If you are considering occupational therapy as a career, by becoming an occupational therapist or an occupational therapist assistant, you are looking at a challenging and rewarding health care profession that can develop in many directions in a variety of workplaces. Occupational therapy offers a lot of choice in terms of areas of practice and, for those who are lifelong learners, there are always new areas and specialties evolving and being recognized.
What is occupational therapy?
- Self-care - getting dressed, eating, moving around the house,
- Being productive - going to work or school, participating in the community, and
- Leisure activities – sports, gardening, social activities.
Occupational therapy can also prevent a problem or minimize its effects.
Who are occupational therapists and where do they work?
Occupational therapists are the primary service providers for occupational therapy. Occupational therapists, often called OTs, assess an individual’s situation by drawing upon evidence-based approaches and applying their specialized knowledge and skills to recommend a course of preventive or corrective action that will help people lead more productive and satisfying lives. Occupational therapists are trained to understand not only the medical and physical limitations of a disability or injury, but also the psychosocial factors that affect the functioning of the whole person – their health and their wellness.
Occupational therapists work in diverse settings including:
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Home and community: Home care, private practices, health boards, community mental health centres, clinics, halfway houses, groups homes, vocational programs, community action groups, and workers' compensation boards. |
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Institutions: Hospitals, intermediate and long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, mental health centres, correctional institutions, recreation centres, schools, universities and colleges, research centres. |
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Industry and business: Corporations, rehabilitation companies, insurance companies, and architectural firms. |
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Government: All levels of government advising in the areas of health promotion, disability prevention/management, accessibility, vocational/health planning and international rehabilitation program development. |
Becoming an occupational therapist
Occupational therapists are regulated health professionals and, as such, must meet the registration requirements of a provincial regulatory organization in Canada. Occupational therapists are university educated and complete a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised fieldwork experience (on-the-job training). The accreditation standards set by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) accepts the master’s degree in occupational therapy as the minimal educational requirement for entry-level education in Canada. In choosing among different occupational therapy education programs, CAOT recommends that you contact the individual university for admission requirements, course descriptions and curriculum.
After completing the entry-level education, applicants to the provincial regulatory organization in every province other than Quebec must successfully complete the National Occupational Therapy Certification Exam (NOTCE), as a requirement of registration. In the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, occupational therapists are not currently a regulated health profession and therefore the requirement to write the exam is determined by the employer.
Universities in Canada that offer an occupational therapist program
Provincial regulatory organizations in Canada
National Occupational Therapy Certification Exam (NOTCE)
International students looking for fieldwork in Canada
Becoming an occupational therapist assistant (OTA)
Occupational therapy support personnel, or assistants, are individuals who have the job-related competencies to support occupational therapists in delivering occupational therapy services. The work of an occupational therapist assistant is supervised by an occupational therapist. Occupational therapist assistants are not a regulated profession and, as such, the educational requirements are more generalized and there is no entrance exam like the NOTCE. Occupational therapist assistant programs, many of which are accredited, exist at colleges across Canada.
Accredited educational programs for occupational therapist assistants
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Other resources for students
Competencies for occupational therapists in Canada (2021)
The Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada (2012)
The Practice Profile for Occupational Therapist Assistants (2018)
International graduates who have completed their occupational therapy education outside of Canada