Occupational Therapist

OCCUPATION INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Who is the licensing body responsible for Occupational Therapists in Alberta?
• What are the registration requirements for internationally educated Occupational Therapists?
• Examination Information
• What are the educational requirements for Occupational Therapists in Alberta?
• What information resources are available for Occupational Therapists in Alberta?

 

Who is the licensing body responsible for Occupational Therapists in Alberta?

In Alberta, you must be registered with the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists to practice as an Occupational Therapist. Only registered members may call themselves Occupational Therapists. 

What are the registration requirements for internationally educated Occupational Therapists?

Applicants must:

1. Apply to the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists and submit all the required documents found on the website under International Applicants.
2. Documents that are not in English must be translated. The Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta provides translation services.
3. Be eligible to write the national certification exam from Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT), or have successfully completed the national certification (CAOT) examination and have submitted the performance profile of exam results.
4. Have either a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy or an entry level Masters degree in occupational therapy from a program recognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapy and approved by Alberta College Occupational Therapy Council. 

Examination Information

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)                                              
http://www.caot.ca/

Internationally educated applicants must verify if their educational program is recognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapy. CAOT refers solely to this web site listing for WFOT recognition status of all programs. Applicants who are graduates of a program not recognized by WFOT need an equivalency assessment before they can apply to write the CAOT Certification Exam.

 

What are the educational requirements for Occupational Therapists in Alberta?

(Note: Licensing bodies compare international education and experience to Canadian standards)

In Alberta, the University of Alberta in Edmonton offers a master's degree program in occupational therapy. 

Additional Occupational Information

For more information on occupational duties and wages, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service at www.alis.gov.ab.ca and search for Occupational Therapist under occupational information.

What information resources are available for Occupational Therapists in Alberta?

Occupational Therapy Examination Preparation Program (OTepp)                                        
http://www.otepp.ca/

Occupational Therapy Examination Preparation Program (OTepp) develops and evaluates course curriculum to prepare internationally educated occupational therapists to pass the Canadian national certification exam. It is offered by the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at McMaster University.

Other Sources: 

Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT) website: www.acot.ca  

Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) website: www.caot.ca

Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: www.hsaa.ca

Society of Occupational Therapists (SAOT) website: www.saot.ca