Educated Outside of Canada

Step-by-step guidance to get licensed to practice physiotherapy in Ontario



To be a physiotherapist (also known as a physical therapist) in Canada, you must be registered with a regulatory body often called a College. Physiotherapy is a regulated health profession, and each Canadian province/territory has their own regulatory body. In Ontario, the regulatory body is the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. You must receive a license from the College before you can practice in Ontario.

If you received your physiotherapy education or training outside of Canada, you must have your education and training assessed (this process is called credentialling) and successfully complete a written competency exam before you can apply for a license with the College.

The College does not administer credentialling services or the written competency exam. Both steps are managed by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR). If you received your physiotherapy education outside of Canada, you must connect with CAPR first.

After completing the credentialling process and written exam, you will need to successfully complete the Ontario Clinical Exam – a virtual, clinical exam that is administered by the College.

We have outlined the entire process to become a licensed physiotherapist in the steps below. There are also two physiotherapy associations – the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and the Ontario Physiotherapy Association – that can be helpful to you throughout this process. The associations are bodies that advocate on behalf of physiotherapists, while the College’s mandate is to protect the public interest.

Questions?

Registration Team
Contact the Registration Team for assistance at registration@collegept.org or call 1-800-583-5885 ext. 222. 

Alternate Formats or Translation
If you would like information in an alternate format or another language, please contact communications@collegept.org or call 1-800-583-5885 ext. 234.

Step 1: Have Your Credentials Assessed by CAPR

The first step to becoming a registered physiotherapist in Ontario is to have your credentials assessed by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPRand complete a language assessment to demonstrate proficiency in English or French.

CAPR is a credentialling and assessment agency that provides evaluation services for all of the regulatory colleges in Canada. CAPR has an updated language proficiency policy, effective
April 1, 2023.

CAPR: Top 10 Things Credentialling Clients Should Know

The Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators
1243 Islington Avenue, Suite 501, Toronto, Ontario M8X 1Y9
Tel: 416-234-8800 |  Fax: 416- 234-8820

www.alliancept.org

Step 2: Take the Written Exam with CAPR

After completing the credentialling process you will need to take the Physiotherapy Competency Exam - Written Component. The written exam is administered by the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR). You have three attempts to successfully complete the written exam.

Decide if you’d like to register for Provisional Practice

After successfully completing the written exam, you may choose to apply for a Provisional Practice Certificate of registration with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. This means you can work as a Physiotherapy Resident under the supervision of a registered physiotherapist until you complete the clinical exam.

This is optional – you are not required to apply for Provisional Practice although many people find it helpful to gain experience under the guidance of a registered physiotherapist.  

Important: 

To receive a Provisional Practice Certificate of Registration with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, you must be registered for the next administration of the Ontario Clinical Exam – the virtual clinical exam that is administered by the College.

If you decide to apply for Provisional Practice, please make sure you apply for the Ontario Clinical Exam first. You will be required to pay the full exam fee of $1,985 at the time of registration, and will be scheduled for the next available exam. You will not receive a Provisional Practice certificate if you are not registered for the next available exam.

If you do not apply for Provisional Practice, you can submit your application for the Ontario Clinical Exam whenever you choose, but you cannot practice physiotherapy while you wait to take the clinical exam.

Written exam resources from CAPR:

Helpful resources before you take the exam or start practicing:

Step 3: Take the Ontario Clinical Exam (OCE) with the College

After you successfully complete the written exam, you need to take a clinical exam. You must successfully complete the clinical exam to be able to register for Independent Practice with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. Independent Practice means that you no longer have to practice under a supervisor. 

The clinical exam is administered by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario and is called the Ontario Clinical Exam, or OCE. 

You must register for the OCE before you apply for a Provisional Practice certificate, and you must successfully complete the OCE before you can apply for Independent Practice. 

In Canada, candidates have three attempts to successfully complete a clinical exam. You cannot keep your Provisional Practice certificate if you are unable to pass the clinical exam on your first attempt. This means you will need to stop practicing as a PT Resident until you successfully complete the exam.

Learn more about the OCE