First in Canada… Labour Mobility Improvements Coming to Ontario

Effective January 1, 2026, certain regulated professionals licensed elsewhere in Canada will be able to work in Ontario within ten days of applying to the applicable Ontario regulatory authority.[1] This will make it considerably easier for Ontario employers to hire skilled workers from anywhere in the country in a variety of regulated occupations and enhance flexibility to staff short-term projects.[2]

According to the Government of Ontario, the goal is to build a unified Canadian workforce that can stand up to U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty. The Regulation,[3] under the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009, will apply to professions covered by more than 50 regulatory authorities and 300 certifications (see below).

To whom does the regulation apply?

The Regulation applies to “an occupation for which an Ontario regulatory authority is authorized … to grant a specific authorizing certificate to an individual.” This generally includes all regulated professions outside the healthcare industry. Many in-demand jobs, such as electricians, architects, early childhood educators, and skilled trades, fall under this definition.

Deemed certification within ten days

Under the Regulation, if a worker certified in a regulated occupation in another province applies for certification in Ontario, that worker will be deemed certified in Ontario within ten days of applying to   the appropriate Ontario regulatory authority. The deemed certification lasts for a one-time period of six-months. This period is non-renewable and if an applicant wishes to continue working in Ontario, in that regulated profession, they must complete all licensing requirements within that timeframe.

Deemed certification will end prior to the expiration of the six-month period if the regulatory authority:

1. Certifies the individual in the occupation; or
2. Denies the application (and any right of appeal is extinguished); or
3. Determines any information provided by the individual in the application was not accurate at the time it was provided or is no longer accurate.

An applicant must submit their authorizing certificate from the other province and any additional information or payment required by the Ontario regulatory authority.  This may include an application fee, successful completion of a proficiency exam, evidence of English language proficiency, police or credit check, confirmation of professional insurance, etc.

Once an application is submitted, the Ontario regulatory authority has ten days to provide the applicant with a “notice of receipt” or inform the applicant if the application is incomplete or cannot be processed.  If the notice of receipt confirms the application is complete, the applicant is considered certified in Ontario for that occupation for a one-time period of six months.

Regulatory authority must post information about deemed certification

Every Ontario regulatory authority must publish, on a publicly accessible website, a statement confirming that the deemed certification process is available, an explanation of how the process works, and the information required to meet the application requirements.

Regulatory Authorities Covered by the Regulation

1. Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario
2. Association of Chartered Industrial Designers of Ontario
3. Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario
4. Association of Ontario Land Surveyors
5. Association of Ontario Road Supervisors
6. Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario
7. Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario
8. Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario
9. Association of the Chemical Profession of Ontario
10. Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario
11. Bereavement Authority of Ontario
12. Building Services Administrative Authority
13. Charted Institute of Marketing Management of Ontario
14. Chartered Governance Institute of Canada
15. Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario
16. College of Early Childhood Educators
17. College of Veterinarians of Ontario
18. Electrical Safety Authority
19. Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario
20. Human Resources Professionals Association
21. Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario
22. Institute of Municipal Assessors
23. Law Society of Ontario
24. Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism — Archaeologists
25. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness — Nutrient Management
26. Ministry of the Education – Supervisory Officers
27. Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks — Drinking Water Operators
28. Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks — Wastewater Operators
29. Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks — Water Quality Analysts
30. Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks — Well Contractors and Technicians
31. Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks — Pesticide Operators and Exterminators
32. Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks — Ozone Depletion Prevention
33. Ministry of Health — Emergency Health Services — Paramedics
34. Ministry of Natural Resources — Scalers
35. Municipal Law Enforcement Officers’ Association of Ontario
36. Ontario Association of Architects
37. Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists
38. Ontario Association of Home Inspectors
39. Ontario Association of Landscape Architects
40. Ontario Association of Property Standards Officers
41. Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians
42. Ontario Building Officials Association
43. Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
44. Ontario College of Teachers
45. Ontario Home Economics Association
46. Ontario Institute of Agrologists
47. Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council
48. Ontario Municipal Management Institute
49. Ontario Professional Foresters Association
50. Ontario Professional Planners Institute
51. Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association
52. Ontario Securities Commission
53. Ministry of Solicitor General — Private Security and Investigative Services
54. Professional Engineers Ontario
55. Real Estate Council of Ontario
56. Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario
57. Skilled Trades Ontario
58. Supply Chain Canada (Ontario)
59. Technical Standards and Safety Authority

For more information or assistance contact your Sherrard Kuzz LLP lawyer or info@sherrardkuzz.com.

Ethan Saks is a lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz LLP, one of Canada’s leading employment and labour law firms, representing employers. Ethan can be reached at 416.603.0700 (Main), 416.420.0738 (24 Hour) or by visiting www.sherrardkuzz.com.   The information contained in this article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice, nor does accessing this information create a lawyer-client relationship. This article is current as of September 2025 and applies only to Ontario, Canada, or such other laws of Canada as expressly indicated.  Information about the law is checked for legal accuracy as at the date the presentation/article is prepared but may become outdated as laws or policies change.  For clarification or for legal or other professional assistance please contact Sherrard Kuzz LLP.

[1] At present, the current application process can take up to six months.

[2] Reciprocal agreements with ten other provinces and territories will also allow Ontario workers to more easily work in regulated professions in other Canadian jurisdictions.

[3] Ontario Regulation 199/25.

Ethan Saks Direct: 416.217.2240
esaks@sherrardkuzz.com