Licensing: Social Workers – Canada

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Canadian Social Workers

In Canada, social worker legislation is the responsibility of the provinces/territories. The actual rules for entry to practice and type of practice permitted (by education level) vary from province to province, so you should contact the provincial regulatory body in the province you wish to work to confirm the actual requirements.

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Social Workers from the US or Mexico

Like Canadian social workers, US and Mexican social workers must obtain a provincial licence before being allowed to practice in Canada. See the Canadian section above for more information.

Visa information: Social workers are covered under NAFTA. If you are a citizen of the USA or Mexico, you are eligible for a visa. Permanent Residents of the USA or Mexico are not eligible under NAFTA.

You can obtain an Employment Authorization (NAFTA Professional Status) from any Canadian port of entry, US-Canadian border crossing, or Canadian Consulate (or in Canada, if you are already in the country as a visitor). No sponsorship is required. Job Offer Validation is not required. However, you will still need to provide proof of an offer of employment from your employer in Canada. You must also meet the minimum education, experience, and licensing Requirements set for your profession.

Your documentation* you present must indicate:

*This documentation can include: a signed contract between you and an employer; a letter from your prospective employer confirming that employment has been offered and accepted; a letter from your current employer stating that you are entering another NAFTA member country to render services pursuant to a signed contract between your employer and an enterprise in that country.

The duration of the Employment Authorization 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.

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Social Workers from Outside North America

Social workers from outside the North America have the same licensing requirements as social workers from the US and Mexico. For more information, please see above.

Visa information: You are required to have a Canadian Employment Authorization before being allowed employment in Canada. Sponsorship is often required. Note that Human Resources and Social Development Canada/Service Canada (HRSDC/SC) maintain regional lists of occupations under pressure. What this means is that if an occupation is on the list for the region, employers in the region will not be required to undertake lengthy or comprehensive advertising efforts before being eligible to apply to hire a qualified foreign worker, which saves them time. However, the employer will still have to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (also known as an employment confirmation) from SC, which can take weeks. So in a case in which a few provinces have a certain career listed as an "occupation under pressure," but the others do not, a person would more likely find success in finding a job if s/he were to apply for licensure in one of the provinces in which their career is an "occupation under pressure." Social workers may be included under the category "Community and Social Services Workers," and as of when this was last updated (see the date below the box), the category is on the lists for Alberta and British Columbia, and for "Family, Marriage, and Other Related Counsellors," which is on the list for British Columbia.

Please contact the nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate to inquire about obtaining an Employment Authorization.

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