Q48. Professional licenses, what are those and where to get one from?
Australia.
1. Health Practitioners:
- The Medical Board of Australia maintains a Register of Practitioners for health professionals, including:
- Medical practitioners (doctors)
- Dentists
- Nurses
- Midwives
- Chiropractors
- Physiotherapists
- Optometrists
- Psychologists
2. Financial Services and Auditors:
- The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) manages registers for:
- Registered auditors
- Audit companies
- Liquidators
- Australian Financial Services (AFS) licensees
- AFS authorized representatives
- Credit licensees
3. Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) Auditors:
- For information about approved SMSF auditors, refer to the SMSF Auditor Register.
4. Other Licensed Occupations:
- Various other professions require licenses, such as tradespeople, real estate agents, and more.
- You can explore specific licensing requirements through resources like the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS).
Canada
Accounting:
- Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA) is the national organization that unifies Canada’s accounting profession. If you’re an internationally trained accountant, you can contact the CPA licensing body in your province to find out how to become licensed as a CPA in Canada. Note that the CPA designation differs from CPA designations in the U.S. and other countries.
-
Provincial/Territorial Accounting Bodies:
- CPA Alberta
- CPA British Columbia
- CPA Manitoba
- CPA Ontario
- CPA New Brunswick
- CPA Newfoundland and Labrador
- CPA Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- CPA Nova Scotia
- CPA Prince Edward Island
- CPA Quebec
- CPA Saskatchewan
- CPA Yukon
Architecture:
- The Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB) is the national certification board for the architecture profession. It offers information for internationally trained professionals through its Broadly Experienced Foreign Architect Program (BEFA).
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Provincial/Territorial Architectural Bodies:
- CACB Alberta
- CACB British Columbia
- CACB Manitoba
- CACB New Brunswick
- CACB Newfoundland and Labrador
- CACB Northwest Territories and Nunavut
Nursing, Engineering, Dentistry, and Skilled Trades:
- Licensing requirements for these professions vary by province. You’ll need to relicense with the provincial regulatory body in the province or territory where you plan to live.
- Some organizations also offer foreign credentials assessment services to determine how transferable your international credentials are.
Medical Practitioners (Doctors):
- Becoming a licensed medical doctor in Canada involves several steps:
- Medical Education: Complete a medical degree (MD) from a recognized Canadian medical school or an accredited international medical school.
- Licensing Exams: Pass the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and Part II.
- Postgraduate Training: Complete a residency program in a specific medical specialty.
- Provincial Licensing Bodies:
- Each province has its own licensing authority for physicians. For example:
- College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) (Ontario)
- College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) (British Columbia)
- Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ) (Quebec)
- And similar bodies in other provinces and territories.
Engineering:
- Engineers Canada oversees the engineering profession.
- Provincial/territorial engineering associations: Each province and territory has its own association (e.g., Professional Engineers Ontario, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, etc.).
Nursing:
- The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and other provincial nursing regulatory bodies oversee nursing practice.
- Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) fall under these bodies.
Teaching/Education:
- The Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) and similar bodies in other provinces regulate teachers.
- Different levels of certification exist for elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education.
Law:
- The Federation of Law Societies of Canada oversees the legal profession.
- Provincial law societies (e.g., Law Society of Ontario, Barreau du Québec) regulate lawyers.
Pharmacy:
- The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) and provincial pharmacy regulatory bodies govern pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
Dentistry:
- The National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) and provincial dental regulatory authorities oversee dentists and dental hygienists.
Social Work:
- The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) and provincial/territorial social work associations regulate social workers.
Psychology:
- The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and provincial/territorial psychology boards oversee psychologists.