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Citizenship: Or are you looking for … US Occupational TherapistsHaving passed the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT) certification exam, an OT is eligible to work anywhere in the US. However, almost all states/jurisdictions have some form of regulation of occupational therapy practitioners. Contact the licensing body in the state you wish to work for more information. Occupational Therapists from Canada or MexicoOccupational therapists trained outside of the US must have their credentials assessed, as stated on the NBCOT website. The procedure includes education assessment, supervised experience assessment, English-language proficiency testing (most Canadians are exempt), professional regulation history (if applicable), and professional practice history (if applicable). If an OT's background is favorably assessed, s/he can then write the NBCOT certification exam. Additionally, before beginning work in the US, the OT must meet the requirements of the state regulatory board in the state in which s/he wants to work. Sometimes you can work in the state so long as you have the NBCOT certification, sometimes you must have additional certification. In either case, you will require a state license to practice. Additionally, the VisaScreen requirement that was instituted by the US Department of Homeland Security in July 2004 for some healthcare professions does pertain to OTs. VisaScreen for occupational therapists includes an educational review, licensure review, English language skills assessment (*most Canadians are exempt), and supervised clinical experience assessment. What exactly is required for the VisaScreen? • The applicant must complete
the VisaScreen application. These can be downloaded
from the CGFNS
website.
• The applicant must include
a passport-sized photo (as of January 1, 2006).
• The applicant must complete
the forms (that come with the VisaScreen application)
and send these to her/his OT school. The OT school
must fill in information on the form and send a transcript
directly to the CGFNS/ICHP.
• The applicant must complete
the forms (that come with the VisaScreen application)
and send them to his/her licensing authority/authorities.
Validations of all past and present licenses
must be sent directly to ICHP by the licensing authority/authorities.
• If not exempt (most Canadian
are), the applicant must successfully complete an
English language proficiency test and have the scores
directly sent to ICHP by the testing agency. (Scores
are valid for two years.)
• The applicant must have
details of her/his supervised clinical fieldwork,
including the name(s) and credential(s) of the supervisor(s)
of her/his fieldwork, as well as the number of hours/weeks
of each experience and types of clients, forwarded
to the CGFNS/ICHP.
• The applicant must attach
a copy of her/his high school diploma. A clear photocopy
is permissible.
• The applicant must enclose
the application fee (by international money order/certified
bank check in US funds, or Visa, MasterCard, or Discover/Novus
card). Canadians and Mexicans who graduated from a US OT school must also complete the VisaScreen process. VISA Information: Under NAFTA, OTs who are citizens of Canada or Mexico are eligible for TN visas to work in the US. Under NAFTA, Canadians receive TN-1 visas and Mexicans receive TN-2 visas. Canadians can apply for a TN-1 visa at Class A US Ports of Entry; Mexicans must apply for their TN-2 visa at a US Consulate. No sponsorship is required for Canadians or Mexicans. However, you will still need to provide proof of an offer of employment from your employer in the US, and meet the minimum education, experience and licensing requirements (as above). Documents required for TN visa:
The duration of the TN visa is set for an initial period of one year. An unlimited number of one-year extensions may be subsequently obtained so long as you can show that the employment remains temporary, and that you continue to be qualified to work in your profession. Occupational Therapists from Outside North AmericaNon-North American OTs will also need to complete the process of evaluating, testing, and screening described above for Canadians and Mexicans. Additionally, however, you are required to have a US work visa before being allowed entry to the US and employment in the US, and usually sponsorship is required. Those who are not citizens of Canada or Mexico are not covered by NAFTA visa policies. Please contact the nearest US Embassy or Consulate to inquire about obtaining a US work visa.
Updated on August 29, 2007. Discuss This ArticleHave something you'd like to say? Tell us what you think! Read and post comments for this article. Like this article? Read more! Browse our archive of 1,509 career resources. Also, see our master index of all MedHunters articles! Find a JobChoose your career: MedHunters is the world's biggest healthcare job board. Our job directory has 16,633 jobs with 2,439 hospitals and other direct employers. We want you to find your next job on MedHunters. Need Help? Call us at 1-888-884-8242, email us at info@medhunters.com or sign up now. Have an article or story for MedHunters? Email us today at submissions@medhunters.com. |
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