Proposed Regulatory Changes for Out-Of-Province Regulated Health Professionals

The Ontario government has announced proposed  regulatory amendments to allow certain Out-Of-Province Regulated Health Professionals (OPRHPs) registered in another Canadian jurisdictions to practice temporarily without being registered with the applicable College in Ontario.  

If passed, these regulatory amendments would allow nurses, physicians, and medical laboratory technologists to begin practicing in an Ontario hospital or long-term care facility immediately, and for up to six months while their application for registration with the applicable College is being processed.  

There are two conditions that the OPRHP must satisfy in order to be permitted to practice without registration: 

1. The OPRHP must be registered with a regulatory authority in a Canadian jurisdiction in which they hold the equivalent of a certificate of registration authorizing independent practice in Ontario; 
2. The OPRHP must have submitted an application for a Certificate of Registration to the applicable College before providing any professional services in Ontario; and
3. The OPRHP must hold professional liability insurance (or benefit from professional liability insurance coverage or a similar protection) that extends coverage to Ontario.

Additionally, the OPRHP must not have been refused a certificate of practice in any Canadian jurisdiction in the past two years, must not be the subject of any current professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity proceedings, and must not have had any previous findings of professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity made against them. 

The proposed regulation is currently limited to nurses, physicians, and medical laboratory technologists who are providing professional services in hospital or long-term care settings. If approved, these regulatory changes may assist hospitals and long-term care homes in addressing the staffing shortages that they are currently facing, as well as providing benefit to the OPRHPs by virtue of allowing them to begin working and earning income immediately. 

Our blog does not replace legal advice tailored to your specific situation. At Wise Health Law, we have experience assisting Health Professionals with regulatory matters including registration. Please contact us to find out if we are able to assist you.

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