How certified teachers, nurses and other regulated workers move a licence across Canada: the labour mobility rule, the steps, and where to check exceptions.
The short answer
If you already hold a certificate, licence, or registration for a regulated occupation in one province or territory, and you are in good standing, the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) Chapter 7 labour mobility rule says the destination province or territory must recognize you as qualified for the same occupation. You do not start from scratch. You do still apply to the destination regulator, prove good standing, meet any permitted extra checks, and receive the destination certificate. The main exceptions are posted exceptions for specific occupations, and extra checks such as a criminal record check, local law knowledge, or language proficiency.
This guide covers regulated professions beyond the trades, with teachers and nurses worked through in detail. The Red Seal trades route is separate and is covered in our Red Seal guide.
The rule that makes the move possible
Chapter 7 of the CFTA states that certified workers have to be recognized as qualified by a regulator in another province or territory without having to go through significant additional training, work experience, examination, or assessment, unless an exception has been posted. Manitoba's labour mobility page puts it the same way: a certified, licensed, registered, or officially recognized worker in one province or territory will, on application, be certified for the same occupation by any other province or territory without being required to undertake additional requirements such as education, training, or examination. Criminal record checks are a permitted extra requirement, and a government may keep an exception where occupational standards differ enough that a legitimate objective, such as public safety, requires it.
Two limits matter from the start. First, the occupation must be regulated in both places for certificate-to-certificate recognition to apply. If the destination does not regulate it, you do not need a certificate there. Second, a posted exception can change the result for a specific occupation in a specific jurisdiction. Check the exception list before you plan a move date around this guide.
Step 1: Confirm your home certificate is current and in good standing
Labour mobility is for certified workers, not for people partway through first-time certification. Before you apply elsewhere, confirm:
- Your certificate is current, not expired, suspended, or restricted in a way the destination regulator would need to assess.
- You are in good standing with your home regulator, with no unresolved discipline matter.
- The occupation name matches. A destination regulator certifies you for its equivalent occupation, and it will check that the scope lines up.
If your home certificate is restricted, conditional, or interim, say so on the application and ask the destination regulator how it treats that status. British Columbia's teaching page, for example, notes that holders of a current, valid, unrestricted teaching certificate from another Canadian province or territory may qualify for a Certificate of Qualification under the CFTA without further coursework, and it names interim certificates from Alberta, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories as included in that route.
Step 2: Find the destination regulator
There is no single national licensing office for teachers, nurses, or most other regulated professions. Each province and territory regulates the occupation itself. Start with the destination regulator, not with a job board or an employer, and look for its labour mobility, certified-worker, or out-of-province application page. That page, not the first-time applicant page, is the route for you.
For teachers, the regulators include the Ontario College of Teachers in Ontario and the Teacher Regulation Branch in British Columbia. For nurses, they include the College of Nurses of Ontario in Ontario and the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives in British Columbia. Other provinces and territories use their own colleges, ministries, or regulatory boards for the same occupations. If you cannot find the regulator by name, the Labour Mobility Coordinator in the destination jurisdiction can point you to it.
Step 3: Apply through the labour mobility route
In most cases, you complete an application and receive certification in the destination province or territory before you work there. The regulator's site should outline the labour mobility process. If you cannot find it online, contact the regulator directly and ask for the certified-worker application. The regulator in your home jurisdiction may also link to regulators in other provinces and territories.
A typical application asks for proof of identity, your current certificate, and a verification of registration sent directly from your home regulator. Do not send a photocopy of your certificate as a substitute where the destination regulator asks for direct verification. Ask your home regulator to send it, and keep the request reference.
Step 4: Meet the permitted extra checks
The destination regulator may still ask for:
- A criminal record check.
- Evidence of good character and good standing.
- Local knowledge of the laws or requirements that apply to practising the occupation in that province or territory.
- Proof of proficiency in English or French, if no equivalent requirement was satisfied as a condition of your current certification.
These are the kinds of requirements the federal Worker's Guide to Labour Mobility lists as items a regulator may ask for. They are not the same as being told to redo a degree, complete a new training program, or write a new qualifying exam. If a request looks like that, check the posted exceptions and contact your home Labour Mobility Coordinator.
Teachers: Ontario and British Columbia
Ontario teachers certified elsewhere have a dated, specific route. Effective January 1, 2026, amendments to the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009 enable teachers certified in other Canadian jurisdictions to apply As of Right for deemed certification valid for up to six months. Deemed certified teachers are members of the Ontario College of Teachers and are certified to teach in Ontario's publicly funded education system as long as their certificate is valid and their membership is in good standing. You request deemed certification while completing the online application for College certification, and the College responds within 10 business days of receiving the request.
Deemed certification is not a shortcut past the full application. You must provide proof of identity, teaching certificates from other Canadian jurisdictions, a criminal record check, and proof of language proficiency if applicable, and sign an attestation confirming good standing, no current misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity proceedings, no denial of teaching certification in any Canadian jurisdiction in the past two years, and ability to meet English or French language proficiency requirements. You must complete the full application, with all required documents and information to the satisfaction of the Registrar, before the six-month expiry date. The College provides a certification decision within 30 calendar days of receiving that information. Deemed certification cannot be extended beyond the initial six-month period, and if it expires before a decision is issued, you must reapply and meet the requirements in place at that time. The full certificate may carry terms, conditions, or limitations based on the assessment of the complete application.
For British Columbia, a teacher holding a current, valid, unrestricted teaching certificate from another Canadian province or territory may qualify for a Certificate of Qualification under the CFTA without having to complete further coursework. The Teacher Regulation Branch evaluates the application and submitted documents. Apply before you leave your home jurisdiction, because document collection and evaluation take time.
Nurses: Ontario
Ontario nurses registered elsewhere also have a dated, specific route. Launched January 1, 2026, the College of Nurses of Ontario automatic recognition process lets nurses already registered in another Canadian jurisdiction become registered with the College in two business days. The steps the College describes are: create a profile, sign an attestation form for automatic recognition, confirm good standing and character, and pay the relevant fees.
For labour mobility applicants, the College states that a nurse currently registered as a practising nurse in another Canadian province who seeks an equivalent practising certificate is not required to meet the evidence of practice requirement for registration, though evidence of practice will be required after registration. Fees vary by application and certificate type, so check the College fee page for the current amount before you budget. This guide does not state a fee amount.
In other provinces and territories, the same CFTA principle applies, but the form, fee, and processing time are set by each nursing regulator. Apply to that regulator through its labour mobility route and ask for its current processing time in writing.
Other regulated occupations
The same steps apply to other regulated occupations: engineers, accountants, early childhood educators, social workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and others regulated province by province. Ontario's labour mobility page lists dozens of Ontario regulators covered by its labour mobility framework, including the Ontario College of Teachers, the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, Professional Engineers Ontario, and Skilled Trades Ontario. The list is a starting point for finding the right regulator, not a guarantee for any single occupation. For each occupation, confirm three things with the destination regulator: that it regulates the occupation, that no posted exception applies to your case, and which labour mobility form it requires.
Where standards differ in a real way, an exception may require a bridging step. Nova Scotia, for example, lists approved exceptions for dental hygienists, dental specialists, lawyers, licensed practical nurses, psychologists, and social workers. Manitoba lists a licensed practical nurse exception. Those lists change, so check the current exception list for the destination jurisdiction rather than relying on this guide's examples.
If your application stalls or is refused
First, ask the destination regulator in writing what is missing and which rule it relies on. Second, contact the Labour Mobility Coordinator in the province or territory where you are currently certified. Coordinators handle questions and concerns about labour mobility, work with regulators, and help reconcile occupational standards where that is practical. Third, keep copies of every form, verification request, and dated response. Dated responses matter for the Ontario teacher route in particular, because the 10 business day response, six-month deemed period, and 30 calendar day decision clock all turn on dates.
Do not start work in the destination jurisdiction on the strength of your home certificate alone, unless a specific route in that jurisdiction says you may. Ontario deemed certification and Ontario nurse automatic recognition are such routes, and each has its own conditions and expiry. In other cases, wait for the destination certificate.
What to check before you move
- Is the occupation regulated in the destination? If not, no destination certificate is needed.
- Is there a posted exception for your occupation in the destination?
- Which labour mobility form does the destination regulator require?
- Has your home regulator sent verification directly?
- What are the current fee and processing time, in writing from the destination regulator?
- Does your move date leave room for document delays?
Fees and processing times vary by occupation and jurisdiction and are not stated here except for the two Ontario timelines above, which come from the regulators themselves. Check the destination regulator's current fee page before you budget.