RMTs from Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI

Applicants/RMTs from Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI

Massage therapy is regulated in five Canadian provinces: BC, Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island (PEI).

In accordance with Chapter 7 (Labour Mobility) of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (PDF), CMTBC grants registration to Practising RMTs in good standing from Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI provided they complete CMTBC’s Law, Ethics and Professionalism online course and pass the online exam before being granted registration with CMTBC.

This Labour Mobility application pathway is only available to RMTs from Canadian jurisdictions where massage therapy is regulated – Ontario, Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI. Massage providers from other Canadian jurisdictions may apply via the Prior Learning Assessment pathway.

Seven steps to becoming an RMT in BC

Step 1: Submit the application for registration

Submit the Application for Registration for RMTs from Ontario, Newfoundland/Labrador, New Brunswick, and PEI by logging in the Applicant Portal. Please note that all existing applicants who used the old CMTBC Portal must reactivate their accounts in the new portal. To reactivate your account, go to the Applicant Portal and follow the instructions.

Step 2: Submit documentation for review

Applicants must ensure that the following documentation is submitted to CMTBC:

Letter of Good Standing

A Practising RMT in good standing registered in Ontario, Newfoundland/Labrador, New Brunswick, or PEI must arrange for his/her college to provide a Letter of Good Standing directly to CMTBC. The letter of good standing can be sent by mail, fax, or email (as a scanned PDF), but must be sent by the college, not by the applicant. Emailed letters should be sent to [email protected]. In general, CMTBC will only consider a Letter of Good Standing to be valid (1) in the calendar year in which it is received, unless the college sending the letter specifies a different validity period; and (2) as long as the applicant continues to hold active or practicing registration.

Passport Quality Photo

Applicants are required to submit a current passport quality photo in the Applicant Portal. A current photo is one that is taken no more than six months prior to the application date.

Step 3: Pay the fee for the Law, Ethics and Professionalism online course and exam

Pay the Law, Ethics and Professionalism course and exam fee of $350.

Pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Amex) in the Applicant Portal; cheque mailed to CMTBC; or cheque paid in person at the CMTBC office.

Step 4: Complete the Law, Ethics and Professionalism online course and exam

Applicants who have submitted the required documentation and paid the fee will gain access to CMTBC’s online course entitled Law, Ethics and Professionalism. Completing the course and passing the proctored online exam is a requirement for registration.

CMTBC’s course on Law, Ethics and Professionalism consists of 10 modules. Each module includes interactive learning tools to illustrate situations that arise in clinical settings.

At the end of each module, applicants must successfully complete a quiz on the content of that module to progress to the next module. All material required to succeed in the modules is provided within each module. Applicants are encouraged to take their time with the material, follow all the links, use the interactive tools, and reflect on their practice. The course enrolment period is eight weeks; applicants are encouraged to begin the material as soon as they are enrolled to ensure they complete it within eight weeks. When the eight week period is over, the course will close online and access will be denied.

After completing all 10 modules, applicants are required to take the online exam in a proctored environment. We work with applicants to find an appropriate computer lab (e.g. in a community college) where the exam is administered. A small fee is payable at the exam location to cover costs associated with administering the exam. Applicants complete the exam at a mutually-agreed-to time and date. Shortly after completion of the exam, CMTBC staff will notify applicants of their results.

Successful applicants will be eligible for registration and will need to submit the following items to complete registration:

Step 5: Submit documentation to complete registration

After successful completion of the Law, Ethics and Professionalism exam, applicants must submit the following documentation to complete registration:

Letters of reference

All applicants must arrange for three character references. Character references must be from individuals who have known the applicant for at least two years, and are not family members, classmates or friends. Applicants are asked to log onto the Applicant Portal and provide the required information for their referees, including an email address for each. Referees will then be emailed a link that will allow them to provide a confidential reference in a secure area on the portal.

Proof of entitlement to work in Canada

Upload a copy of one of the following in the Applicant Portal:

Proof of Canadian Citizenship, such as: Canadian Passport (photo and signature page); Canadian Citizenship certificate or card (front and back); or Birth certificate from a Canadian province
Government-issued work permit or work visa
Permanent resident card (front and back)

First aid certificate

Submit a copy of a current first aid certificate (see below for submission instructions). You must have current certification in Standard First Aid/CPR-C from one of the five national providers named in CMTBC’s Bylaws:

Canadian Red Cross
Canadian Ski Patrol
Heart and Stroke Foundation
Lifesaving Society
St. John Ambulance

Proof of liability insurance

Submit the pages of your liability insurance policy that show the amount of coverage and the dates for which you are covered (see below for submission instructions). Ensure your name is on the pages you send.

Instructions for submitting proof of eligibility to work in Canada, first aid certificate, and proof of liability insurance

Submit these documents by uploading them in the Applicant Portal.

Step 6: Apply for Criminal Record Check

Under Part 4 of the Criminal Records Review Act, all Registered Massage Therapists must complete a criminal record check when they first become registered with the College and every five years thereafter.

Log in to the Applicant Portal to fill out the Consent to Criminal Record Check(s) form, download the form that requires a signature, and upload the signed form. CMTBC will then communicate the required information to the Criminal Records Review Program to ensure that your check is carried out. Once you have provided CMTBC with your signed consent form, all future checks will be conducted automatically.

Step 7: Pay application fee and annual registration fee

The following fees are payable:

Application for registration fee: $150
Annual registration fee: $675*
*The fee amount charged for initial registration is pro-rated on a monthly basis according to the number of full months remaining in the calendar year in which registration occurs.

Pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Amex) in the Applicant Portal; cheque mailed to CMTBC; or cheque paid in person at the CMTBC office.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please email [email protected] or call 604-736-3404 ext. 102 (toll free in North America at 1-877-321-3404 ext. 102).