Employers are essential partners in the College’s public protection mandate. Every day, you help ensure that Ontarians receive safe, ethical and competent social work and social service work services. We appreciate the role you play and want to share several registration updates from the College that are intended to support your workforce planning while strengthening transparency, fairness and public confidence in the professions.
Supporting Labour Mobility
Effective January 1, 2026, the Ontario government introduced Ontario Regulation 199/25 with specifics around Deemed Certification to support labour mobility across Canada. Social workers who are registered and in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction may be eligible to practise in Ontario for a one-time, six-month period without submitting a full application for registration.
To support employers, the College’s Online Register will clearly identify when an individual is practising under Deemed Certification. Registrants who complete their application within six months will be issued a full certificate of registration. If the application is not completed, the certificate is cancelled and the individual must re-apply. We encourage employers to routinely consult the Online Register when onboarding and supervising staff.
Fair and Efficient Registration Processes
In collaboration with the Office of the Fairness Commissioner, new requirements under Ontario Regulation 261/22, made under the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, have led to several improvements to the College’s registration processes:
- A Parallel Processing Registration Plan, approved by the Office of the Fairness Commissioner and College Council, which clearly outlines registration steps and the options available to applicants, ensuring they can complete their registration pathway in the most efficient way.
- An Acceptable Alternatives to Official Documents Policy that supports applicants who cannot obtain standard documents due to circumstances beyond their control, while maintaining registration standards.
- Enhanced communication and guidance for internationally educated applicants who use the services of third-party credential assessment agencies.
A Reminder about Vulnerable Sector Checks
As a reminder, vulnerable sector checks became a mandatory registration requirement on October 1, 2025. While applicants are responsible for obtaining and submitting a vulnerable sector check, employers are encouraged to continue verifying registration status and any conditions through the College’s Online Register as part of your regular onboarding and supervision practices.
Additional updates to support employers
The College has updated its equivalency policies for social work and social service work, to include a new preliminary review step to assess whether an applicant’s education and experience are relevant to the practice of the professions.
The Online Register has also been enhanced to include academic information, certain charges and convictions if known to the College and any conditions of release. Updated FAQs and a revised glossary are available to support employer use.
We value our ongoing collaboration with employers across Ontario and appreciate your commitment to public protection. By working together and making use of the College’s tools and resources, we can continue to support a strong, trusted and accountable social services sector for the communities we serve.
Sincerely,
Denitha Breau, RN, MSN, MBA
Registrar and CEO
The below registration links may also be useful for employers: