Coming soon: Membership Renewals 2021

As a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, you must pay your membership fees annually, by December 31. Keeping your membership current is important. It demonstrates your commitment to professional, ethical, qualified and accountable practice. It also says something important about the professions of social work and social service work as a whole, and also about you as an individual practitioner.

The renewal season will commence in early November 2020. You will be sent a notice via email once the College’s member renewal period is open. The deadline to complete your membership renewal and payment for the year 2021 is December 31, 2020.

New members who were issued a certificate of registration at any time in 2020 are required to complete their 2021 annual renewal of registration and provide confirmation of participation in the Continuing Competence Program (CCP) for the year 2020. For more information about the CCP, please visit the College website.

Renew your membership online

Once the renewal period is open, follow these easy steps to renew your membership online:

  • Log in using your User ID (your OCSWSSW registration number) and your password.
  • Click on the “2021 Renewals” link on the top left-hand side of your screen and select “2021 renewal” to complete the annual renewal of registration form and payment.

Please note: mobile phones or tablets may not be compatible with the online renewal. We recommend using a laptop or desktop computer to complete your renewal.

Payment methods accepted include credit card (Visa or Mastercard only), cheque, money order, or bank draft. Please note: Visa debit cards are not accepted and E-transfer payments are not available.

For more information regarding your membership renewal, please refer to the Guide for Online Renewal.

Tax receipts and member cards available online

Tax receipts and member cards will be available online following payment of the annual renewal fee. To access your tax receipt and member card, please follow the steps below:

  • Log in to your Online Member Services.
  • Click “Renewal Receipts” from the menu.
  • From the Membership Renewal History grid, click on the “Membership card and Receipt” of the selected Membership Year to open a PDF file that you can print, save or send by email.

2021 annual fees

Every year, the Council carefully considers the various factors which impact the College’s financial situation, reviews its cash flow projections and approves fees for the following year. This annual review ensures that the College responds in a fiscally responsible and flexible manner to changes in the environment – changes which of course include the global pandemic that hit earlier this year.

Taking into consideration the impact of COVID-19, operating costs and resource needs and other factors, the Council approved in May the recommendations of the Finance Committee that there be no increase to the general registration and membership fees in 2021.

The 2021 annual fees are as follows:

Annual fee for a general class certificate of registration   $360

Registration fee for new members in the general class    $360 + $100 application fee

of certificate of registration

New graduate registration fee*                                             $260 + $100 application fee

Inactive class of certificate of registration                           $180

Retired class of certificate of registration                            $50

*New graduates are eligible for a $100 membership fee exemption for the first two years of membership if they apply for registration no later than December 31 of the year they obtain their degree or diploma.

Remember: Only professionals registered with the College are allowed to use the titles “social worker,” “registered social worker,” “social service worker” or “registered social service worker.”

Questions about the annual fees can be directed to renewals@ocswssw.org.