Labour Mobility
Under Canadian labour mobility laws, forest professionals registered with a provincial regulator will be recognized in other regulated provinces or territories across Canada should they choose to move.
Applicants will be required to successfully complete an exam to demonstrate knowledge of local legislation and professional practice in the new jurisdiction.
Applicants must submit:
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application documents
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conformation of registration and good standing from the jurisdiction of origin
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registration and permit fees
Applicants may be required to submit:
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declaration or evidence of good character
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demonstration of meeting language requirements
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demonstration of meeting local legislative requirements (ie proof of insurance)
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demonstration of meeting local competency requirements
ALL REGISTRANTS MUST CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE PROVINCIAL REGULATOR DIRECTLY FOR APPLICATION.
Most jurisdictions have a legislated transition period where a conditional or temporary practice permit is provided until the registrant has successfully completed any required courses or examinations.
Labour Mobility Mutual Recognition
Under the Canadian Agreement on Internal Trade, and FPRC’s mutual recognition agreement, forest professionals (foresters (RPF), forest engineers (ing.f.) and professional forest technologists (RPFT and RFT)) in good standing with a provincial regulator, may transfer to another jurisdiction within Canada after providing the requisite application requirements. An exam is also required to ensure awareness of local laws, policies and practices.
The members of FPRC have responded to a combined Canadian and provincial desire to improve labour mobility throughout Canada by signing an agreement of mutual recognition. The agreement, titled the Mutual Recognition Agreement between the Registered Professional Foresters Associations of Canada, sets out the conditions under which a forest professional who is registered/licenced in one Canadian jurisdiction can have their qualifications recognized in another jurisdiction that is a signatory to the agreement.
The agreement is predicated on the recognition that there is a moderate degree of commonality between FPRC member organizations with respect to the range of activities that practitioners typically perform and the scopes of practice described in their legislation. For example, each member organization has formally agreed that practitioners who have graduated from an accredited baccalaureate program in forestry have achieved, with only limited exception, the necessary academic credentials for entrance into membership. According to the requirements of each member organization, new applicants must also have relevant practical experience, a commitment to professionalism and ethical conduct and a demonstrated knowledge of relevant local forest policy/legislation and professional practice.
Although each member organization has provincially legislated responsibility for establishing its own certification criteria, the agreement commits them to utilizing fair and attainable criteria that permit transfer of forest professionals from one jurisdiction to another.
The agreement is the cornerstone for the forest professionals associations participation in the national Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and, whereas CFTA is the overriding document guiding labour mobility in Canada. The agreement sets out for the FPRC member organizations the detail on how this will be accomplished.
