Immigration
Ontario to remove interprovincial barriers for regulated professions
By Caroline Minks, CIC News
Under current regulations, it can often take up to six months for workers to get authorization to practice their profession in Ontario. (Pexels Photo)
This past Labour Day, the Ontario Government announced it will be making it easier for out-of-province workers in regulated professions to begin working in Ontario.
This change, known as the “As of Right” framework, will allow certified professionals to become authorized to work in Ontario in as little as 10 days’ time.
Under current regulations, it can often take up to six months for workers to get authorization to practice their profession in Ontario.
Starting January 1, 2026, workers in a wide range of professions can take advantage of these new labour mobility rules.
The new labour mobility laws do not affect workers in non-regulated professions.
What are the new rules under the “As of Right” framework?
This new legislation is designed to significantly shorten the timeline for individuals who are certified in other provinces and territories but seeking work in Ontario.
Beginning January 1, professionals holding out-of-province certifications will be able to start working in Ontario within 10 business days once their credentials have been validated by their regulatory authority.
Those with confirmed credentials may work for up to six months as they complete the full registration process with the Ontario regulatory body for their profession.
Currently, workers face considerable delays of several months to half a year before they can become fully registered and begin working in Ontario.
The “As of Right” rules apply to over 50 Ontario regulatory bodies and 300 certifications, impacting professionals like architects, engineers, and electricians. This is particularly significant when considering that about 20 per cent of professions in Canada are regulated.
“With these historic measures, we’re tearing down barriers to create more opportunities for workers and businesses, building a stronger province and country,” said David Piccini, the Ontario Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, in a September 1 news release announcing these changes.
How to take advantage of the new labour mobility changes
Individuals who are certified to work in another province or territory in Canada will be able to take the following steps to become licensed to work in non-health occupations Ontario:
Step 1: Identify the regulatory authority that oversees the profession or trade in Ontario.
Step 2: Complete and submit a labour mobility application following the specific guidelines set forth by the regulatory authority.
After submitting an application and all other information and documentation required by the regulatory authority, a certification decision will be made by the regulatory authority within 30 calendar days.
Healthcare workers
Only certain healthcare professions are covered under the new labour mobility legislation.
The “As of Right” regulations extend to the following healthcare professionals who are registered in:
- Other Canadian provinces and territories, working as a:
- Physician;
- Surgeon;
- Registered nurse;
- Registered practical nurse;
- Nurse practitioner;
- Respiratory therapist; or
- Medical laboratory technologist.
- A US state or the District of Columbia, working as a:
- Board-certified physician or surgeon (with the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Association); or
- Registered nurse registered practical nurse, or nurse practitioner.
All other regulated healthcare professions (such as pharmacists, dentists, or psychiatrists) are not covered by the “As of Right” regulations beginning next year.
Certified healthcare workers from outside Ontario can start working within the province almost immediately without registering with one of Ontario’s health regulatory colleges—provided they meet 10 distinct conditions.
Ontario-based workers seeking to work in a different province of territory
Those who are certified to work in Ontario but wish to move and work elsewhere in the country will also be able to do so under forthcoming regulatory changes.
The Government of Ontario has already signed 10 agreements with various provinces and territories across Canada, which include reciprocal measures to enable interprovincial mobility.
This is facilitated by the fact that most regulated professions in Canada have similar occupational standards across provinces and territories, which simplifies the process of certifying professions from one jurisdiction to another.
Regulatory authorities
These new rules will apply to individuals that work in professions overseen by Ontario regulatory bodies under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009 (OLMA).
The following list features the 59 regulatory authorities under the OLMA.
Any worker, employer, or regulator with questions about labour mobility in Canada can visit this webpage featuring frequently asked questions.
The Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program
Through the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), foreign nationals can obtain Canadian permanent residence through one of the province’s provincial immigration streams—allowing them to live and work in Ontario.
OINP streams typically require prospective candidates to have either a job offer or eligible work experience.
The province has numerous immigration streams, three of which require foreign nationals to have a job offer in order to be considered, including:
- Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream;
- Employer Job Offer: International Student Stream; and
- Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream.
The OINP utilizes an Expression of Interest (EOI) system to manage applications for these three streams.
Many of the occupations under the Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker Stream and Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills Stream are regulated and will likely qualify under the new “As of Right” labour mobility rules.
Some of the province’s immigration streams are Express Entry-aligned, including:
Under these streams, a job offer is not required, but you must have a valid and complete Express Entry profile to be considered.
To date, the OINP has issued 8,799 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) through its various streams throughout 2025.
