degree as the minimum entry-level education in Canada, and the 1 000 fieldwork hours is a national figure rather than an Ontario one; the bachelor's wording survives in Ontario's registration rule. The examination is required by the regulator in every province except Quebec, and in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut occupational therapy is not a regulated profession, so whether it is written there is set by the employer.⁴⁸

British Columbia is worth a note for anyone working from older sources. Since 28 June 2024 psychologists and occupational therapists there are both regulated by CHCPBC, a multi-profession college covering nine professions.⁸ The former College of Psychologists of British Columbia and College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia no longer exist.

Addiction counselling

Addiction counselling is not a licensed profession anywhere in Canada. What exists is national certification by the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation. Its credentials are separate designations rather than levels of one credential, though several stack: the supervisor and master credentials each require a CCAC or ICADC in hand.³⁷

Those four are the ones a client is most likely to see. CACCF maintains further specialised designations alongside them, among them an Indigenous addiction counsellor credential, a problem gambling credential, and certifications in recovery coaching and in nicotine and tobacco; the current list and its requirements sit on the federation's certifications page. Recertification is annual across the federation, and every designation that publishes a figure asks for the same 20 CACCF-approved continuing education hours a year, with the recovery-coach credential requiring those hours to relate to recovery coaching.³⁷ None authorises practice by itself; in Ontario and Quebec, addiction work that amounts to psychotherapy falls under the regulated activity and its registration requirements.

Creative arts therapies

No province licenses art, music or drama therapy under those names. Practitioners hold a national or North American certification, and where the work amounts to psychotherapy in a regulated province they need the relevant provincial registration too.

Art therapy

The Canadian Art Therapy Association accepts professional and registered members only from programmes meeting its education standards, audited by CATA or recognised by an equivalent association abroad. Canadian training runs at master's and graduate-diploma level, at Concordia, UQAT, Adler and St. Stephen's College alongside institute programmes.³⁹

The registered credential is the Registered Canadian Art Therapist: professional membership in good standing plus additional training and post-graduation clinical supervision, specified as 50 hours of supervision for 1 000 client contact hours. A separate designation, RCAT-S, is required to supervise.³⁸ ATR, which appears in many Canadian job advertisements, is the American credential: the Registered Art Therapist designation is awarded by the Art Therapy Credentials Board in Greensboro, North Carolina, not by CATA.⁴⁹

Music therapy

The Canadian Association of Music Therapists certifies with the MTA credential, a registered certification mark. Eligibility requires membership in good standing, at least a bachelor of music therapy from a CAMT-recognised institution, a 1 000-hour clinical internship under a CAMT-approved supervisor, and a pass in the Certification Board for Music Therapists examination, administered in the United States.⁴⁰

Drama therapy

There is no dedicated Canadian credentialing body for drama therapy. The Registered Drama Therapist credential comes from the North American Drama Therapy Association, covering Canada and the United States, and NADTA is explicit that permission to practise in Canada comes from provincial colleges and orders: CRPO in Ontario, the psychotherapist permit in Quebec, counselling therapy registration in the Atlantic provinces, and voluntary association membership elsewhere.⁴¹

Qualifications earned outside Canada

A foreign qualification does not convert automatically, and the assessment is done by the province you intend to practise in.

For psychology, most jurisdictions share a three-step process: a credentials evaluation producing a report, transmission of that report to the chosen jurisdiction, and an application to it. Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and the Northwest Territories sit outside that process, and applicants contact those regulators directly.¹¹

Two practical points recur across the regulators' guidance. Most will not accept coursework assembled after the fact to fill gaps, and several say plainly that applicants should not enrol in extra courses before their credentials are evaluated; Manitoba permits a missing ethics course after convocation and nothing else. Nova Scotia may treat an applicant already registered abroad as a transfer applicant and waive examinations where it deems that registration at least equivalent to its own standard.¹¹

Other professions have their own routes, occupational therapy through ACOTRO.³⁵ Movement in the other direction is not automatic either: Canadian registration confers no standing abroad.

Regulation, protected titles and verification

This page covers what you have to study. Which titles each province protects, what the governing statutes say, the offences for practising unregistered, and how to check a practitioner on a public register are answered in our companion guide, mental health licensing and regulation in Canada.

One habit is worth carrying into any search: regulators here merge and rename often. Alongside the British Columbia and Prince Edward Island mergers described above, the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology became the Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology on 24 November 2025.¹³ If a college's name returns nothing, look for an amalgamation before concluding the register does not exist.

Choosing a route, and finding a therapist

If you are choosing a training route, three questions narrow it faster than any prospectus.

• Which province will you practise in? Decide before choosing a degree. A master's in psychology registers you as a psychologist in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador; as a psychological associate in Ontario, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island; and as a School Psychologist in British Columbia, where diagnosing is limited to conditions affecting learning and intellectual functioning in a learning environment. Only Quebec and New Brunswick close the register to a master's altogether, directing applicants to the psychotherapist permit and to counselling therapy registration respectively.
• Is the programme recognised for the register you want? CRPO publishes recognised programmes, the Atlantic colleges publish approved ones, and the psychology regulators recognise CPA and APA accreditation. Ask the department which register its graduates enter, not whether the degree is accredited in general.
• How long is the supervised stage? The degree is rarely the long part. Ontario adds 1 500 hours after a doctorate or four years after a master's, Nova Scotia's counselling therapy candidacy runs two to five years, and psychiatry adds 60 months of residency.

If you are looking for a therapist rather than a training route, the register to check is the one in your own province. TherapyRoute is a clinician-run directory, founded by a registered clinical psychologist. Start with our guide on how to find the right therapist.

Last reviewed: September 2026. Jurisdiction: Canada, the ten provinces. Requirements are set by each provincial and territorial regulator and change without notice; confirm with the regulator and the university before applying.

Team TherapyRoute

References

1. [1] College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario, General Information: "For a Certificate of Registration Authorizing Autonomous Practice as a Psychologist, you require a doctoral degree in psychology; and For a Certificate of Registration Authorizing Autonomous Practice as a Psychological Associate, you require a master’s degree in psychology." Retrieved 2026-08-28. cpbao.ca.
2. [2] CPBAO Registration Guidelines: Psychologist, Section F, Authorized Supervised Practice: "Candidates must complete a minimum of 1500 hours (12 months) of post-doctoral supervised practice in Ontario under the supervision of two members of the College"; the supervised member must take the EPPP and the Jurisprudence and Ethics Examination within one year of the supervised practice certificate and achieve eligibility for the Oral Examination within two years. Retrieved 2026-08-28. cpbao.ca.
3. [3] CPBAO Registration Guidelines: Psychological Associate, Sections A-C (updated February 2024), Overview of Requirements: a master’s degree in psychology acceptable to the College, "at least four years of acceptable experience after completion of the master’s degree", a period of authorized supervised practice, and passes in the EPPP, the Jurisprudence and Ethics Examination and the Oral Examination. Retrieved 2026-08-28. cpbao.ca.
4. [4] Psychologists Profession Regulation, Alta Reg 251/2005 (office consolidation to AR 42/2023), ss3, 7, 15: general-register applicants must hold a post-graduate degree in psychology meeting Council’s academic requirements and pass the registration examination and the ethics and jurisprudence examination; s3(2) requires "a program of 1600 hours of evaluated practice under the supervision of a registered psychologist"; s15(1)(a) provides that a regulated member on the general or courtesy register "is authorized to use the title, psychologist or registered psychologist", and s15(2) refers members to section 5 of Schedule 22 to the Health Professions Act for titles and abbreviations. kings-printer.alberta.ca.
5. [5] College of Alberta Psychologists, Criteria for Evaluating Academic Credentials (updated April 2023; appendix admin-updated July 2026), the criteria in force for applications received before 1 January 2030. Opening: "In accordance with the Psychologists Profession Regulation the following criteria will be used in evaluating academic credentials of candidates for registration as psychologists in Alberta." s2.4, Pathway 4: "Master’s and Doctoral degrees in various areas of Psychology from authorized and/or accredited institutions may be assessed by the University Program Approval Committee (UPAC) and granted approval", and holders of such degrees "are exempt from the process of course-by-course evaluation"; Appendix A lists the approved programmes, among them the Athabasca University Master of Counselling in Counselling Psychology, the University of Alberta Master of Education in Counselling Psychology, and University of Calgary and University of Lethbridge master’s programmes. cap.ab.ca.
6. [6] Saskatchewan College of Psychologists, Regulatory Bylaws 2021 (Saskatchewan Gazette, 17 January 2025), s10(1): full practising membership requires the EPPP "with a score of 70% or higher", an oral interview, and for a master’s holder "one year (1500 hours) of post-master’s degree successful experience under the supervision of a psychologist approved by the College", or for a doctoral holder one year (1500 hours) of CPA/APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship or residency or post-doctoral supervised experience; s11 covers provisional practising membership, and s16(2), under the heading USE OF TITLES, gives "Registered Psychologist" / "R. Psych." and, for a member who possesses a recognised doctoral degree, "Registered Doctoral Psychologist" / "R.D. Psych.". The bylaws do not themselves define the acceptable degree; they refer to the degree "described in clause 20(1)(a) of the Act". skcp.ca. That clause is s20(1)(a) of The Psychologists Act, 1997 (Saskatchewan, c P-36.01), under which the council may register a person who "has a master’s or doctoral degree in a program that primarily consisted of psychology classes from an educational institution recognized by the council"; the section citation reads "1997, c P-36.01, s 20; 2010, c 19, s 30". King’s Printer consolidation, which carries the note "This consolidation is not official." Retrieved 2026-08-29. publications.saskatchewan.ca.
7. [7] College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia, Applicants: Psychology: Full Psychologist applicants must have "Graduated from a Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) or American Psychological Association (APA) accredited doctorate degree program" and completed "a full-time CPA/APA-accredited 12-month pre-doctoral internship, or the equivalent", with non-accredited programmes referred to the Licence Committee for equivalency determination; examinations are the EPPP and an Oral Examination. School Psychologist applicants "Graduated with a master’s degree in psychology from a Canadian or US school" and completed a school psychology internship; "A Full School Psychology Licensee may diagnose a mental disorder or condition that affects learning and intellectual functioning within a learning environment." Retrieved 2026-08-28. chcpbc.org.
8. [8] College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia, For Applicants: CHCPBC licenses audiology, dietetics, hearing instrument dispensing, occupational therapy, opticianry, optometry, physical therapy, psychology and speech-language pathology. The college was formed on 28 June 2024 from the amalgamation of legacy colleges including the College of Psychologists of BC and the College of Occupational Therapists of BC. Retrieved 2026-08-28. chcpbc.org.
9. [9] Ordre des psychologues du Québec, Obtenir un permis de psychologue avec un diplôme québécois: "Pour obtenir un permis de psychologue au Québec il faut : 1) Détenir un diplôme de doctorat en psychologie parmi ceux déterminés par le Règlement sur les diplômes délivrés par les établissements d’enseignement désignés qui donnent droit aux permis et aux certificats de spécialistes des ordres professionnels." Retrieved 2026-08-28. ordrepsy.qc.ca.
10. [10] Ordre des psychologues du Québec, Résumé des quatre exigences (permis de psychothérapeute): the title and the practice of psychotherapy are reserved; the four criteria are membership of one of seven listed orders (conseillers d’orientation, criminologues, ergothérapeutes, infirmières et infirmiers, psychoéducateurs, sexologues, travailleurs sociaux et thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux); a master’s in mental health and human relations; 765 h of university-level theory (MOD 270, COM 90, SCI 90, CLA 180, BIO 45, LEG 45, ETH 45); and 600 h of placement decomposing as "300 h de traitement direct auprès d’au moins dix clients, chaque client ayant reçu un traitement direct d’une durée minimale de 10 h", "100 h de supervision individuelle", and 200 h of other activities related to the practice of psychotherapy. Retrieved 2026-08-28. ordrepsy.qc.ca.
11. [11] Association of Canadian Psychology Regulatory Organizations (ACPRO), Jurisdictional Application Requirements: entry standards by jurisdiction, including Manitoba (doctoral plus two years of supervised practice for psychologist; master’s plus four years for psychological associate), New Brunswick (doctoral with practica and a full-time 12-month internship), Nova Scotia (a graduate master’s degree), Prince Edward Island (doctoral with a 12-month internship; psychological associate with a master’s and a six-month internship) and Newfoundland and Labrador (a graduate master’s degree with a major in psychology); the three-step credentials evaluation for internationally educated applicants; and the note that Alberta, the Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Quebec do not participate in it. Retrieved 2026-08-28. ACPRO’s page still uses pre-amalgamation names for some regulators; names in this article come from each regulator’s own site. acpro-aocrp.ca.
12. [12] Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology, Applicants: Those Not Registered as a Psychologist Elsewhere: applicants must "Possess a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology that is acceptable to the NSRP, from an educational institution approved [by] the NSRP"; "The NSRP requires candidates to pass the EPPP and Oral Exam." Retrieved 2026-08-28. ns-rp.ca.
13. [13] Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology, History: "As of November 24, 2025, the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology (NSBEP) transitioned to the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) and became the Nova Scotia Regulator of Psychology (NSRP)." The regulator’s Registration Status Transition page adds that under the RHPA "registration and licensure are distinct". Its current site is ns-rp.ca, and the older nsbep.org address redirects to it. Retrieved 2026-08-28. ns-rp.ca.
14. [14] College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying): the registration examination is "the Canadian Professional Standard for Counselling and Psychotherapy (CPSCP): Entry to Practice Competency Assessment"; to transfer category a registrant must "Successfully pass the Registration Examination; Successfully complete 450 direct client contact (DCC) hours approved by staff; and Successfully complete 100 clinical supervision hours, at least half of which are in an individual/dyadic format"; the first examination attempt must be made no later than 24 months after the Qualifying certificate is issued, and Qualifying registrants have a maximum of five years to satisfy all requirements. Retrieved 2026-08-28. crpo.ca.
15. [15] CRPO, Recognized/Non-recognized Programs: "CRPO requires a master’s-level program central to the practice of psychotherapy for registration. This can be a master’s degree or an equivalent graduate diploma that requires completion of a bachelor’s-level program for admission." Programmes are recognised by the Registration Committee for five-year periods. Retrieved 2026-08-28. crpo.ca.
16. [16] Nova Scotia College of Counselling Therapists, Counselling Therapy: "To become an RCT, a master’s degree in counselling therapy is required"; after graduation applicants are licensed as an RCT candidate working under the supervision of an experienced RCT; "Only those licensed with the College may use the title Registered Counselling Therapist." Retrieved 2026-08-28. nscct.ca.
17. [17] NSCCT Candidacy & Supervision Policy CS-001.05 (revised 2025-12-20), s1.1: candidates "must complete a post-graduate period of counselling practice under the supervision of an approved RCT, consisting of no less than 2000 total counselling hours including a minimum 800 hours of direct client contact time and a minimum of fifty (50) hours direct supervisor-candidate contact. The candidacy supervision period extends from a minimum two (2) years to a maximum five (5) years from the date of registration as an RCT-C." s1.1.2: requests for a reduction "will not be considered for any reason". nscct.ca.
18. [18] Licensed Counselling Therapy Act, SNB 2017, c 35 (New Brunswick), introduced as Bill 64 and reproduced in full by the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. s3: the three predecessor associations "are hereby amalgamated and continued as a body corporate and politic without share capital under the name ‘College of Licensed Counselling Therapists of New Brunswick’". The corporate name is plural. s1 defines a "counselling education program" as "a program leading to a master’s level counselling degree or an equivalent program approved by the Board required to qualify for registration as a licensed counselling therapist". s2 is an interpretation provision, not a reservation: those expressions and the initials LCT, LCC, RCT, RCC, Lic. C.T., Lic. C.C., Reg. C.T. and Reg. C.C., "when used in any provision of an Act of the legislature or any regulation, rule, order or by-law made under an Act or used in any public document, shall be read as including a person whose name is entered in the register". The prohibition is s11(2): "No person shall practise as a licensed counselling therapist or hold himself or herself out for employment as a licensed counselling therapist unless that person’s name is entered in the register or temporary register". The title protection is s24(1)(b), under which no person other than a registrant shall "assume or use any title, name, designation, initials or description, including those referred to in this Act, that could lead the public to believe that person is a member of the College or a licensed counselling therapist"; s24(2) makes a breach an offence. Retrieved 2026-09-03. legnb.ca. Candidacy requirements are set by the College’s own rules. CCTNB Rules #309663 v3 (initial publication 23 February 2023; revision 1 August 2025), s2.04(ii): "All Experienced Practitioner and Regular applicants will spend a period of time as Candidates while completing supervision requirements." The hour figures are set by the CCTNB Supervision Rules (adopted 11 June 2025, revised 10 December 2025), which state that this version "supersedes any previous versions of the Supervision Rules". Section 3.07(2), in which DCC is direct client contact: "Supervisees must complete 2000 counselling hours (including 800 DCC hours) under 50 hours of supervision within 2 to 5 years. Supervisees following the Experienced Practitioner Route must complete 500 counselling hours (including 200 DCC hours) under 25 hours of supervision within 1-3 years." Section 3.031 provides that "The Experienced Practitioner route will end on January 1, 2026." Rules #309663 v3 carries a note that the rules "are currently undergoing a transitional period". Retrieved 2026-08-28. cctnb.ca. The Supervision Rules are a separate document: cctnb.ca, retrieved 2026-09-03.
19. [19] College of Counselling Therapy of Prince Edward Island, Education Requirements (last updated 17 January 2024): "All New Applicants must have completed a master’s degree program in counselling therapy approved by Council or education and training that the Council considers substantially equivalent"; all new applicants must complete the CCTPEI Registration Exam provided by COMPASS Centre for Examination Development, and all registrants except limited-time special registrants must pass the jurisprudence exam by their first registration renewal. Retrieved 2026-08-28. cctpei.ca.
20. [20] CCTPEI, New Applicants - Provisional Registration: provisional registration is for new graduates of a master’s degree programme in counselling therapy who are "working towards completing the 450 Direct Client Contact hours" and/or have not passed the COMPASS exam; "As a provisional registrant, you may only work under supervision", and provisional registration may be renewed only once. Retrieved 2026-08-28. cctpei.ca.
21. [21] CCTPEI, About the College: "All Counselling Therapists (CT) who practice in PEI must be registrants of the College of Counselling Therapy of Prince Edward Island"; the College’s mandate is set out in the Regulated Health Professions Act, its Regulations and Bylaws, and it informs the public of those "legally allowed to use the title Counselling Therapist or CT". Retrieved 2026-08-28. cctpei.ca.
22. [22] Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, Frequently Asked Questions about Certification: the CCC "is a protected title that Professional Members can opt-in to apply for and is granted by the Registrar of CCPA", available only to professional members holding a master’s or PhD degree in counselling; applications proceed by Pathway 1 (practicum placement), Pathway 2 (work experience within five years of graduating) or Pathway 3 (CCC-Qualifying, degree not yet conferred); "The four courses that are compulsory for all applicants of the CCC designation are: Counselling Theories, Counselling Skills, Professional Ethics, Counselling Practicum." Retrieved 2026-08-28. ccpa-accp.ca. The hour thresholds are set by the same association’s Canadian Certified Counsellor Certification Guide (last updated November 2025). Table 1, Summary of Certification Requirements, gives Pathways One and Three a "Supervised counselling practicum/internship with at least 150 hours of direct client counselling, and a minimum of 10 hours of direct supervision" and Pathway Two "At least 800 hours of direct client counselling within the last five years". Section 4.2 adds that "Effective July 2025, the counselling practicum must include a minimum of 10 hours of direct supervision", and the C.C.C.-Qualifying section states that "Applicants must have at least 75 hours of direct client counselling accrued in their practicum to be eligible for the C.C.C.-Qualifying designation". Retrieved 2026-08-29. ccpa-accp.ca.
23. [23] Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta, "Announcement: Counselling Therapists to be regulated in Alberta under the College of Alberta Psychologists": "The Government of Alberta issued an announcement today that the College of Alberta Psychologists has been asked to assume responsibility for the regulation of Counselling Therapists in Alberta"; "the government will not be proclaiming the CCTA". The page dates the announcement 4 March 2024. Retrieved 2026-08-28. acta-alberta.ca.
24. [24] Government of Alberta, Regulated health professions and regulatory colleges: the list of regulated health professions and their colleges includes occupational therapists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists and social workers, and does not include counselling therapists, addictions counsellors or child and youth care counsellors. Retrieved 2026-08-28. alberta.ca.
25. [25] Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Specialty Training Requirements in Psychiatry (2015, version 2.0), which states on its face "These training requirements apply to those who begin training on or after July 1, 2015", Minimum Training Requirements: "Sixty (60) months of approved residency training", including twelve months of PGY1/Basic Clinical Training under the direction of academic departments of Psychiatry. royalcollege.ca.
26. [26] Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Psychiatry Training Experiences (2026, version 2.0), for those beginning training on or after 1 July 2026: under MODEL DURATION OF TRAINING, "Psychiatry is planned as a 5-year residency program. There is no mandated period of training in each stage", and the guidance for postgraduate medical education offices gives "Total duration of training – 5 years"; the Competence by Design stages are Transition to Discipline, Foundations of Discipline, Core of Discipline and Transition to Practice; required Core-stage experiences include geriatric psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, delivery of electroconvulsive therapy, and "Delivery of psychotherapeutic treatments (if not completed in the Foundations stage), including ... Cognitive behavioural therapy; Psychodynamic therapy; Family therapy or group therapy, or both; One other evidence-based psychotherapy", plus "Review of resident logbook of psychotherapy cases with supervisor"; the final year may be taken concurrently with Child and Adolescent or Geriatric Psychiatry certification training. royalcollege.ca.
27. [27] Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, Registration Requirements: social work applicants must "have a degree in social work from a Canadian social work program accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education", or an approved equivalent, or a combination of qualifications and experience the College determines equivalent; social service work applicants enter on a diploma from an Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology or an approved equivalent; those who qualified more than five years before applying must show currency of practice. Retrieved 2026-08-28. ocswssw.org.
28. [28] Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE-ACFTS), Accreditation: "CASWE-ACFTS is the accreditation body for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs in Canada"; programmes are assessed against the Educational Policies and Accreditation Standards, and "Accreditation cycles are usually 8 years". Retrieved 2026-08-28. caswe-acfts.ca.
29. [29] British Columbia College of Social Workers, Clinical Registration: "A registrant in the Clinical class may use the title Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW) ... In addition, an RCSW may assess, diagnose and treat mental disorders based on the DSM"; applicants must meet the education, advanced learning and supervision hours requirements, and applicants without a board-approved master’s degree in social work undergo a substantial equivalency assessment; approved applicants take the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical exam. Retrieved 2026-08-28. bccsw.ca.
30. [30] Registered Psychiatric Nurse Regulators of Canada: "RPNs are registered and licensed in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador." RPNRC is the national umbrella organisation for RPN regulators. Retrieved 2026-08-28. rpnrc.ca.
31. [31] RPNRC, Becoming an RPN: candidates "must complete a psychiatric nursing program from one of the eight approved psychiatric nursing education programs in Canada (or in the case of the Yukon, from a program that has been deemed equivalent)", then "pass the Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada Examination and meet the requirements of the regulatory body"; "RPNs graduate from a baccalaureate program or a three year equivalent diploma in psychiatric nursing. A Master of Psychiatric Nursing is offered at Brandon University in Manitoba since 2011." Retrieved 2026-08-28. rpnrc.ca.
32. [32] RPNRC, RPN Regulators: the regulators are the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta, the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Saskatchewan, the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba, the Nova Scotia College of Nursing, the Prince Edward Island College of Nursing & Midwifery, the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Nurses, the College of Nurses of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and the Government of Yukon’s Professional Licensing & Regulatory Affairs. "The Prince Edward Island College of Nursing & Midwifery (PEICNM) was established in 2026 following the merger of the College of Registered Nurses and Midwives of PEI and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of PEI." Retrieved 2026-08-28. rpnrc.ca.
33. [33] Canadian Nurses Association, Initial Certification: certification eligibility requires either "1,950 hours of experience in your nursing specialty within the last five years" or "1,000 hours of experience in your nursing specialty within the last five years plus 300 hours of formal education, which can be a specialty post-basic course or program at a college/university"; the credential is valid for a five-year term and is renewed by continuous learning hours or by rewriting the exam. Retrieved 2026-08-28. cna-aiic.ca.
34. [34] Canadian Nurses Association, Certification Nursing Practice Specialties: the psychiatric and mental health specialty is open to "registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and nurse practitioners" and the credential is "Certified in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (C)anada", abbreviated CPMHN(C). Retrieved 2026-08-28. cna-aiic.ca.
35. [35] College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario, Becoming an OT: education requires "A Bachelor of Science degree or Master of Science in Occupational Therapy obtained in Canada, or an occupational therapy degree considered equivalent by the College’s Registration Committee"; the clinical practicum requirement is "Successful completion of 1000 hours of fieldwork or clinical practicum as part of the education program"; the examination requirement is "Successful completion of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists’ National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination"; education obtained outside Canada "is reviewed by the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO)". Retrieved 2026-08-28. coto.org.
36. [36] College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia, Applicants: Occupational Therapy: "The National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE) assesses the written application of academic knowledge and professional behaviour of individuals entering the occupational therapy profession in Canada. Successful completion of the NOTCE is a registration requirement"; a provisional licence permits practice under the general supervision of a full licensee pending the examination. Retrieved 2026-08-28. chcpbc.org.
37. [37] Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation, For Professionals: certifications are CCAC (270 hours of education, "the equivalent of two (2) years full-time work experience (4000 hours) within the past five (5) years", supervised clinical training whose "minimal accepted standard is 300 hours" with at least ten hours in each of the Twelve Core Functions, and a 150 multiple-choice examination), ICADC (6 000 hours within five years, 270 hours of education, 300 hours of supervised clinical training, IC&RC examination), CCMAC (CCAC or ICADC held five consecutive years, 10 000 hours within six years, 500 hours of supervision within five years), CCS-AC (a current CCAC, 800 hours providing direct clinical supervision and at least 4 000 hours of verifiable addictions work in the past five years, 30 hours of supervision education), ICCS, CIAC and CPGC. CCAC, ICADC, ICCS, CIAC and CCS-AC each state that the certification "must be re-certified every year by submitting proof of 20 CACCF approved continuing education hours"; the recovery coach credential (CCRC) states the same figure and adds that the hours "must be directly related to recovery coaching activities"; the problem gambling credential (CPGC) states only that holders must meet CACCF’s "Re-Certification Criteria annually". CACCF’s own recertification note reads: "Certified CACCF members are required to complete continuing education units every year. Hours vary depending on certification held." Retrieved 2026-09-03. caccf.ca.
38. [38] Canadian Art Therapy Association, Membership Types: the Registered Canadian Art Therapist (RCAT) designation indicates "you are a Professional Member in good standing, have received additional training in your profession, received clinical supervision (50 hours for 1000 client contact hours) beyond graduation"; "The RCAT-S is the required designation to provide clinical art therapy supervision of student, professional and registered art therapists." Retrieved 2026-08-28. canadianarttherapy.org.
39. [39] Canadian Art Therapy Association, Becoming an Art Therapist: CATA "only accepts Professional or Registered membership applications from applicants who have graduated from an art therapy program that meet’s CATA’s education standards", either audited by CATA or recognised by an association with equivalent standards; the audited Canadian programmes listed include Concordia University, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Adler University (Vancouver), St. Stephen’s College, and diploma programmes at CiiAT, KATI, TATI, VATI and WHEAT. Retrieved 2026-08-28. canadianarttherapy.org.
40. [40] Canadian Association of Music Therapists, MTA Credentials & Members: CAMT "utilizes the title of Certified Music Therapist (MTA)", a registered certification mark; eligibility requires membership in good standing, successful completion of "a minimum bachelor of music therapy degree at a CAMT recognized institution", completion of "a 1000-hour clinical internship under the supervision of a CAMT-Approved MTA Supervisor", and a pass in "the Certification Board for Music Therapists exam administered in the USA". Retrieved 2026-08-28. musictherapy.ca.
41. [41] North American Drama Therapy Association, Licensure in Canada: "Canadian licensure for health professions is provincially and territorially regulated ... In Canada, the permitting agencies who can award licenses are called ‘colleges’ and, in Quebec, ‘orders’, under the Health Professions Acts." The page lists the provincial colleges and counselling associations through which drama therapists obtain practice authorisation, including CRPO in Ontario, ACTA in Alberta and CCTNB in New Brunswick; the RDT is NADTA’s own credential and no dedicated Canadian drama therapy credentialing body is identified. Retrieved 2026-08-28. nadta.org.
42. [42] Gouvernement du Québec, Québec education system (last updated 5 August 2026): "Pre-university training bridges the gap between secondary and university studies. It leads to a Diploma of College Studies (DCS) and lasts two years"; technical training at college level "generally lasts three years"; university studies lead to a Bachelor’s degree "lasting three or four years, depending on the field", a Master’s "lasting one or two years", and a Ph.D. "lasting three or more years". quebec.ca.
43. [43] College of Alberta Psychologists, NEW Criteria for Evaluating Academic & Doctoral Credentials - Effective January 1, 2030: "On January 23, 2026, CAP Council approved NEW Criteria for Evaluating Academic Credentials to be effective January 1, 2030"; "Starting January 1, 2030, the 2030 Criteria will apply to all applicants applying to have their academic credentials evaluated regardless of program/course completion date"; applications complete before that date "will be evaluated using the 2023 Criteria". Retrieved 2026-08-28. cap.ab.ca.
44. [44] College of Alberta Psychologists, Examinations: the two examinations are the "Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)" and the "Law and Ethics for Alberta Psychologists (LEAP) Examination"; "Provisional psychologists are required to attempt the LEAP within six (6) months of their provisional status being granted"; "In addition to completing both the EPPP and LEAP Examination, successful completion of 1600 hours of supervised and evaluated practice is required to obtain registration as a registered psychologist." Retrieved 2026-08-28. cap.ab.ca.
45. [45] College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia, Regulating Psychotherapy: "Individuals who wish to practise psychotherapy and call themselves a psychotherapist in BC will need to apply for and be granted licensure, which will take effect on November 29, 2027"; the definition, titles, scope of practice and restricted activities "will be prescribed in regulation", in Part 10 of the Health and Care Professionals Regulation. CHCPBC’s home page states: "Starting November 29, 2027, psychotherapy practitioners in BC must be licensed by CHCPBC if they wish to practise, as directed by the BC Ministry of Health." Retrieved 2026-09-03. chcpbc.org.
46. [46] Government of British Columbia, Health Professions and Occupations Act: "The HPOA replaced the Health Professions Act (HPA) on April 1, 2026." The page lists psychotherapists among the professions to be regulated by the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia in 2027, and refers to the Health and Care Professionals Regulation, B.C. Reg. 131/2025. Retrieved 2026-09-03. gov.bc.ca.
47. [47] Health and Care Professionals Regulation, B.C. Reg. 131/2025, Part 10 – Practice of Psychotherapy, ss57 (exclusive titles) and 58 (scope of practice for psychotherapy), in force 29 November 2027. "psychotherapist" means a licensee authorised to practise psychotherapy and "psychotherapy" means the health profession in which a person provides the health services referred to in s58, namely assessing patients’ mental health status, using psychosocial interventions with a focus on communication-based therapies to manage mental health and treat diagnosed mental disorders, and advising on mental health, for the purposes of promoting, maintaining and restoring mental health. Retrieved 2026-09-03. bclaws.gov.bc.ca.
48. [48] Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, Become an OT/OTA: occupational therapists "complete a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised fieldwork experience (on-the-job training)"; "The accreditation standards set by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) accepts the master’s degree in occupational therapy as the minimal educational requirement for entry-level education in Canada"; "applicants to the provincial regulatory organization in every province other than Quebec must successfully complete the National Occupational Therapy Certification Exam (NOTCE), as a requirement of registration"; "In the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, occupational therapists are not currently a regulated health profession and therefore the requirement to write the exam is determined by the employer." Retrieved 2026-09-03. caot.ca.
49. [49] Art Therapy Credentials Board, Board Certification: ATCB awards the Registered Art Therapist (ATR), the Board Certified Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC) and the Art Therapy Credentialed Supervisor (ATCS); the ATR-BC "is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA)". ATCB is a United States body, based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Retrieved 2026-09-03. atcb.org.
50. [50] Gouvernement du Québec, À propos des ordres professionnels (last updated 13 February 2025): "Les ordres professionnels du Québec sont les intervenants de première ligne et contribuent à réglementer et surveiller les activités professionnelles qui peuvent comporter des risques pour le public"; each ordre admits candidates and issues "un permis d’exercice" once the required training and competencies are established, and prosecutes anyone who illegally uses a title reserved to the profession. Retrieved 2026-09-03. quebec.ca.
51. [51] BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, home page: BCACC describes itself as "the largest association of clinical counsellors and psychotherapists in BC", invites practitioners to "Join Our Association", and grants the Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) designation. It is a membership association, not a regulatory college. Its former domain bc-counsellors.org redirects here. Retrieved 2026-09-03. bcacc.ca.