Effective October 2021, ACOT signed and adopted the Memorandum of Understanding on Cross-Jurisdiction Remote Practice (Remote Practice MOU). The provinces listed below are also signatories to the Remote Practice MOU. Occupational therapists registered in these provinces are permitted to provide virtual services from their province of registration to clients located in Alberta without having to be registered with ACOT.
- Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
NOTE: Registration with ACOT is still required if you are (Refer to the Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About: Registration Requirements for Practice Across Jurisdictions for more details regarding these requirements including which activities are considered restricted in Alberta).
- Providing restricted activities from another province or territory virtually to clients physically located in Alberta (Part 0.1 section 1.6(1)(a)(i) of Alberta’s Health Professions Act– HPA);
- Registered in any province and are teaching or providing supervision in-person to occupational therapists registered to practice in Alberta (HPA sections 46(1)(b)(iv) and (v));
- Registered in any province (including BC) but are physically located in Alberta when planning to deliver occupational therapy services(even if you are only present in Alberta temporarily) to clients who are physically located in Alberta;
- Registered in BC and are providing virtual services to Albertans (because BC is not able to sign the MOU); or
- Providing occupational therapy services virtually to Albertans from any US state or another country (which also requires completion of the Substantial Equivalency Assessment System- SEAS – process prior to applying for registration with ACOT).
- See the Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (IEOT) section of the ACOT website for more information.
COURTESY REGISTER
Once you determine that registration with ACOT is required, you can apply to be on either the
- Courtesy Register if you are providing services on a short-term basis ($40 for ≤30 days up to a maximum of three x 30-day registrations in a year);
- Requires abbreviated application only – a Regulatory History completed by the regulatory organization(s) you are currently registered with must be received by ACOT prior to processing your application.
- General Register (or the Provisional Register if you have not written the national exam or do not have official transcripts yet) if services will be provided beyond a 90-day time period (>3 x 30 days).
- Requires completion of a full application including a Regulatory History and a Labour Mobility Support Agreement Confirmation Form completed by the regulatory organization(s) you are currently registered with along with other mandatory documentation.
If you have not been registered with ACOT in the past, click here to create an account for the registrant portal and initiate the new application process. Refer to the New Applicant Registration Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the new application process.
If you have been registered with ACOT in the past, please initiate the re-registration process for the General, Provisional or Courtesy Register through the Registrant Login rather than starting a new application. Contact the ACOT office if you do not recall the email address you used for login. Refer to the Re-Registration Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to navigate the re-application process.