Occupational therapists

In British Columbia, occupational therapists use client assessment, intervention, and evaluation in relation to occupational performance and work with clients to enhance the ability to engage occupations and/or make modifications to the occupation or the environment to better support engagement. Occupational therapists may:

• Observe patients doing tasks, ask them questions, and review their medical history.
• Evaluate a patient’s condition and needs.
• Develop a treatment plan for patients, laying out the types of activities and specific goals to be accomplished.
• Help people with various disabilities with different tasks.
• Demonstrate exercises that can help relieve pain for people with chronic conditions.
• Evaluate a patient’s home or workplace and based on the patient’s needs, identify potential improvements.
• Educate a patient’s family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the patient.
• Recommend special equipment and instruct patients on how to use that equipment.
• Assess and record patient’s activities and progress for patient evaluations, for billing and for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers.

Generally, Canadian-trained occupational therapists must have completed a two-year Occupational Therapy Master’s degree program and must successfully pass the National Occupational Therapy Examination (NOTCE) administered by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). Occupational therapy is a regulated profession in Canada, and to practice in B.C., occupational therapists must be licensed with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC). 

Occupational therapists work across the health system in B.C., and are currently being hired in:

• Senior’s care, including home and community care, long-term care, and assisted living;
• Primary care networks and Urgent and Primary Care Centres
• Hospitals and acute care services
• Rehabilitation services
• Mental health and substance use services

British Columbia’s publicly funded health authorities offer comprehensive compensation packages for regular-status employees, including employer-paid benefits.

• Wages: $42.56 – $52.95 CAD per hour (as of April 1, 2024), plus applicable shift premiums.
• Paid Vacation Time: 4 weeks per year, after first year of employment
• Pension Plan
• BC Medical Services Plan (MSP)
• Extended Health Care
• Dental Coverage
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Employee and Family Assistance Plan

• To become licensed in B.C., internationally educated occupational therapists must first apply for ACOTRO’s Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS) program.  
• The Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations (ACOTRO) is the national credentialing body that provides a pathway for internationally educated occupational therapists to complete their credential assessment in Canada.  
• Internationally educated occupational therapists whose education has been deemed to be substantially equivalent to a Canadian occupational therapy education are eligible to register for the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE).    
• After passing the NOTCE, internationally educated occupational therapists are eligible to apply for full licensure with the CHCPBC.  
• Internationally educated occupational therapists who wish to work in B.C. may be eligible for the Internationally Educated Occupational Therapist Credential Assessment and Education Bursary Program, to assist with the costs associated with becoming licensed to work in B.C. Interested applicants can find more details through the Allied Health Jobs BC website.