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Getting a licence from a professional order in Quebec: the steps

By Postulio teamPublished 5 min read

In short

To practise a profession governed by an order in Quebec, have your diploma and training recognized by the order, which may require bridging training, an internship or exams. You also need French appropriate to the profession; if not, a temporary permit valid for up to one year, renewable three times, gives you time to pass the OQLF exam.

What is a professional order in Quebec?

A professional order regulates the practice of a profession to protect the public: it issues licences, sets standards of practice and oversees its members. According to the Government of Quebec, the professional system (opens in a new tab) (in French) includes 46 professional orders and 55 professions governed by the Professional Code, which oversee the practice of nearly 430,000 professionals.

Engineers, nurses, chartered professional accountants, social workers, pharmacists: for these professions, a degree is not enough. You need a licence from the order to practise, and sometimes even to use the title. To find out whether your profession is regulated and which body to contact, start with our guide to regulated professions.

This guide then walks through the path specific to Quebec’s orders: recognition of your studies, bridging training, the French requirement, temporary permits and appeals.

This article is not legal advice. Each order sets its own requirements: always check with your order before you start.

What are the steps to get your licence?

According to Québec.ca’s page on skills recognition by a regulatory body (opens in a new tab) (in French), the process runs through the order itself. Most orders have a section of their website for people trained outside Canada.

  1. Contact the order that governs your profession to learn its process, timelines and fees.
  2. Go through the equivalency process: the order determines whether your diploma and training match those of someone who graduated in Quebec.
  3. Provide a comparative evaluation of studies completed outside Quebec only if the order asks for it: check before you apply for one.
  4. Receive the decision: the order may recognize all or part of your studies and work experience.
  5. Complete any prescribed requirements: bridging training, an internship or exams.
  6. Show your knowledge of French, a condition for every licence issued by an order.

The comparative evaluation and the Educational Credential Assessment required for immigration never replace the order’s decision. Our guide to foreign credential recognition explains what each one is for.

How can you fund bridging training?

When the order prescribes bridging training, the Government of Quebec may help you fund it. The Programme d’aide financière pour la formation d’appoint en reconnaissance des compétences (PAFFARC) (opens in a new tab) (in French) covers the regulated professions and trades on a list based on the 2021 National Occupational Classification.

The list includes health, engineering, teaching and social service professions, among others. It is updated periodically: check that your profession is on it, along with the current eligibility conditions and amounts, before you start the training.

What level of French do you need for a licence?

The Charter of the French language bars orders from issuing a licence to anyone whose knowledge of French is not appropriate to the practice of their profession. Under section 35, as reproduced by the Office québécois de la langue française (opens in a new tab) (in French), you are deemed to have that knowledge if you:

  • completed at least three years of full-time secondary or post-secondary education in French;
  • passed the French as a first language exams of the fourth or fifth year of secondary school;
  • obtained a secondary school diploma in Quebec from the 1985-1986 school year onward.

In all other cases, you need a certificate from the OQLF, obtained by passing its French exam. According to the OQLF’s FAQ (opens in a new tab) (in French), the order decides whether you meet one of the three conditions; the Office cannot exempt you from the exam. The exam is free, assesses only your language skills, and can be retaken as often as needed, with a three-month wait between attempts.

The OQLF provides preparation material, including a fictional case study and specialized vocabularies, but does not offer courses. To improve, the Government of Quebec offers free French courses (opens in a new tab). Once licensed, you must maintain a knowledge of French appropriate to the practice of your profession.

What is a temporary permit?

If the order recognizes the skills you acquired outside Quebec but your French is not yet sufficient, it can issue a temporary permit (opens in a new tab) that lets you practise while you keep learning French.

RuleWhat the temporary permit provides
DurationOne year at most
RenewalUp to three times, with the OQLF’s authorization, if the public interest justifies it
Renewal conditionSit the OQLF exam at least once during the twelve months
ContinuityThe years of validity must be consecutive
At expiryNo more practice without passing the exam

Register for the exam as soon as you receive the temporary permit and plan your French courses accordingly: each renewal depends on sitting the exam.

What can you do if the order’s decision seems unfair?

Start by asking the order to review your file, within the deadlines listed on its website. Also ask for the reasons for the decision in writing: they will help you prepare the review or target the missing training.

If the problem concerns the admission process itself, you can file a complaint with the Commissaire à l’admission aux professions (opens in a new tab) (in French). This recourse is free. The Commissioner monitors how orders handle admission applications, and its complaint review reports are published on Québec.ca.

While you wait for your licence, a related job in your field gives you useful Quebec experience. Our guide to a first job without Canadian experience suggests several options.

How can Postulio help?

Postulio does not handle any process with an order for you: equivalency, bridging training and the French exam remain between the order, the OQLF and you. The Premium plan adds a newcomer path covering credential equivalency, Canadian workplace norms and networking, plus one session with a person a month, your choice of mentoring, resume review or mock interview. These tools make your process clearer; they do not guarantee a licence, a job or an interview.

Sources

Updated · By Postulio team

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