Licensing guide · Manitoba

How to Become an Optometrist in Manitoba

Last checked 5 sources checkedNOC 31111

Do you need a licence?

Licence required

You must be registered with the Manitoba Association of Optometrists to work as an optometrist in Manitoba or to use a protected title.

Protected titles
Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“All optometrists practicing in Manitoba must be registered with MAO.”

From optometrists.mb.ca/regulatory/about-regulatory, checked October 10, 2026.

At a glance

Licence status
Licence required See the source
Routes
Annual fees
Not stated by the regulator Check with MAO

Your roadmap

Every route is listed. Follow the one that matches where you trained.

Trained in Canada

  • 2 steps without a listed fee

  1. Successfully complete the Optometry Examining Board of Canada National Examination, which is the entry-to-practice exam for optometry in Canada.

    Source
    “Have successfully completed the Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) National Examination, the entry-to-practice exam for optometry in Canada.”
    optometrists.mb.ca/registration-membership

  2. Apply for registration as an optometrist in Manitoba.

    Source
    “To apply for registration as an optometrist in Manitoba, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:”
    optometrists.mb.ca/registration-membership

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with MAO

2 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

  • 1 step without a listed fee

  1. Apply for registration as an optometrist in Manitoba based on being currently or previously registered as an optometrist in another Canadian province.

    Source
    “Be currently or previously registered as an optometrist in another Canadian province; or”
    optometrists.mb.ca/registration-membership

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with MAO

1 step without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

  • 1 step without a listed fee

  1. Undergo a credential assessment through the Federation of Optometric Regulatory Authorities of Canada.

    Source
    “Optometrists whose education was completed outside of Canada are required to undergo a credential assessment through the Federation of Optometric Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FORAC).”
    optometrists.mb.ca/index%2Ephp/regulatory

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with MAO

1 step without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Requirements

Conditions the regulator sets on top of the roadmap steps.

Education

  • Applicants are eligible for registration if they have graduated from an Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) accredited school or college of optometry in North America, and/or are currently registered and in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction.

    Source
    “Applicants are eligible for registration if they have graduated from an Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) accredited school or college of optometry in North America, and/or are currently registered and in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction.”
    optometrists.mb.ca/regulatory/new-member-registration

  • Becoming an optometrist requires 7–8 years of post-secondary education, including a Bachelor of Science followed by a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) program.

    Source
    “Becoming an optometrist requires 7–8 years of post-secondary education, including a Bachelor of Science followed by a four-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) program.”
    optometrists.mb.ca/index%2Ephp/regulatory/career-optometry

Already licensed in another province?

Direct transfer

Applicants who are currently registered and in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction are eligible for registration in Manitoba.

Source
“Applicants are eligible for registration if they have graduated from an Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) accredited school or college of optometry in North America, and/or are currently registered and in good standing in another Canadian jurisdiction.”
optometrists.mb.ca/regulatory/new-member-registration

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with MAO

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Not stated by the regulator Check with MAO

Exams

  • Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) National Examination

    Source
    “Have successfully completed the Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) National Examination, the entry-to-practice exam for optometry in Canada.”
    optometrists.mb.ca/registration-membership

  • CACO (Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry)

    Source
    “Graduates must pass the national board exam, the CACO (Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry), and meet provincial registration requirements.”
    optometrists.mb.ca/index%2Ephp/regulatory/career-optometry

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with MAO

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with MAO

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with MAO

Demand and pay

Job Bank figures for NOC 31111, Optometrists. Wages for 2021 in Canadian dollars a year; outlook for 2025-2027.

Job Bank wages and outlook in Manitoba and Canada
WhereLowMedianHighOutlook
Manitoba — $119,000 — Very good (5 of 5)
Canada $32,867 $81,000 $162,000 —

Wages by region and job outlook in Manitoba

Wages in every province and territory

Optometrists in other provinces and territories

Regulated in 8 of the other 12 jurisdictions checked so far. The rules differ from one place to the next.

Compare optometrist licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 10, 2026.

  1. About Regulatory | Manitoba Association of Optometrists optometrists.mb.ca/regulatory/about-regulatory · fetched October 10, 2026
  2. Registration & Membership | Manitoba Association of Optometrists optometrists.mb.ca/registration-membership · fetched October 10, 2026
  3. Regulatory | Manitoba Association of Optometrists optometrists.mb.ca/index%2Ephp/regulatory · fetched October 10, 2026
  4. New Member Registration | Manitoba Association of Optometrists optometrists.mb.ca/regulatory/new-member-registration · fetched October 10, 2026
  5. Career in Optometry | Manitoba Association of Optometrists optometrists.mb.ca/index%2Ephp/regulatory/career-optometry · fetched October 10, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

Do you need a licence to work as an optometrist in Manitoba?

Yes. Registration with the Manitoba Association of Optometrists is required to practise in Manitoba.

Which exams are required?

Optometry Examining Board of Canada (OEBC) National Examination, CACO (Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry).

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