Clearing the Path: Recommendations for Action in Ontario's Professional Licensing System
Between 2007 and 2010, the OFC collected comprehensive information from and about the regulators. It analyzed how qualifications assessment agencies perform their work (
PDF 227 KB). And it released a study of the experiences of Canadian and international applicants.
On March 30, 2010, the Commissioner made 17 recommendations to improve registration and licensing in Ontario's regulated professions.
The recommendations appear in Clearing the Path: Recommendations for Action in Ontario's Professional Licensing System ( PDF 96 KB).
Recommendations and actions taken to date appear below:
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Clearing the Path: The Commissioner's Recommendations for Action
To Regulatory Bodies
Regulatory bodies have direct responsibility for licensing professionals in Ontario.
Recommendations:
- Improve communication with applicants by:
- clearly identifying all of the steps required to get a professional licence in Ontario
- posting information on your websites about the amount of time registration normally takes and the cost of the process
- giving applicants clear reasons if they are denied a licence
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
All regulatory bodies are improving their communications with applicants.
Thirty-five regulators were registering applicants in March 2010, and each one is clearly identifying the steps required to get a professional licence in Ontario.
Many are posting information on their websites about the amount of time registration normally takes. All post their fees, and some post information about the other costs of the registration process.
Examples:
Some regulatory bodies provide clear reasons if they deny an applicant a licence.
Examples:
- Streamline registration processes by reviewing and eliminating unnecessary steps and speeding up decision-making so applicants have answers sooner.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
Many regulators have streamlined their registration processes by eliminating unnecessary steps, harmonizing requirements, making decisions faster and using technology to speed up procedures.
More than half have reported progress in this area to the OFC.
Examples:
All regulatory bodies are reviewing whether they make their decisions in an efficient and timely way. They will send reports about this to the OFC by March 1, 2011.
- Review Canadian work experience requirements to ensure they are relevant and necessary. Recognize and value comparable work experience obtained outside Canada.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
Some regulators have already changed their work experience requirements.
Examples:
Many applicants say their overseas work experience is not valued or recognized in Ontario. They have to "start over" even though they have had years of professional practice in their home countries. A small number of regulators have made strides in recognizing applicants' experience obtained outside Canada.
Examples:
All regulatory bodies are examining their requirements for work experience and practical training. They are taking a fresh look at whether their requirements are still relevant and truly necessary. They will report about this to the OFC by March 1, 2011.
- Enable potential immigrants to complete most of the steps for registration before they arrive in Canada.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
Almost no regulatory bodies enable internationally trained applicants to complete most of the steps before they immigrate to Canada, though some regulators are moving in this direction.
Examples:
- Provide stricter oversight when outsourcing assessments of qualifications. You must take your relationship with these qualifications assessment agencies very seriously, because these agencies directly affect who gets into the professions and who doesn't. Hold qualifications assessment agencies accountable for transparent, objective, impartial and fair assessments.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
Twenty-eight of Ontario's regulated professions outsource assessments such as examinations or language tests to independent third parties.
About half of these regulatory bodies say they are providing stricter oversight of the qualifications assessment agencies they use.
Examples:
Of all the licensing systems used by regulated professions in Ontario, the system to license doctors is the most complicated. Following are recommendations related specifically to the physician licensing system.
- Provide alternatives to mandatory postgraduate training or residency programs, to allow qualified international medical graduates to get licensed more quickly.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is helping its national counterpart, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, to offer alternatives to residency programs.
In February 2011, CPSO will write to 600 of its members who may want to become specialists and sub-specialists. Interested members may apply to the Royal College for a route to certification which does not include a residency program. One involves an exam and the other an individual assessment.
OFC staff will continue to follow up with CPSO on this recommendation.
- Initiate individualized assessment regimes for qualified international medical graduates.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is helping its national counterpart, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, to offer alternatives to residency programs.
In February 2011, CPSO will write to 600 of its members who may want to become specialists and sub-specialists. Interested members may apply to the Royal College for a route to certification which does not include a residency program. One involves an exam and the other an individual assessment.
OFC staff will continue to follow up with CPSO on this recommendation.
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To Qualifications Assessment Agencies
Third-party qualifications assessment agencies often have significant impact on decisions about granting licences. These agencies decide whether academic credentials are equivalent, determine whether occupation-specific credentials are acceptable, judge competency, assess skills and knowledge, and run exams. More than three-quarters of Ontario regulators have outsourced assessments.
Recommendations:
- Without waiting for direction from regulatory bodies, remove overlaps so that candidates do not have to go through costly and lengthy duplicate verifications.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
Twelve of forty-one qualification assessment agencies (seven health and five non-health) have informed the OFC about actions they have taken and procedures they use.
Example:
National Dental Examining Board of Canada
There are no overlaps in the verification of credentials for internationally-trained general dentists in Canada, because all verifications are performed by the Board. Verifications generally take four weeks. The Board's verification is recognized by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario and all Canadian faculties of dentistry.
- Publish details about the documents you require, state clearly how you will assess candidates, help them get documents from overseas, and assess the credentials of immigrant candidates before they move to Canada.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
Twelve of forty-one qualification assessment agencies (seven health and five non-health) have informed the OFC about actions they have taken and procedures they use.
Examples:
Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators
A handbook provides information on document requirements and the assessment process, and it is available on the Alliance website (www.alliancept.org). The Alliance reviewed its communication documents for candidates in 2009 to make sure they were plainly written. The credentials of an internationally educated physiotherapist can be assessed before he or she moves to Canada.
Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada
The Board publishes the documents it requires and outlines its process for document evaluation on its website (www.pebc.ca). Its information has been rewritten in plain language. If a candidate has difficulty obtaining documents, the Board will independently write to the organization to request them. The processes are standardized yet flexible, to allow for alternative ways to verify documents if there are circumstances such as war or strife that prevent a candidate from obtaining transcripts or other pertinent academic documents.
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To the Government of Ontario
As the overseer of all regulatory practices, the Government of Ontario has a key role to play in improving the licensing system.
Recommendations:
- Open the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) or other needs-based financial aid to internationally trained professionals who must upgrade their education or training.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
The Commissioner met with the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) in December 2010 to discuss this recommendation.
Previously, on September 16, 2010, on behalf of the government of Ontario, Hon. Eric Hoskins had stated "My ministry (MCI) has a strong partnership with Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in the area of financial aid. Since 2003, my ministry invested $175 million in more than 200 Bridge Training Programs that cover over 100 professions. In February, MTCU announced the Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program, a pilot bursary program to cover the education costs for participants of MCI-funded bridge training programs."
- Decide within six months whether to approve or reject regulators' proposed changes to regulations or laws affecting licensing.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
The Commissioner is raising this issue in a current round of meetings with all ministers responsible for the regulated professions.
Previously, on September 16, 2010, on behalf of the government of Ontario, Hon. Eric Hoskins had stated that in the future it may have "opportunities to propose ... short decision timelines on recommended regulators' changes to laws and regulations."
- In the health care sector, convene the seven organizations - national and provincial, including the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care itself - involved in the complex process for licensing doctors, in order to:
- Ensure transparency in the decisions they make on licensing.
- Eliminate duplication across the licensing system.
- Identify alternative licensing streams to recognize existing qualifications.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care convened a meeting with the seven organizations on June 28, 2010. These organizations, known as the Physician Resources Task Force, state that they "recognize there is opportunity to make additional progress."
The Commissioner attended a meeting of the Task Force on November 29, 2010. The ministry and the task force have promised to provide a summary of their progress to improve physician licensing.
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To the Government of Canada
Although professional licensing is within provincial jurisdiction, the federal government is responsible for admitting skilled immigrants and therefore has an important role to play.
Recommendations:
- Ensure that professionals who apply to immigrate to Canada are informed that there is a provincial licensing process.
- Before immigrant professionals arrive, give them realistic, clear and up-to-date information about licensing requirements in destination province(s).
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
The Commissioner has written to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada to follow up on her recommendations.
To Applicants
Ultimately, individual applicants must take responsibility for their own futures.
Recommendations:
- Know the cost and be prepared to support yourself and your family during the licensing process.
- Do your homework before moving to Ontario or immigrating to Canada. Ensure that you are sourcing credible information, and are not relying on friends or anecdotes.
- Complete as much of the licensing process as possible before leaving your home country.
Activity, as of January 31, 2011
The Commissioner speaks to many immigrant serving organizations about these issues. She is not in a position to follow up with individual applicants.
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