Practising in Another Canadian Jurisdiction

Optometrists in good standing who are licensed to practise in other Canadian provinces/territories can apply for registration in Ontario under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act or the Agreement on Internal Trade.

To register in Ontario, optometrists from other Canadian jurisdictions are required to:

  1. Provide a notarized copy of their Doctor of Optometry degree certificate.
  2. Successfully complete the Ontario Optometric Jurisprudence Exam.
  3. Meet all requirements for registration (see below)

Applicants must have practised optometry (as permitted by a general certificate of registration) at any time in the three years immediately before the date of their Ontario application. If unable to do so, the applicant must complete any further requirements to obtain or undergo additional training, experience, examinations, or assessments that may be specified by the College.

Meeting requirements for registration

1. Complete the application process and submit fees.

Upon successful completion of the application process, including completing the Jurisprudence exam, you will be asked to confirm the accuracy of the information provided in your application form. If you provide the College with false or misleading information on your application, you will be deemed not to have satisfied the requirements for registration. The application fee is $474.60 including 13% HST. This includes the fee for writing the Ontario Optometric Jurisprudence Examination. 

2. Provide a Certificate of Standing

If you have ever been licensed or registered to practise optometry or any other regulated health profession anywhere outside Ontario, arrange for the licensing body where you practised to complete a Certificate of Standing outlining your current status in that jurisdiction. The Certificate of Standing must be dated no more than six months before your Certificate of Registration is issued.

3. Letter of Attestation

The College will require evidence in the form of written attestation by a non-relative colleague registered in good standing with the Canadian jurisdiction where the applicant is currently registered, who can confirm that the applicant was practising at the specified practice location. The following information must be included in the written attestation:

  • The applicant’s full name and registration certificate number in that jurisdiction;
  • The full address of the practice location;
  • The dates/range the applicant practised at the specified practice location; and
  • The approximate number of patients the applicant saw.

4. Submit a Vulnerable Sector Check

Applicants must provide a Vulnerable Sector Check from the current Canadian jurisdiction in which they are practising, as well as any jurisdiction in which they have previously practised. The results of the Vulnerable Sector Check must be dated within six months of the applicant becoming registered in Ontario.

5. Proof of Canadian Residency

If you are a Canadian citizen, provide a notarized photocopy of one of the following with your application form:

  • Birth Certificate
  • Canadian Passport
  • Citizenship Identification Card

If you have Permanent Resident Status or authorization to practise optometry under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, provide a notarized photocopy of your Permanent Resident Status or authorization with your application form. This document must be valid in order for your Certificate of Registration to be issued and activated.

Learn more about applying to work in Ontario under the Labour Mobility Act in our information package, available in English or French.

Related FAQs

  • No. After completing the registration requirements, you will need to complete various administrative tasks such as filling out College forms and sourcing professional liability insurance, which is a requirement of our by-laws. A variety of insurance companies sell this insurance. The OAO also offers a professional liability insurance plan to its members. Accordingly, you need to build in enough time before you can start working as an optometrist in Ontario.

  • The VS check is a process that verifies whether an individual has a criminal record, as well as any record suspensions (formerly pardons) for sexual offences and local police records for information relevant to the VS check. The information that can be legally disclosed is provided to the applicant.

  • As part of the registration process, applicants must submit a Vulnerable Sector (VS) check to ensure they have not been found guilty of any criminal offence in any jurisdiction, or an offence under the Criminal Code, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and the Food and Drugs Act. A police record check with VS screening is required as registered optometrists may work with vulnerable person(s) such as minors or elderly patients (i.e., those who are dependent on others, or may be at greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of authority.)

    Applicants must provide a VS check from:

    • their current jurisdiction
    • any past jurisdiction(s) where they have practised.
  • Contact your local police department or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police regarding the process and fees involved in obtaining a VS check.

  • Please check with your local police department or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police regarding the submission of fingerprints.

  • Yes. The VS check must be requested under your current name as well as any former or maiden names.

  • The results of the VS check must be dated no earlier than six months before the date you become registered. For example, if you complete all of the requirements for registration on September 1, the results of your VS check must be dated on or after March 1 of that same year. If you provide a VS check and then take longer than six months to complete the other requirements for registration, you will be required to submit an updated VS check to complete your application for registration.

  • The results of the VS check must be submitted to the College directly from the police or in an envelope provided to you by the police. Keep a scanned copy for your records and provide the original copy to the College for verification. If you obtain an electronic VSC, please contact the College for an alternative submission option.