Province comparison
Social Worker Licensing by Province
Licence status by province and territory
Boundaries simplified for display. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census boundary files.
- Licence required
- Not confirmed yet
- British Columbia: Licence required
- Alberta: Licence required
- Saskatchewan: Licence required
- Manitoba: Licence required
- Ontario: Licence required
- Quebec: Licence required
- New Brunswick: Licence required
- Nova Scotia: Licence required
- Prince Edward Island: Licence required
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Licence required
- Yukon: Not confirmed yet
- Northwest Territories: Licence required
- Nunavut: Not confirmed yet
Compare the provinces
Listed one-time fees
| Where | Fees | Route | No-fee steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 5 |
| Alberta | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 2 |
| Saskatchewan | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 1 |
| Manitoba | $125 | Trained outside Canada | 2 |
| Ontario | Not listed | Trained in Canada | 5 |
| Quebec | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 5 |
| Nova Scotia | $100 | Trained outside Canada | 2 |
| Prince Edward Island | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 1 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Not listed | Trained outside Canada | 8 |
Listed time
Time not stated for every step: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Side by side
| Where | Routes | Exams | Language | Listed fees | Listed time | Median wage | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | — | — | Not listed | — | $36.81 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Alberta | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | social work licensing exam | — | Not listed | — | $39.60 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Saskatchewan | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | — | — | Not listed | — | $38.00 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Manitoba | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | ASWB Exam | — | $125 (Trained outside Canada) | — | $35.00 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Ontario | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province | — | — | Not listed | — | $38.66 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Quebec | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | examen de français de l’OQLF, examen d’évaluation du niveau de compétence | — | Not listed | — | $37.00 an hour | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Nova Scotia | Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | — | — | $100 (Trained outside Canada) | — | $36.26 an hour | Good (4 of 5) |
| Prince Edward Island | Trained in Canada, Licensed in another province, Trained outside Canada | — | — | Not listed | — | $40.00 an hour | Good (4 of 5) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Trained outside Canada | Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam | — | Not listed | — | $40.01 an hour | Good (4 of 5) |
Moving between provinces
- Direct transfer (70)
- Extra steps (10)
- Not stated (30)
All answers as a table
Demand and pay
Median wage
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $25.00 | $38.46 | $50.26 |
| British Columbia | $26.18 | $36.81 | $52.00 |
| Alberta | $23.97 | $39.60 | $51.24 |
| Saskatchewan | $27.08 | $38.00 | $46.00 |
| Manitoba | $27.47 | $35.00 | $49.00 |
| Ontario | $25.00 | $38.66 | $53.32 |
| Quebec | $25.00 | $37.00 | $48.68 |
| New Brunswick | $22.50 | $40.00 | $45.64 |
| Nova Scotia | $24.00 | $36.26 | $47.18 |
| Prince Edward Island | $25.33 | $40.00 | $46.56 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $33.65 | $40.01 | $47.00 |
| Yukon | $44.23 | $47.69 | $57.44 |
| Northwest Territories | $38.88 | $56.76 | $77.56 |
| Nunavut | $44.64 | $64.57 | $78.28 |
Job outlook
| Where | Outlook |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Alberta | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Saskatchewan | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Manitoba | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Ontario | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Quebec | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| New Brunswick | Good (4 of 5) |
| Nova Scotia | Good (4 of 5) |
| Prince Edward Island | Good (4 of 5) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Good (4 of 5) |
| Yukon | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Northwest Territories | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Nunavut | Outlook not determined |
Tools and tables
- Licence transfer checker Already licensed in one province? See what another province asks for.
- Roadmap builder Your steps, listed fees and time for one occupation and province.
- Language test scores Minimum IELTS, CELPIP and other scores, by occupation and province.
- Credential assessments Which regulators ask for an assessment of your education.
- Licensing exams Which exams each regulator asks for.
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