Autonomous Practice (Canadian Labour Mobility)

Currently Registered to Practise Elsewhere in Canada

If you are currently fully registered to practice as a psychologist or psychological associate in another Canadian province or territory, you may apply for a certificate authorizing autonomous practice as a psychologist or psychological associate in Ontario.

Once you have successfully completed the College’s Jurisprudence and Ethics Examination (JEE), the College will issue you with a certificate authorizing autonomous practice as a psychologist or psychological associate in Ontario.

However, if you wish to practice psychology in Ontario prior to passing the JEE, in your application you may request that the College issue you with a certificate authorizing interim autonomous practice which will allow you to practise psychology as a psychologist or psychological associate in Ontario without supervision for a period of up to twelve months while you prepare to pass the JEE. Upon successful completion of the JEE, the College will issue you with the certificate authorizing autonomous practice as a psychologist or psychological associate.

Supervised Practice: Educated Outside Canada/USA

Evaluating Your Degree

If your degrees are from a university outside Canada or the United States, you must have them evaluated to determine if they are comparable in academic level to degrees from a Canadian university. 

These evaluations may be arranged through either:

The academic credential assessment report from CES or WES must confirm that the applicant’s academic credentials are comparable in level to a master’s or a doctoral degree granted by a Canadian university. While the report from CES or WES will indicate to the College whether the applicant’s academic credentials are comparable in level to a master’s or a doctoral degree  granted  by  a  Canadian  university,  the  College  reserves  the  right  to  make  a  final determination of the content of the degree(s), and will evaluate, in accordance with the degree requirements outlined in the Registration  Guidelines  to  determine,  whether  the  applicant  has  an  acceptable  master’s or doctoral degree in psychology. 

After Your Degree Has Been Evaluated

There are two certificates of registration authorizing autonomous practice available in Ontario.

1. For a certificate authorizing autonomous practice as a psychologist, you require a doctoral degree in psychology; and
2. For a certificate authorizing autonomous practice as a psychological associate, you require a master's degree in psychology.

Applicants must apply for a certificate authorizing supervised practice before they can proceed to meet the remaining requirements for the certificate of registration of autonomous practice.

The certificate authorizing supervised practice is intended for persons who have not previously been registered as a psychologist or psychological associate in any jurisdiction, or who are registered in a jurisdiction where the requirements are not equivalent to Ontario's requirements.

The complete requirements for registration as either a psychologist or psychological associate are set out in the Registration Regulation.

Supervised Practice: Psychologist

Supervised Practice: Psychological Associate

Supervised Practice: Psychological Associate

If you have a masters degree in psychology and have not previously been registered as  a psychological associate in any jurisdiction, you must apply  for a certificate authorizing Supervised Practice.

Or, if you have a masters degree in psychology and have been registered for the practice of psychology in a jurisdiction where the requirements are not equivalent to Ontario registration requirements, you must apply for a certificate authorizing Supervised Practice.

In order to expand upon the information in the Registration Regulation, further details about the requirements for registration, the registration process, and the application procedure are available in the Registration Guidelines: Psychological Associate - Supervised Practice.

The Registration Guidelines are intended to help give applicants an idea of the steps involved in becoming a psychological associate and whether they are likely to meet the requirements for registration.

Supervised Practice: Psychologist

If you have a doctoral degree in psychology and have not previously been registered as a psychologist in any jurisdiction, you must apply for a certificate authorizing Supervised Practice.

Or, if you have a doctoral degree in psychology and have been registered as a psychologist in a jurisdiction where the requirements are not equivalent to Ontario registration requirements, you must apply for a certificate authorizing Supervised Practice.

In order to expand upon the information in the Registration Regulation, further details about the requirement for registration, the registration process, and the application procedure are available in the Registration Guidelines: Psychologist - Supervised  Practice. 

The Registration Guidelines are intended to help give applicants an idea of the steps involved in becoming a psychologist and whether they are likely to meet the requirements for registration.

Interim Autonomous Practice: Currently Licenced in the USA

This section provides information for individuals, currently licensed in a jurisdiction in the United States of America, who are preparing to apply for registration as a psychologist or psychological associate in Ontario.

There are two certificates of registration authorizing autonomous practice available in Ontario.

1. For a certificate authorizing autonomous practice as a psychologist, you require a doctoral degree in psychology; and
2. For a certificate authorizing autonomous practice as a psychological associate, you require a master's degree in psychology.

The complete requirements for registration as either a psychologist or psychological associate are set out in the Registration Regulation .

It should be noted however, that some applicants currently licensed in the USA may be eligible to apply for a certificate authorizing interim autonomous practice while they proceed to meet the remaining requirements for a certificate authorizing autonomous practice. The certificate authorizing interim autonomous practice allows applicants to practise autonomously in Ontario for limited time while they complete the remaining registration requirements for issuance of a certificate authorizing autonomous practice.

In order to qualify for a certificate of registration authorizing interim autonomous practice as a psychologist or psychological associate in Ontario, the applicant must be registered for autonomous practice as a psychologist or psychological associate, be in good standing, and have:

1. practised the profession of psychology  at any time during the two years immediately before the date of the application for registration in Ontario, and his or her registration is in a jurisdiction:

a) with which the College has entered into a written reciprocity agreement; or
b) that is considered by a panel of the Registration Committee to have registration requirements equivalent to those of the College for a certificate of registration authorizing autonomous practice as either a psychologist or psychological associate; or 

2. holds a current Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) awarded by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB).

Applying as a Psychologist or Psychological Associate

If you are currently licensed as a psychologist or psychological associate in the USA, and you are planning to move to Ontario and begin practising psychology, you may be eligible to apply for a certificate of registration authorizing interim autonomous practice. This will allow you to practise in Ontario while you complete the registration process.

There are a variety of materials that members holding certificates for interim autonomous practice will find of value.  This includes the Registration Guidelines; Interim Autonomous Practice which can be found below.

In addition other information is provided which will be of interest to interim autonomous members.

You Are Not Eligible

It does not appear that you are eligible for registration with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

Detailed information about the College’s academic requirements and the registration process are found here for Psychologist and Psychological Associate. 

College staff cannot confirm your eligibility.