Licensing guide · Manitoba

How to Become an Occupational Therapist in Manitoba

Last checked 7 sources checkedNOC 31203

Do you need a licence?

Licence required

You must be registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba to work as an occupational therapist in Manitoba or to use a protected title.

Protected titles
Occupational Therapist
Show the source
“To work as an occupational therapist in Manitoba, or to use the title: Occupational Therapist, individuals must register with COTM. It is illegal to practise any type of occupational therapy before you are registered with COTM.”

From cotm.ca/registration, checked October 10, 2026.

At a glance

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

Your roadmap

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

Trained in Canada

  • 1 step without a listed fee

  1. When you have an employment offer in Manitoba, complete the final phase and show proof of malpractice insurance coverage along with any other needed documentation.

    Source
    “Phase 3 establishes your employment eligibility. This is the last step in the registration process. You can do this when you have an employment offer in Manitoba. For this last phase, you must also show proof of malpractice insurance coverage and send any other needed documentation.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ceot

Listed fees for this route

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

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

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

  • 3 steps without a listed fee

  1. Submit a completed COTM Application for Registration form.

    Source
    “1. Submit a completed COTM Application for Registration form”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/overview

  2. Complete the top sections of the LMSA Confirmation Form and the Regulatory History Form and send them to your current regulatory organization, which will forward the completed forms and your documents on file to COTM.

    Source
    “2. Complete the top section of the COTM Labour Mobility Support Agreement Confirmation Form and the Regulatory History Form and send them to your current regulatory organization(s). The organization(s) will add the required information, and forward the completed form to COTM.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/overview

  3. Provide COTM with a current criminal record check, proof of professional liability insurance and evidence of pending employment.

    Source
    “3. Provide COTM with a current criminal record check, proof of professional liability insurance and evidence of pending employment.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/overview

Listed fees for this route

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

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

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

  • 2 steps without a listed fee

  1. Before applying to COTM, apply to ACOTRO to complete the SEAS process and obtain a copy of your SEAS Determination Report to establish academic eligibility.

    Source
    “Phase 1 establishes your academic eligibility. Before you apply to COTM, you must complete the SEAS process and be able to provide COTM with a copy of your SEAS Determination Report.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot

  2. When you have an employment offer in Manitoba, complete the final phase and show proof of malpractice insurance coverage along with any other needed documentation.

    Source
    “Phase 3 establishes your employment eligibility. This is the last step in the registration process. You can do this when you have an employment offer in Manitoba. For this last phase, you must also show proof of malpractice insurance coverage and send any other needed documentation.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot

Listed fees for this route

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

2 steps 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

  • Occupational therapy education received at any accredited Canadian university is accepted as meeting the education standard required for registration with COTM.

    Source
    “Occupational therapy education received at any accredited Canadian university is accepted as meeting the education standard required for registration with the College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ceot/phase-one

Experience

  • Applicants must have graduated from an occupational therapy program within the past 12 months or have 600 hours of occupational therapy practice in the 3 years immediately prior to the date of application.

    Source
    “graduation from an occupational therapy program within the past 12 months or 600 hours of occupational therapy practice in the 3 years immediately prior to the date of your application.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/phase-two

Police check

Insurance

  • Applicants must show proof of malpractice insurance coverage in the final phase of registration.

    Source
    “For this last phase, you must also show proof of malpractice insurance coverage and send any other needed documentation.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ceot

Other

  • Applicants must provide a Regulatory History Report from each OT regulatory organization they have been registered or licensed with in the past 10 years.

    Source
    “A Regulatory History Report from each OT regulatory organization you have been registered or licensed with in the past 10 years.”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/phase-two

  • Applicants may need to demonstrate English language proficiency with an approved test if they completed the SEAS in French, have not demonstrated proficiency elsewhere, or hold a degree from a country not on the exemption list.

    Source
    “COTM requires proof of your English language proficiency if: you completed the SEAS in French, or you are eligible to apply under the LMSA and have not had to demonstrate language proficiency in another jurisdiction, or you hold a university degree from a country that is not listed on COTM's English language proficiency test exemption list”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/phase-two

Already licensed in another province?

Direct transfer

If you are currently registered to practise occupational therapy in Canada, you should be able to be registered in a similar registration category in Manitoba without having to re-establish your eligibility.

Source
“In essence, if you are currently registered to practice occupational therapy in Canada, you should be able to be registered in a similar registration category (if one exists) in Manitoba, without having to re-establish your eligibility.”
cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ceot/overview

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with COTM

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

  • Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS)

    Establish educational eligibility for internationally educated applicants

    Source
    “Applicants who completed their occupational therapy education outside of Canada must establish Educational Eligibility through the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations. These applicants will be assessed through the ACOTRO Substantial Equivalency Assessment System (SEAS)”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/overview

Exams

  • National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE)

    Source
    “The National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE) is a mandatory requirement of registration with the College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba (COTM).”
    cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/phase-two

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with COTM

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with COTM

Supervised practice

Not required

Applicants who do not have the language proficiency required for the Register of Practising Members may be eligible for Provisional Registration as a Supervised Practice Candidate and work under supervision for up to two years.

Source
“If you do not have the language proficiency required for the Register of Practising Members, you may be eligible for Provisional Registration as a Supervised Practice Candidate. You will be required to work with the supervision of an occupational therapist on the Register of Practising Members while you work on improving your English. You can do this for up to two years.”
cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/phase-two

Demand and pay

Job Bank figures for NOC 31203, Occupational therapists. Wages for 2023-2024 in Canadian dollars an hour; outlook for 2025-2027.

Job Bank wages and outlook in Manitoba and Canada
WhereLowMedianHighOutlook
Manitoba $38.00 $39.90 $48.08 Moderate (3 of 5)
Canada $36.17 $46.00 $55.00 —

Wages by region and job outlook in Manitoba

Wages in every province and territory

Occupational therapists in other provinces and territories

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

Compare occupational therapist licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 10, 2026.

  1. Registration – College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba cotm.ca/registration · fetched October 10, 2026
  2. What registration process applies to me? – College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ceot/overview · fetched October 10, 2026
  3. Initial Registration - Canadian Educated Applicants – College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ceot · fetched October 10, 2026
  4. Registration Overview: What registration process applies to me? – College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/overview · fetched October 10, 2026
  5. Initial Registration - International Applicants (IEOT) – College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot · fetched October 10, 2026
  6. Phase 1: Establishing Academic Eligibility – College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ceot/phase-one · fetched October 10, 2026
  7. Phase 2: Establishing Professional Eligibility – College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba cotm.ca/registration/initial-registration-ieot/phase-two · fetched October 10, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

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

Yes. Registration with the College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba is required to practise in Manitoba, and to use the title Occupational Therapist.

Which exams are required?

National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE).

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