A bursary is available to assist Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (IEOTs) with the costs of becoming licensed to work in BC.
Health Match BC (HMBC), in partnership with the BC Ministry of Health (MoH), will support eligible IEOTs who want to work in BC by offering financial support to help pay for the credential assessment, English language proficiency testing, and eligible supplemental education. The bursary became available on January 15, 2024.
In BC, occupational therapists (OTs) must be licensed by COTBC to practice as occupational therapists. For IEOTs, the process begins through ACOTRO, the national credentialing body. To become licensed in BC, IEOTs must first apply for ACOTRO’s SEAS Program. ACOTRO will use the SEAS Program to evaluate whether an IEOT’s educational qualifications and competencies are substantially equivalent to those of a Canadian-educated occupational therapist.
