Behaviour Analyst Transitional Route 2: Section A- Introduction, B- Terms, C- Overview of Requirements

A. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this document is to expand upon the information in the Registration Regulation, providing further details about the requirements for registration, the application procedure, and the registration process for a certificate of registration for a Behaviour Analyst authorizing autonomous practice under Transitional Route #2.

The availability to apply for registration via the Transitional Route option will be open until June 30, 2026. After this date, applicants may only apply for a Certificate of Registration for a Behaviour Analyst Authorizing Supervised Practice using the Entry-Level Registration Route.

B. TERMS

Applicant: refers to someone who has applied for registration but has not yet had their application evaluated by the College;

Authorized Supervised Practice: refers to the required supervised practice undertaken by holders of a certificate for supervised practice;

Autonomous member: refers to a holder of a certificate authorizing autonomous practice;

Candidate: refers to a successful applicant, who at a minimum, has been formally advised by the College that they have met the academic requirements for registration, and who is in the process of meeting the remaining requirements;

College: refers to the College of Psychologists of Ontario (effective July 1, 2024, the College name will change to the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario);

Member: refers to a Psychologist, Psychological Associate, or Behaviour Analyst, registered by the College to practise either autonomously or under supervision;

Registration Regulation: refers to Ontario Regulation 193/23 Registration.

Supervised member: refers to a holder of a Certificate of Registration Authorizing Supervised Practice.

C. OVERVIEW OF REQUIREMENTS

Non-exemptible Requirements:

In order to be registered to practice autonomously as a Behaviour Analyst under Transitional Route #2, the applicant must have:

  • Submitted a completed Transitional Route #2 application form; and
  • Provided a chronological CV, including their history practising within the scope of practice of the profession of ABA, with start and finish dates for each listed position; and
  • Provided attestation(s) of current practice and competence to practice ABA, from an acceptable source (i.e., an active BCBA or BCBA-D, Registered Behaviour Analyst in Ontario (after July 1, 2024), or a psychologist or psychological associate registered with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, with expertise in applied behaviour analysis); and
  • Provided a Vulnerable Sector Check issued within the last 6 months; and
  • Provided evidence of good standing in any jurisdiction or other profession in which they are or were previously registered, licensed, or certified; and
  • Provided academic transcript(s) for all post-graduate degrees or courses at the master’s level or higher related to applied behaviour analysis; and
  • Provided all other applicable supporting documentation to demonstrate evidence of current practice and competence to practice the profession of applied behaviour analysis; and
  • Passed the Ontario Examination for Professional Practice in Applied Behaviour Analysis (OEPPABA); and
  • Successfully completed the College’s Jurisprudence and Ethics Course and Assessment in Applied Behaviour Analysis (JECAABA); and
  • Paid the applicable fees; and
  • Successfully completed all further professional training or experience that, in the opinion of a panel of the Registration Committee, is required to ensure the competence of the applicant for autonomous practice as a behaviour analyst.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION:

Good Character

All applicants to the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario are required to complete a Declaration of Good Character as part of their application. The Declaration of Good Character requires applicants to provide details about their past conduct. Information about the criteria used by the College when evaluating an applicant’s Good Character is found in Appendix D of these guidelines.

Section 3. 1. of the Registration Regulation specifies that an applicant must provide details of any of the following that relate to the applicant:

  • A conviction for a criminal offence or an offence related to the regulation of the practice of the profession.
  • A finding of professional misconduct, incompetency or incapacity, in Ontario in relation to another health profession or in another jurisdiction in relation to the profession or another health profession.
  • A current proceeding for professional misconduct, incompetency or incapacity in Ontario in relation to the profession or another health profession.

Language Fluency

Section 3. 2. of the Registration Regulation specifies that an applicant must be able with reasonable fluency to speak and write either English or French.

Applicants may meet the requirement by:

  1. Providing documentary evidence in the form of a transcript sent directly from the educational institution to the College, indicating that the applicant’s highest-level psychology or applied behaviour analysis degree was completed in either Canada, or the USA; or
  2. Providing documentary evidence in the form of a transcript sent directly from the educational institution to the College, indicating that the applicant’s highest-level psychology or applied behaviour analysis degree was completed in a country other than Canada or the USA, where the language of instruction was in either English or French; or
  3. Providing a written confirmation sent directly from the educational institution to the College, verifying that the applicant’s highest-level psychology or applied behaviour analysis degree was completed in either English or French; or
  4. An applicant may provide a report, sent directly from the language testing agency to the College, verifying that the applicant has achieved the minimum scores indicated on one of the standardized language fluency tests approved by the College. An applicant must meet minimum scores in each area of one test and test results will be considered valid for two years from the date the test was administered.
TESTS AND MINIMUM SCORES REQUIRED TO MEET THE LANGUAGE FLUENCY REQUIREMENT – COLLEGE OF PSYCHOLOGISTS OF ONTARIO
 EnglishFrench
TestTOEFL internet based test (iBT)IELTS (Academic
or General Training)		CELPIP General  PTE Core (Pearson Test of English)TEF (Test d’évaluation du français)TCF (Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada)
Required score(s)Writing: 27
Speaking: 24
Listening: 24
Reading: 24		Writing: 7
Speaking: 7
Listening: 7
Reading: 7		Writing: 8
Speaking: 8
Listening: 8
Reading: 8		    Writing: 79-87
Speaking: 76-83
Listening: 71-81
Reading: 69-77  		Writing: 349
Speaking: 349
Listening: 280
Reading: 233		Writing: 12-13
Speaking: 12-13
Listening: 503-522
Reading: 499-523

OR

  • An applicant may provide to the Registration Committee other compelling evidence of language fluency. This could be, for example, providing documentary evidence in the form of an academic transcript of other post-secondary education completed entirely in English or French, or that the applicant was registered and practiced the profession of psychology or applied behaviour analysis (whichever is applicable) in an English or French practice environment for a minimum of the equivalent of two years full-time, which could be confirmed through proof of registration sent directly from the regulatory body, letters(s) from employer(s) or supervisor(s) etc. All such documentation must be sent directly to the College as a hard-copy original document, or PDF.
  • An applicant may be exempted from the requirement if they cannot meet it through the means described in 1., 2. or 4. above and has a documented disability[i] that would affect their ability to meet the requirement by completing a standardized language fluency test, as described in 3. Such exemption will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Registration Committee.

Eligibility to Work in Canada

Section 3.3. of the Registration Regulation, specifies that, in order to be issued with a certificate of registration the applicant must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or authorized under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to engage in the practice of the profession. Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada may meet the requirement by holding a valid work permit, for example. For information respecting authorization to work in Canada go to http://www.cic.gc.ca/ .

[i] The Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act defines “disability” as:

  1. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
  2. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
  3. a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
  4.  a mental disorder, or
  5. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; (“handicap”).