Graduates of Social Service Work Programs Outside of Ontario or Other Academic Programs that are not in Social Service Work

If you obtained educational qualifications from an academic program that is not in social service work, or is from a social service work program outside of Ontario you may submit your combination of academic qualifications and experience performing the role of a social service worker for the College’s consideration.

Please note: Programs from career colleges do not meet the education requirements for registration in either category of the College (SSW or SW). This applies to any application for registration. Accumulating post-graduate work experience does not alter this.

The following criteria is used to determine whether you possess the academic qualifications and experience recognized as substantially equivalent to a social service worker diploma offered in Ontario at a college of applied arts and technology. For detailed information on each criterion, please review the Registration Guide.

Education

• You must have a minimum of a diploma from a two-year program at an Ontario college of applied arts and technology; or a diploma equivalent to a diploma from a two-year program at an Ontario college of applied arts and technology; or a degree from a university program that is at least two years in length.
• You must demonstrate that you meet the General Education Standard, the 10 Vocational Learning Outcomes and the 11 Essential Employability Skills.
• Your academic program must be a minimum of 4 academic semesters in length.

Experience

• In addition to the formal education described above, you must have performed the role of a social service worker at a place of employment for at least one year and had direct responsibility for providing social service work services to any of the following: individuals, dyads, families, groups, organizations and communities.

Supervision

• During the period of time you performed the role of a social service worker, 650 hours must have been supervised by a social service worker or social worker.

Currency Requirement

• It is a requirement for registration that you engaged in the practice of social service work within the five years immediately before the date of the application or otherwise satisfy that you are competent to perform the role of a social service worker.

How to Apply

Complete your application through the College’s Online Portal.

Before you begin your online application, please ensure you read the Registration Guide and the important information found on the Information for All Applicants page and in the Quick Links found on the right-hand side of this webpage.

• Transcripts
  Arrange for your academic institution(s) to forward an official transcript directly to the College. Please note:
  • The transcript must contain your name as it appears on the application form and the name under which you were issued your academic credentials. If the name used on the application form is different from the name on the academic verification, please explain.
  • The College accepts only original documents directly from the academic institution. Your own transcripts or photocopies of your academic qualifications are not accepted. We also accept transcripts that are shared directly with us through third party platforms (such as MyCreds™ or Parchment) to our registration@ocswssw.org email.
  • If you have completed degree(s) and/or diploma (s) outside of Canada, you must send your official transcript(s) to a third-party evaluation agency that is provincially mandated or provincially recognized agency such as the World Education Services (WES) or the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS). If applicable, have your official documents translated into either English or French before to sending them to a credential evaluation agency.
• Course Descriptions
  You must also provide a copy of the academic institutions’ official course descriptions, course outlines or syllabi for each program or individual course submitted for evaluation, which are confirmed on your transcript(s).
  • The course descriptions must be from the academic institution (for example, copies of previous academic calendars where the front cover is provided, copies downloaded from the academic institution’s website where the URL link is visible, or course syllabus). They must also confirm the name of the academic institution and year for which they are valid.
  • The course descriptions must be uploaded with your application in the Online Portal in PDF format. If you have multiple PDF files, they must be combined into one file. You can combine PDF files using Adobe Acrobat. If you are unable to combine the files, please email them to equivalency@ocswssw.org.  
• Fees
  The application fee must be paid in the online portal with your application. Click here for more information about the fees.
• Length of Practice and Supervision Confirmation Form(s)
  TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT’S SUPERVISOR(S) AND/ OR EMPLOYER(S) – Ensure you forward the Length of Practice and Supervision Confirmation Form(s) found in the online portal to the people who will provide information about your experience in performing the role of a social service worker. The completed Length of Practice and Supervision Confirmation Form must be mailed by them directly to the College.

The review process will begin only after the College has received all your documents and fees. The College will contact you if more information is required. The application process can be delayed if the College has not received all of the required documents from you or from a third party on your behalf (i.e. academic institution, employer, etc.). The assessment of your application will take a minimum of eight months after all documentation is received. Currently the College is experiencing an exceedingly high volume of applications which may affect the timelines for evaluation. Documents submitted to the College become property of the College.

If you have questions about the application process, please contact the College at equivalency@ocswssw.org.