Respiratory Therapists from Other Jurisdictions
Steps to Initial Registration for Respiratory Therapists from Other Canadian Jurisdicitions
This section is intended for Canadian educated applicants who have never been registered/licensed with the NSCRT but have been practicing as a respiratory therapist in another Canadian jurisdiction. These applicants must complete an initial application with the NSCRT. If you have previously been licensed with the NSCRT but have allowed your license to lapse, please contact the Registrar to reactivate your member profile. Do not create a new member profile.
1) Online Application Form: Complete all fields on the online initial application form.
2) Criminal Background Check, including a Vulnerable Sector check: Must accompany all new applications and be uploaded to the online profile. The Criminal Records Check/Vulnerable Sector Check must be obtained within the past 6 months and performed by a local police agency, the RCMP, or private organizations such as CSI Screening or My Backcheck. Applicants who have a criminal record should upload a Declaration of Criminal Record to expedite the registration process.
3) Verification of identity/eligibility to work in Canada: A copy of applicant's Canadian passport, birth certificate, permanent residency card, or work visa uploaded to the online profile.
4) Language Fluency (if applicable): Applicants will need to submit documentation to support the required status of fluency if their first language is not English or relevant health care instruction was not in English. For information on the acceptable tests and scores, please refer to the Language Proficienty Test Requirements and Scores.
5) Registration Verification: Applicants registered in another jurisdiction are required to complete the Statement of Professional Standing Form from the province where they are registered and any province they have previously been registered in. Applicants will need to complete section A of the form and ask the regulatory/licensing body to complete Section B and forward it to the NSCRT directly. (Statement of Professional Standing)
If an applicant has been practising in an unregulated Canadian jurisdiction, they are required to provide:
- a) Proof of successful completion of a Canadian Accredited Respiratory Therapy Program
- b) Proof of successful completion of the HPTC exam
- c) Letter of good character from current employer, including a record of the hours worked in the 4 years preceeding the application
6) Jurisprudence Exam: Applicants must successfully complete the online NSCRT Jurisprudence Exam. The exam is located under the eLearning menu on the applicant's online profile. It is an online web-based educational resource to assist applicants in learning essential information related to respiratory therapy practice in Nova Scotia.
7) Submission of registration fee: Fees are payable by credit card, cheque or certifed money order. Registration Fees can be found here.
**If you have not been practicing in another province and have had a lapse in practice since you were licensed in Nova Scotia, you will be required to submit proof that you meet the legislated currency hours - a minimum of at least 1500 hours practising respiratory therapy in the 4 years immediately before submitting an application. Applicants returning to practice after a lapse who do not meet the currency requirements will be referred to the Credentials Committee for a competency assessment. Contact the Registrar for further details.**
Applications will be approved only after all the required information has been received. Approval can take up to 5 business days following receipt of a complete application. Incomplete applications will result in delays in processing. Once registered, members are required to comply with the NSCRT E-Volve Continuing Competency Program and will be required to obtain professional liability insurance coverage of at least $2,000,000 once employed.