*Candidates trained in social work abroad
Admission by equivalence (CTSWA – international)
General information
This section is intended for persons wishing to obtain a permit as a social worker by recognition of equivalence of degree or training. This applies if:
- You were educated in social work outside Canada and United States (you do not hold a DEASS obtained in France)
- You hold a DEASS obtained in France obtained by validation of acquired experience (VAE)
- You were educated in a discipline related to social worker abroad
You may be eligible to obtain a permit as a social worker by means of an equivalence of degree or training if your education and experience comply with the requirements of the Règlement sur les normes d’équivalence pour la délivrance d’un permis de l’Ordre professionnel des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec [Regulation respecting the equivalence standards of a permit of the Order] (C-26, a. 93, par. c et c.1)
Please review the documents below to determine your eligibility before completing your application for admission.
Documents to read before applying
- The Référentiel d’activité professionnelle lié à l’exercice de la profession de travailleuse sociale ou travailleur social au Québec[Toolkit on the professional activity for the practice of the social worker profession in Québec] (PDF, 1.9 MB)
- Règlement sur les normes d’équivalence pour la délivrance d’un permis de l’Ordre professionnel des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec
[Regulation respecting the equivalence standards of a permit of the Order] (C-26, a. 93, par. c et c.1)
Comparative evaluation of studies from the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI)
If you have completed your studies outside Canada or the United States, you must obtain a comparative evaluation of your studies from the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI).
This evaluation allows you to situate the level of your studies outside Québec within the Québec educational framework.
IMPORTANT
We suggest that you initiate this process as soon as possible, as there are delays at MIFI.
You can do so directly from abroad.
Priority treatment
If you wish to obtain a letter from the Order requesting priority treatment from MIFI, contact Sophia Constant by email at [email protected]. Make sure that you enclose an updated copy of your curriculum vitae.
To obtain more information about MIFI, you can consult their website at www.micc.gouv.qc.ca . You can also contact the Ministry at 514 864-9191 for the Montréal region, and elsewhere in Québec, toll-free at 1 877 864-9191.
Documents to attach
We suggest that you keep a copy of all documents you send to the Order, as only official documents issued abroad and the Comparative evaluation of your studies issued by the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI) will be returned.
If you wish to us to return documents issued abroad, you must:
- Include a note informing us that you want us to return your official documents, and
- Include a copy of each document that you want us to return.
We shall return documents by regular mail. Note that you will be charged for postal costs and photocopies ($ 0.41 a page) if this cost exceeds $ 8.05.
However, if you wish to pick up your documents at the Order, let us know when you submit your application and we shall contact you when they are ready.
The following documents must be attached to your application for admission:
1. Proof of identity
You must send us a photocopy of a government-issued ID card, which shows your full name. Examples: passport, driver’s licence, birth certificate.
2. Application to request the study of your file by equivalence
Return the completed form to the following address: [email protected] when you file your application with the Order. You can also print it and include a paper version with your application.
Complete the Application to request the study of your file by equivalence
3. Office québécois de la langue française Form (if applicable)
Please consult the linguistic requirements to determine if you must complete the Formulaire de l’Office québécois de la langue française with a view to taking a French exam.
4. Translated documents
If any document required by the Order to analyse your file is in a language other than French or English, you must have it translated, either by a certified translator accredited by the competent authority in the country where the translation was made or by a member of the Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec.
The translation must be certified, i.e. proof of the certification of the person who prepared it must be provided to the Order, specifically by means of an official declaration testifying to the competence of that person in the languages involved and accompanying the document(s).
If the translation was made by a person who is not a certified translator, it must be verified by a member of Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ).
Documents relative to your education
1. Comparative evaluation of your studies with the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI).
The official document reporting the Comparative Evaluation of studies completed outside Québec that you receive from the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI).
If you have not already done so, we suggest you review the procedure to follow to obtain this document.
2. Degree(s)
You must also attach:
- A copy of any university diploma relevant to the analysis of your application for admission.
If you hold a Master’s degree, please also provide:
- A copy of the Bachelor’s degree that allowed you to take this program, and
- All documents described below dealing with the undergraduate program.
3. Official transcripts
The official transcripts for each university program in social work or a discipline related to social work that attest to the courses resulting in the granting of the degree. You must provide a final official transcript stamped by the Office of the Registrar.
If necessary, add official transcripts for any other university courses that have not resulted in the granting of a degree or diploma.
Transcripts must be accompanied by an official document prepared by the educational institution which indicates the total number of hours for each of the courses taken, i.e.:
- Number of hours of classes per week and number of weeks of classes for each course taken
Example
Introduction to social work: 3 hours per week for 15 weeks
or
- the total number of hours representing the workload and the total number of weeks of learning activities
Example
Introduction to social work: 8 hours per week for 30 weeks
4. Course description
A detailed description of the content of each university course taken, as published in the catalog of your university published in the year of your studies.
5. Course outlines
For each of your courses, the course outlines of the year of your studies, specifying:
- General objectives
- Specific objectives
- Weekly educational activities of the course
- You can send these course outlines by email to [email protected] when you drop off or send your application, or transfer them to a USB key that you attach to your application for admission.
IMPORTANT
If you cannot obtain them, you must provide an official document issued by the educational institution attesting that these course outlines are not available.
6. Official attestation of field placements or internships of the educational institution that issued the university diploma
An official attestation of field placements or internships from the educational institution that issued the university diploma attesting to:
- Successfully completing the field placements or internships
- Total number of hours of this training
The attestation must indicate whether the field placements or internships were supervised by someone with social work training or by a person practicing the social worker profession.
If you cannot obtain this attestation, you must provide an official document issued by the educational institution indicating that it cannot issue one.
Documents related to your work experience and volunteer activities
1. Official attestation by the employer
Be sure to attach:
- An up-to-date curriculum vitae
- An attestation from your employer
This attestation must contain the following information:
- Your job title
- A detailed description of your professional responsibilities and tasks
- The classification of hours worked (full-time, part-time or occasional job, specifying, in the latter cases, the number of hours per week)
- The number of hours of practice specifying the number of hours of work performed over the last 5 years.
- The hiring date and the date on which you stopped working, where applicable
The employer must exclude extended work interruptions, such as maternity leaves, sick leaves or unpaid leaves from the number of hours worked.
An attestation must be provided for each job that you wish to have recognized as part of this application.
2. Attestation of participation in volunteer activities
To support your application, you can attach an official attestation, issued by the organization, of any volunteer experience that you consider relevant.
This attestation must indicate the start and end dates of volunteer activities, a detailed description of the duties and responsibilities assumed and the total number of hours, specifying, where appropriate, the number of hours performed during the past 5 years, for each activity.
The attestation must also mention whether the volunteer activities were supervised or not, and if so, the name and profession of the supervisor.
3. Curriculum vitae
Please provide an up-to-date copy of your curriculum vitae.
Fees to pay
The fees payable will vary according to your situation at the time you apply .
These fees are not refundable.
Professional liability insurance
You are required to have professional liability insurance if you practice the profession (whether full time, part time or occasionally). See our page on professional liability insurance to find out more.
If you are in independent practice or if you are not covered by professional liability insurance by your employer, you are obliged to purchase the Order’s professional liability insurance. You may request an exemption by completing Appendix B.
And then?
Send us your documents by email at the following address : [email protected].
Processing time for an application for admission
You may apply for equivalency at any time. Files are studied on a priority basis according to the date of arrival. Depending on the number of applications received, your file may be put on hold until the next admissions and equivalency committee which meets 4 times a year. A delay of 3 to 6 months is to be expected for the study of your application for admission from the moment your file is considered complete.
Retention time for incomplete applications
A file that remains incomplete is destroyed one year from the date you were informed that your application was incomplete.
You will have to initiate a new admission procedure, including the payment of fees for opening your file and, if applicable, the review of your file.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Sophia Constant, Executive Assistant
Admissions Service
Telephone: 514 731-3925, ext. 240
Toll-free: 1 888-731-9420, ext. 240
[email protected]
See also :
- Règlement sur les normes d’équivalence pour la délivrance d’un permis de l’Ordre professionnel des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec
[Regulation respecting the equivalence standards of a permit of the Order] (C-26, a. 93, par. c et c.1) - Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI) [Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI)]