Ontario Moves to Remove Interprovincial Licensing Barriers for 16 More Healthcare Professions
Ontario is widening its push to make it easier for regulated health workers to practise across provincial lines, a move that could open faster routes into the labour market for newcomers already licensed elsewhere in Canada.
What is changing
The province is taking steps to reduce interprovincial licensing barriers for 16 additional healthcare professions. In plain terms, Ontario is signalling that more regulated health workers who are already authorized in another province or territory should face fewer hurdles when they relocate and want to keep working in their field.
The newly included professions and their National Occupational Classification codes are:
– Audiologists and speech-language pathologists (31112) – Chiropodists (31209) – Dental hygienists (32111) – Dental technologists (32112) – Dentists (31110) – Denturists (32110) – Dietitians (31121) – Medical radiation and imaging technologists (32121) – Midwives (31303) – Occupational therapists (31203) – Opticians (32100) – Optometrists (31111) – Pharmacists (31120) and pharmacy technicians (32124) – Physician assistants (31303) – Physiotherapists (31202) – Psychologists (31200)
Ontario is also pointing to expedited authorizations for physicians and nurses, suggesting a broader strategy to speed up entry into practice in high-need roles.
Why this matters for newcomers
For many immigrants, the hardest part is not getting to Canada. It is getting back into their profession after arrival. Ontario’s focus on interprovincial mobility is important because it targets a common “second barrier” that hits after someone has already cleared the first one.
Here is the typical scenario: a newcomer secures authorization in one province, builds Canadian experience, then wants to move to Ontario for family, cost of living, or job options. If licensing does not transfer smoothly, that move can mean months of delays, extra exams, and lost income. Reducing those frictions can make Canada feel like one labour market, not a patchwork.
The practical takeaway
This is not the same as Ontario recognizing credentials directly from abroad. Most of the benefit is likely to flow to people who are already licensed somewhere in Canada, including internationally trained professionals who first gained registration in another province.
If you are planning your pathway, the signal is clear: – Regulated healthcare careers remain a priority in Ontario. – Getting licensed in Canada, even outside Ontario, may increasingly help you move into Ontario later with fewer delays. – You should still plan for regulator requirements such as registration fees, evidence of good standing, language rules, and other profession-specific steps.
For internationally trained applicants still overseas, this development is still useful. It suggests Ontario is under pressure to get more healthcare workers practising sooner, which can influence future policy and how regulators streamline processes.
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