Workers

More opportunities for certified workers
to work anywhere in Canada.

FAQ for Workers2021-07-27T09:50:12-06:00

As a certified worker, you can be recognized as qualified in any other province or territory throughout Canada, meaning you can be certified to work wherever opportunities exist.

The Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) is an agreement signed by the federal, provincial and territorial governments. It has been put in place to remove barriers and make the movement of goods, services, investment and workers between provinces and territories easier.

What does that mean for certified workers? Because of the CFTA, it’s now easier than ever to obtain recognition across Canada for your professional qualifications and therefore to benefit from work opportunities available outside of your province or territory.

Individuals who hold a certificate or license in a province or territory can be recognized to practice their occupation elsewhere in Canada. Worker’s certification will be recognized by all other provinces and territories that issue a regulate the same occupation, without requiring significant additional training, experience, examination or assessment of qualifications, unless an exception has been posted.

This section of the site provides information to help certified workers understand how easy it is to have their certification recognized anywhere in Canada.

Worker’s Frequent Ask Questions (FAQ)

Everything you need to know about Labour Mobility is a click away. This FAQ section is a compilation of the most common questions relating to certified workers and Labour Mobility in Canada.

1. What is Labour Mobility under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement and what can it do for me?2021-06-30T13:12:40-06:00
Are you certified by a provincial or territorial regulatory body to work in your occupation? Is your certification still valid? The Labour Mobility provisions from the Canadian Free Trade Agreement allow you to be recognized as qualified to work in any province or territory, for the occupation you are certified in without having to go through additional significant training, work experience, examination or assessment, unless an exception has been posted.

“Labour Mobility” refers to the ability of certified workers to practice their regulated occupation, throughout Canada, wherever job opportunities exist. Ensuring that the qualifications of certified workers are recognized when they move to another province or territory benefits both workers and employers alike. Certified workers have a wider range of employment opportunities and employers can access a broader selection of candidates.

2. Am I a certified worker?2021-10-13T08:19:17-06:00

Certified means that you have a certificate, license, registration or any other form of official documentation, issued by a regulatory body, which allows you to work or to use a specific title in a regulated occupation in your province or territory.  Certified workers may also be referred to as regulated, registered or licensed workers.

In some cases, rather than issuing a license or a certificate to a worker, a regulatory body will keep a central registry or roster of certified workers. Workers who are listed on a registry or on a roster are covered by Labour Mobility provisions of the CFTA, if this registry is used by the regulatory body to recognize that workers are qualified to practice their occupation.

Sometimes, there are different titles or names used across Canada for a similar profession or trade. Even though names or titles differ, if the activities and the scope of practice are similar, you can have access to the certification in this province or territory.

Other times, a same title or name is used across Canada for professions or trades that have major differences in the range of activities and job duties. In this case, certificates may not be equivalent.

Workers who have work experience in a specific occupation for which certification is NOT required to practice that occupation in their province/territory are not considered as certified workers under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. For example, actors, flight attendants, university lecturers or waitresses are not regulated occupations. Therefore, workers in those fields would not be considered certified workers.  Please refer to question 4.

It is possible that your occupation is regulated in a province or territory but not in another. Contact your Labour Mobility Coordinator if you are unsure whether your occupation is regulated in a specific province or territory.

3. Does my membership in a national or provincial/territorial professional association qualify me as certified worker?2021-06-30T13:42:49-06:00
If membership in a national or provincial/territorial professional association is the only registration you have, then the answer is no. To be a certified worker, you need to be certified with a provincial or territorial regulatory body, which is not the same as the national professional association or a provincial/territorial professional association.

The role of a regulatory body is to set the occupational standards for the practice of an occupation in a province or territory in order to ensure public safety. This means that the regulatory body will determine what you need in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities to be able to practice that occupation.

National or provincial/territorial associations have different roles, which are to represent their members and to lobby on their behalf.

4. If I am not a certified worker, do Labour Mobility opportunities apply to me too?2021-10-12T08:07:29-06:00
Labour Mobility under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement does not cover workers who are not certified (i.e. apprentices, interns, articling or student categories) nor does it cover occupations that are not regulated. However, there are other opportunities and support mechanisms available for workers who are considering moving to another province/territory.

Click here for more information on supports available to individuals relocating to work in another province or territory.

5. What is a regulated occupation?2021-10-13T08:19:17-06:00
A regulated occupation is a profession or skilled trade in a province or territory that is covered under legislation (Acts and regulations) and overseen by a regulatory body. The regulatory body defines what you can and cannot do as part of your work in order to ensure public protection. Doctors, engineers, welders, roofers, industrial mechanics and electricians are all examples of certified workers in regulated occupations.

The regulatory body can also require their members to be certified or registered in order to use a title (for example Medical Doctor, Lawyer, Professional Engineer, Chartered Professional Accountant, Registered Nurse,  etc.).  In some cases, an occupation may be regulated in some provinces and territories but not in others.  For example, psychotherapists are regulated in some provinces but not in others.

Contact your  Labour Mobility Coordinator if you are unsure whether your occupation is regulated in a specific province or territory.

6. What is an occupational standard?2021-06-22T12:59:47-06:00
An occupational standard refers to the skills, knowledge and abilities required for a worker to practice an occupation. Occupational standards are established by regulatory bodies. To be considered qualified to practice that occupation, an individual is assessed against these standards.
7. What is a regulatory body?2021-06-22T12:59:33-06:00
For many occupations, the authority to regulate the occupation has been delegated from the province or territory to a non-governmental regulatory body such as a self-regulating “College”, a professional “Order” or similar organization or association. In some instances, occupations are regulated directly by a government department.

Regulatory bodies can also be referred to as regulatory authorities or simply as regulators.A regulatory body is responsible by law for defining what can and cannot be done as part of your work. Regulatory bodies have an obligation to ensure public safety and consumer protection as well as to maintain the integrity of the occupation, and each province and territory has the right to adopt the occupational standards they feel appropriate to protect the public interest.

Regulatory bodies determine occupational standards for both entry to practice as well as post certification requirements. This means that the regulatory body will determine what you need in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities to be able to practice a specific occupation. The responsibilities of a regulatory body are set in provincial/territorial legislation.

8. What if an occupation is NOT regulated in my home province or territory, but I want to move to a province or territory where the occupation IS regulated?2021-06-22T12:59:01-06:00
In those circumstances, you would be required to meet the certification requirements for that occupation set out by the regulatory body in the province or territory where you want to move to, just as any resident in that province/territory would to begin practicing the occupation.

The occupation needs to be regulated in both the sending and the receiving province/territory for “certificate-to-certificate” recognition to apply.

9. What if an occupation IS regulated in my home province or territory, but I want to move to a province or territory where the occupation is NOT regulated?2021-06-22T12:58:43-06:00
If you hold a certification from another jurisdiction, you may freely practice your occupation in any province or territory where that occupation is not regulated, provided it does not interfere with the “restricted activities” of a different certified occupation in the province or territory where you are moving.

The occupation needs to be regulated in both the sending and the receiving province/territory for “certificate-to-certificate” recognition to apply.

10. Who are the Labour Mobility Coordinators and what can they do for me?2021-10-13T08:19:17-06:00
Each province and territory has a Labour Mobility Coordinator (LMC) whose job is to promote the implementation and ongoing adherence to Labour Mobility provisions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).  This can involve interacting with regulatory bodies to make sure that certified workers have their certification recognized. Since the implementation of Labour Mobility under the CFTA, Labour Mobility Coordinators have been working with regulatory bodies to remove mobility barriers for certified workers moving to another Canadian province/territory.

If you have questions about Labour Mobility under the CFTA or concerns about having your certification recognized by a regulatory body in another province or territory, you should contact your Labour Mobility Coordinator.

LMCs from all provinces and territories are members of the Labour Mobility Working Group (LMWG), which was established by the Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) to support the coordination, implementation and monitoring of Labour Mobility under the CFTA and to develop consistent interpretation and help ensure proper application of its provisions across the country.

The LMCs are responsible for:

  • addressing questions and Labour Mobility concerns from certified workers;
  • interacting with regulatory authorities and officials in other government ministries to support the recognition of out-of-province/territory certified workers; and
  • assisting with the processes for reconciliation of occupational standards to the extent possible and where practical.
11. Are there exceptions to Labour Mobility?2021-10-13T08:14:55-06:00
Governments have posted exceptions to Labour Mobility for a small number of occupations where there are significant variations in occupational standards between some provinces and territories. Exceptions are only approved when these variations result in significant differences in the skills, knowledge or ability required to function in the occupation, resulting in a scope of practice difference that could pose an actual risk to the public, environment or consumers.  In these few cases, regulatory bodies are allowed to impose additional requirements to a worker already certified in another province or territory (examples include examinations, training or courses). However, there are conditions placed on these additional requirements.  They cannot be more restrictive than what is necessary to protect the public, environment or consumers and they cannot create a disguised barrier to Labour Mobility for certified workers coming from other provinces or territories.

For example, in some provinces, dental hygienists give injections for dental freezing. Dental hygienists elsewhere in Canada may not have to do this as part of their job.  So, to practice dental freezing in those provinces where this is a part of everyday practice for dental hygienists you may need to take additional course work and training on dental freezing if this is not something you do already in your province or territory.

Click here for a complete list of approved Labour Mobility exceptions by occupation or by province/territory.

12. I live in province A and I want to move to province B to practice my occupation. What initial steps do I need to take to get certified in province B?2021-07-21T07:24:48-06:00
In most cases, you will need to apply to the regulatory body in the province/territory where you are moving in order to practice your occupation or to call yourself by a restricted title. When you apply, the regulatory body in the province or territory where you are moving may impose some allowable requirements to certify you.  Please refer to question 13.

The Best Practice Checklist for Certifying Labour Mobility Applicants was developed to help regulatory bodies and workers know the requirements that can be asked from Labour Mobility applicants.

13. What type of requirements will I be expected to meet to be certified in another province/territory?2021-07-21T07:25:11-06:00
Even though you are certified in one province or territory, some or all of the following requirements may be imposed by the regulatory body of the province or territory where you are relocating in order to be certified:
  • pay an application or processing fee;
  • obtain insurance, malpractice coverage or similar protection;
  • post a bond;
  • undergo a criminal background check;
  • provide evidence of good character;
  • prove that you understand the specific laws of the province or territory related to the practice of your occupation;
  • provide a certificate, letter or other evidence from the regulatory body in each territory in which you are currently certified confirming that your certification in that territory is in good standing; and
  • provide proof of proficiency in English or French if this has not been previously assessed by the regulatory body in the province/territory of origin.

For more information about these requirements, please see the Best Practice Checklist for Certifying Labour Mobility Applicants. The document was developed to help regulatory bodies and workers know the requirements that can be asked from Labour Mobility applicants.

14. Are compulsory/mandatory trades recognized under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement?2021-10-13T08:19:17-06:00
Yes, compulsory/mandatory trades are covered under Labour Mobility provisions of the CFTA.

You need to have a trade certificate (e.g. Certificate of Qualification) to qualify for Labour Mobility opportunities under the CFTA.  In some provinces and territories, you must register with the province/territory where you would like to work in before you can work in a compulsory/mandatory trades.  In other provinces/territories, you can apply directly with an employer to work in your trade with the certification from your home jurisdiction.

If you are uncertain about how your trades Certificate of Qualification will be recognized in the province/territory you would like to work in, please contact a Labour Mobility Coordinator.

15. I am a tradesperson; do I need a Red Seal endorsement to work in another province/territory?2021-06-22T12:55:29-06:00
Under the CFTA provinces and territories must recognize a valid provincial trade certificate (e.g. Certificate of Qualification) for trades that have the same scope of practice. Some workers may have a trades’ certificate with a Red Seal endorsement, but this endorsement is not necessary to be mobile and work in another province or territory. Labour Mobility provisions under the CFTA ensure that governments and regulatory bodies recognize trade certificates of qualification with or without a Red Seal endorsement.
16. Does the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) cover apprentices?2021-08-27T13:43:13-06:00
No, the Canadian Free Trade Agreement only applies to workers that have already been certified by a province/territory in Canada. Once apprentices are granted their trade certificate (e.g. Certificate of Qualification), and become certified workers, then the Labour Mobility provisions under the CFTA apply. For more information about apprenticeship mobility please see the Provincial-Territorial Apprentice Mobility Protocol, under the FLMM Secretariat website.
17. How long will it take to get my certificate from another province/territory?2021-10-13T08:19:18-06:00
The registration and application processing time varies from one occupation to another and from one situation to another.  The best way to find out how long it may take is to contact the regulatory body for your occupation in the province or territory where you would like to relocate or visit their website.

The Labour Mobility Coordinator of the province/territory where you are moving can assist you in finding the contact information for the appropriate regulatory body.

18. Do I need to reside in the province/territory where I want to be certified?2021-06-22T12:53:41-06:00
No, you do not need to be a resident of a province or territory to obtain a “certificate to certificate” recognition. You cannot be denied certification on the basis of residency.
19. Does the CFTA apply to internationally trained workers” in both languages?2021-06-22T12:53:27-06:00
Often, regulatory bodies have requirements for upgrading or annual professional development for their members such as continuing education, professional development, hours worked within a certain time period, and so on. This information is often available on the regulatory body’s website. If you have met the upgrading/annual professional development requirements in the province or territory you are coming from, the regulatory body in the province or territory you are moving to must recognize your certification unless an exception to Labour Mobility has been publically posted by the government of the province or the territory. Therefore, under the Labour Mobility provisions of the CFTA, a regulatory body in another jurisdiction cannot require a certified worker moving from another province or territory to meet its upgrading/professional development requirements upon initial application for certification.

However, once certified, workers are expected to meet the upgrading/annual professional development requirements in the province/territory where they have relocated. If a member does not meet these requirements, a regulatory body could determine that the member is not in good standing.

For example, if province A has mandatory continuing education/professional development requirements for a given occupation and province B has no required continuing education hours, the regulatory body in province A must recognize the certificate of workers moving from province B. Once certified, however, workers are expected to meet the upgrading/professional development requirements in province A.

20. I was originally trained/educated in another country and I have obtained certification in a province/territory in my occupation. Can a regulatory body in another province/territory reassess me in order to certify me in that occupation?2021-07-21T07:29:25-06:00
No, once internationally trained/educated workers have been certified in a province or territory, they are recognized as qualified to work in the same occupation in another province or territory and should not be required to undergo any additional material requirements such as having qualification reassessed, taking exams, doing additional training, gaining additional work experience or undergoing other assessments, unless an exception to has been posted to the website.

Provincially certified internationally trained/educated workers are granted the same Labour Mobility opportunities as workers trained/educated in Canada. If you have been certified by the regulatory body of a province or territory to work in your occupation, and if you are in good standing, then the Labour Mobility provisions under the CFTA apply to you.

For information about internationally-trained and/or educated workers seeking to immigrate to Canada (outside Québec) please visit the federal website.

If you intend to immigrate to Québec, please visit Immigration-Québec’s website.

21. How did Labour Mobility come about?2021-06-22T12:52:41-06:00
In 1994, Canada’s First Ministers signed the Agreement on Internal Trade to eliminate unnecessary inter-provincial barriers to the free movement of workers, goods, services and investments. Labour Mobility provisions under the AIT commit governments to achieve full Labour Mobility for workers in regulated occupations (trades and professions) in Canada. Labour Mobility provisions under the AIT affirm the importance of Labour Mobility to the economic welfare and prosperity of Canada.

In 2009, Labour Mobility under the AIT was further strengthened to ensure that certified workers relocating to another province/territory would be recognized as qualified to practice in that same occupation.

Since December 2014, federal, provincial and territorial governments have engaged in negotiations to strengthen and modernize the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). The new Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) resulted from these negotiations, and entered into force July 1st, 2017. The CFTA reaffirms the labour mobility provisions and obligations established under the AIT.

22. What should I do if I have concerns about my certification being recognized in another province or territory?2021-10-13T08:19:18-06:00
If you are concerned about how your certification is being recognized in another province or territory and have concerns related to Labour Mobility under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), please contact your Labour Mobility Coordinator.
23. Does the CFTA apply to municipalities?2021-06-22T12:51:56-06:00
Labour Mobility provisions under the CFTA apply to occupations regulated by governments and their administrations (federal, provincial, territorial, regional, municipal). They also apply to any authority, governmental or not, delegated by the province or the territory to regulate an occupation.