This page applies to professionals trained outside Canada who wish to practice physiotherapy in Quebec.
To practice as a physiotherapist (PT) or physiotherapy technologist (Phys. T.) in Quebec, you must submit an application for degree, diploma, or education equivalency in order to become licensed.
There is a separate admissions process for professionals trained in France under the Quebec–France Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).
Visit the What Is Physiotherapy? page to learn more about:
- Physiotherapy practice in Quebec
- Differences between the professions of physiotherapist and physiotherapy technologist (formerly physical readaptation therapist or PRT)
This process applies to internationally trained professionals, that is, individuals who earned their physiotherapy degrees outside Canada (other than France) and who wish to practice physiotherapy in Quebec.
To practice as a physiotherapist (PT) or physiotherapy technologist (Phys. T.) in Quebec, you must submit an application for degree, diploma, or education equivalency.
Applying for degree, diploma, or education equivalency
The equivalency application process takes several months and involves a number of key steps, shown in a simplified manner below for information purposes only. For more details, be sure to read the entire page.
- You submit your application for equivalency
First, submit your complete admission file to OPPQ and pay the associated C$747.34 fee (including tax). Only complete files will be accepted for review. - The OPPQ Admissions Committee reviews your application
Your equivalency application is then reviewed by the OPPQ Admissions Committee based on your education and experience in physiotherapy. A competency assessment may be required. The Admissions Committee makes its recommendations and informs you of these. - OPPQ issues an equivalency decision
The OPPQ Executive Committee bases its decision (to grant, partially grant, or refuse the equivalency) and the conditions you must meet to qualify for the equivalency (e.g., refresher training, bridging program) on the recommendations of the Admissions Committee. You will then receive the decision concerning your application. - You receive the prescription
A prescription is the OPPQ Executive Committee’s decision regarding your equivalency application when a partial equivalency can be recognized. The prescription identifies the obligations you must meet in order to be granted a full equivalency. Educational institutions generally require this document to enrol you for refresher training.
The prescription process requires a great deal of verification and analysis. Expect that it will take about 6 months to find out the results of your file review and what steps you will have to take to achieve equivalency (prescription) as well as your OPPQ license. A number of factors can affect a file’s progress and draw out the process. - You meet the obligations set out in the prescription
The obligations for full recognition of an equivalency generally consist of courses or internships.At the university level, Université de Montréal and McGill University have developed bridging programs for internationally trained professionals who wish to join OPPQ as physiotherapists. Bridging can take up to 16 months.
At the college level, Cégep Marie-Victorin has developed a bridging program for internationally trained professionals who wish to join OPPQ as physiotherapy technologists. College-level bridging can take up to 16 months.
- You meet the French language knowledge requirements
If you meet the OPPQ obligations for recognition of full equivalency but are not yet proficient enough in French to practice your physiotherapy profession, you can apply for a temporary license. To learn more about French language proficiency requirements, see the Knowledge of French page. - The candidates applies for a regular license
Once you meet OPPQ and French language requirements, you can apply for a regular license.
Do I apply for a license as a physiotherapist or a physiotherapy technologist?
Applying for a physiotherapist’s license:
An applicant for a physiotherapist’s license must have completed studies that are recognized as university-level in Quebec. Among other steps, you should obtain a Comparative evaluation for studies done outside Quebec issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration that recognizes at least an undergraduate university education in physiotherapy.
Applying for a physiotherapy technologist’s license:
If the highest level of physiotherapy education recognized in Quebec is college level (in French, cégep), you should submit an equivalency application for a physiotherapy technologist’s license (Phys. T.) (formerly physical rehabilitation therapist or PRT).
Important: Only one application at a time is accepted.
You cannot simultaneously submit two equivalency applications, that is, one for the physiotherapist designation and another for the physiotherapy technologist designation. You must submit a first-time application for one of the two designations and obtain a prescription from the Executive Committee before you may submit an application for the other designation.
Step 1: You apply for degree, diploma, or education equivalency
The application for recognition of degree, diploma, or education equivalency allows OPPQ to assess the competencies of license applicants.
To learn more, see the Règlement sur les normes d’équivalence de diplôme et de formation aux fins de la délivrance d’un permis de physiothérapeute et de technologue en physiothérapie.
Preparing your application
Only complete applications will be considered. The following documents must be attached to the application:
- The Application for Equivalency Form with a passport-size photo (French only).
- The result of the Comparative evaluation for studies done outside Quebec issued by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI).
- A current resume.
- The Training Completion Review Form for Physiotherapists (PT) or Physiotherapy Technologists (Phys. T.) (French only).
- A certified true copy of your degrees, diplomas, and transcripts.
- Course descriptions for your physiotherapy courses published by the educational institution where you took them.
- The Professional Experience Review Form for Physiotherapists (PT) or Physiotherapy Technologists (Phys. T.) (French only).
- A certification for every work experience related to physiotherapy (employer letter, employment certificate, etc.).
- Duly completed Checklist Form for Physiotherapists (PT) or Physiotherapy Technologists (Phys. T.) (French only).
You must pay a file opening and review fee of $747.34 (including tax) when you submit your application.
Other optional documents may be submitted. For example, a certificate of participation in professional development courses related to the profession or proof of French language proficiency. To learn more, refer to the Checklist Form for Physiotherapists (PT) or Physiotherapy Technologists (Phys. T.).
Document submission
- Each document must be submitted as a separate PDF document.
- PDF documents must be identified using the file naming system shown in the checklist.
Language of documents
Documents must be submitted in either English or French. Any translations must have been performed by a certified translator (officially recognized or authorized in the country where the translation is performed). When submitting a translation, you must also provide the document in its original language.
Additional fees
When reviewing your application for equivalency, OPPQ may require you to undergo an additional examination called a Competency Assessment in order to render its decision. In this case, a fee ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 may be added to the $747.34 file opening and review fee.
Submitting your application for equivalency
The following two steps are mandatory:
1) Submit your application digitally
You must submit your application digitally in one of the following ways:
- by email to: admission@oppq.qc.ca
OR - by mail, on a USB key, to the OPPQ office
The email subject or the folder name on the USB key should be as follows:
“LASTNAMEFIRSTNAME – Application for Equivalency”. (For example, JOSEPHDRAKE – Application for Equivalency).
2) Mail originals
You must also mail OPPQ the originals of all documents marked with an asterisk (*) on the checklist to the following address:
Service de l’admission
Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Quebec
7151, rue Jean-Talon Est, bureau 700
Anjou (Quebec) H1M 3N8
Canada
Step 2: OPPQ reviews your application for equivalency and, if necessary, requires a competency assessment
Once the file is deemed complete, it is reviewed by OPPQ. The review process may require several steps.
Review of your application for equivalency
Your application for equivalency is reviewed by the OPPQ Admissions Committee, whose members are physiotherapy professionals working in a clinical or educational setting. The committee meets on an ad hoc basis.
The application review can be broken down into four steps:
1) Assessment of education based on the degrees or diplomas submitted, your student record, and the content (description) of courses taken
2) Analysis of work experience using the relevant review form, your resume, and any other documentation showing your prior learning
Note:
When considering an application for equivalency, the Admissions Committee verifies not only your completed number of credits, course hours, and internship hours, but also the content of your academic training. Your education must be tied to physiotherapy as it is practiced in Quebec. This means a qualitative analysis is also conducted. The same is true for your years of professional experience.
After an initial review, if the committee is unable to recognize the equivalency or determine what steps should be taken to achieve equivalency, the committee may ask the candidate to undergo a competency assessment.
Review criteria
The following review criteria are used to assess applications for equivalency:
- Total years of schooling
- Degrees or diplomas earned
- The nature, content, and quality of courses taken, as well as your grades and the number of course credits
- Internships and other training activities completed
- Nature and duration of relevant clinical experience
The Essential Competency Profile for both professions are also used for review purposes:
- Essential Competency Profile for Physiotherapists in Canada
- Essential Competency Profile for Physiotherapy Technologists in Quebec (French only)
Competency Assessment, if required
When an initial review of your file doesn’t lead to a recognition of equivalency or to an exact identification of which obligations you must meet to obtain an equivalency, the Admissions Committee may ask you to undergo a competency assessment.
Competency assessments are conducted by OPPQ or jointly with a partner. They are based on clinical case histories commonly found in physiotherapy practice in Quebec. They are intended as an opportunity to show your proficiency in the specific skills required to implement a physiotherapy analysis and intervention process.
The evaluation is conducted in two parts:
- a guided interview questions based on a case history
- an observation in a simulated work situation in front of a panel
The results will help determine which conditions you need to meet for equivalency (e.g., refresher training, bridging program). Assessments are not designed to provide direct access to an OPPQ license.
Important:
- A fee ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 is charged for competency assessments.
- Competency assessments are conducted in French only.
For more on Competency Assessments
Step 3: You receive the recommendations detailing the actions required to achieve equivalency
After your application is reviewed, the Admissions Committee informs you of the recommendation it will submit to the OPPQ Executive Committee, that is, all the measures you must take to achieve full equivalency.
Possible recommendations
A number of scenarios are possible depending on the extent to which your education and work experience are recognized.
Scenario 1: Your education is recognized and your work experience verified
- You must take an introductory course for professional practice in Quebec and perform an integration internship.
Scenario 2: Your education and/or work experience are recognized almost in full
- You must take refresher training (approximately 2 to 3 courses).
- You also need an introductory course for professional practice in Quebec as well as an integration internship.
Scenarios 3 and 4 are the most common:
Scenario 3: Your education and/or work experience are recognized in part
- A predetermined bridging program must be successfully completed.
- You may also be asked to undergo a competency assessment.
Scenario 4: A small portion of your education and work experience are recognized
- In this case, you must undergo a competency assessment.
- Passing the exam qualifies you for a predetermined physiotherapy bridging program.
Scenario 5: Neither your education nor your experience are recognized
- The application for equivalency is refused.
- You need initial physiotherapy training (to become a physiotherapist or a physiotherapy technologist) and must enrol in the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program in physiotherapy or the physiotherapy technology program.
For more information on the protection of trainees in the workplace:
Step 4: You receive the prescription from the Executive Committee and take the necessary steps to achieve full equivalency
The Admissions Committee submits its recommendation to the OPPQ Executive Committee and, if approved by the OPPQ Executive Committee, the recommendation becomes your prescription for equivalency.
Bridging programs
If you are applying as to be recognized as a physiotherapist
Université de Montréal and McGill University have developed bridging programs that meet OPPQ requirements.
If you are applying to be recognized as a physiotherapy technologist
Cégep Marie-Victorin has developed a program that meets OPPQ requirements.
Step 5: Once the equivalency process has been successfully completed, you apply for your license
Send your proof of successful completion to OPPQ
To complete the equivalency process, you must email OPPQ proof that you have successfully completed the measures in your prescription (courses and internships) at admission@oppq.qc.ca.
After the proof is verified, you will be instructed on how to register for the first time as an OPPQ member and obtain your license.
Expect that it will take OPPQ at least five business days to confirm that you have successfully completed the prescribed measures and issue your license number.
If you were granted a temporary restrictive license for an equivalency internship:
Once you finish your equivalency internship, you must apply for a change in license type in order to practice independently. Send the internship evaluation documents completed by your supervisor to OPPQ, which confirms the successful completion of your internship.
After verifying these documents, OPPQ will convert your temporary restrictive license into a regular license or into a temporary license if you are not proficient enough in French to practice your physiotherapy profession.
Knowledge of French
To receive an OPPQ license, you must be proficient enough in French to practice as a physiotherapy professional in French.
To meet this condition, anyone applying for registration must:
- Meet the conditions set out in the Charter of the French Language
OR - Obtain a certificate of French proficiency from OQLF.
To learn more, see the Knowledge of French page
Frequently asked questions on the equivalency process
I would like to cancel my equivalency process. How do I close my file?
To close your file, you will need to submit a formal request by emailing OPPQ a signed letter at admission@oppq.qc.ca. Any original documents in our possession will then be returned to you by mail.
What should I do if I disagree with the prescribed measures for equivalency (prescription)?
Once you have been informed of the Executive Committee’s decision on your application for equivalency, you are granted a statutory 30-day period to request a review of the decision (or “prescription”).
You may request a review by contacting the OPPQ Secretary at secretariat_general@oppq.qc.ca, who will then inform the Review Committee. This ad hoc committee consists of three members who sit on neither the OPPQ Admissions Committee nor its Executive Committee.
If you request a review of the equivalency decision, you may make your representations to the Review Committee.
What Canadian immigration status must I have during the equivalency process?
Applying for degree, diploma, or education equivalency is a separate process from the immigration process. Candidates must take steps with the Canadian and Quebec governments to obtain the necessary authorizations to fulfil the prescribed measures for their equivalency process.
OPPQ does not check your immigration status when it receives an application and cannot answer any questions about Canadian or Quebec immigration. Candidates are encouraged to contact the federal (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) and provincial (Immigration, Francisation et Intégration) immigration departments.
Frequently asked questions about first-time registration
How will I receive my license number?
You will receive your license number by email. All documents concerning your registration as an OPPQ member, including your license, will then be mailed to you.
I would like to become an OPPQ member, but I am still seeking employment. Which type of annual fee should I choose on the notice of annual fee?
If you are seeking employment, we suggest you choose the “Regular member in a private/public setting” category with the OPPQ insurance.
When it’s time to renew your membership (in February or March), you can then select the category that reflects your current job.
For more about reduced membership fees, see the FAQ on Renewing your membership (French only)
During the registration process, I’m asked to choose between private professional liability insurance or public professional liability insurance. Which should I choose?
During the registration process, you will need to choose between private professional liability insurance or public professional liability insurance.
Depending on your situation, one of the following options will apply:
- If you are not working, choose private professional liability insurance.
- If you will be practicing physiotherapy in a private setting, choose private professional liability insurance.
- If you will be practicing physiotherapy only in a public setting, choose public professional liability insurance.
- If you will be practicing in a public setting but you also want to practice physiotherapy in other settings (e.g., volunteering at sporting events, providing professional advice to people you know), choose private professional liability insurance.
For more information, see the FAQ on Professional liability insurance (French only)
Working as a physiotherapy professional in Quebec
In what sectors do physiotherapy professionals work in Quebec?
Physiotherapists and physiotherapy technologists can work in both the government-funded public sector (hospitals, specialty centres, etc.) and the private sector (independently or with a private physiotherapy or other practice).
For more information on the job market and wages, see the following websites:
Types of licenses and categories
What types of licenses does OPPQ issue?
OPPQ issues three types of licenses for physiotherapists and physiotherapy technologists: regular, temporary restrictive, and temporary licenses.
Regular license
A regular license is issued to any candidate for professional practice who meets one of the following conditions, provided they have appropriate knowledge of French:
- You hold a degree or diploma that entitles you to an OPPQ license and that is recognized by the government under section 1.14 or 2.12 of the Regulation respecting the diplomas issued by designated educational institutions which give access to permits or specialist’s certificates of professional orders.
OR - You are recognized as holding an equivalent degree, diploma, or education under the Règlement sur les normes d’équivalence de diplôme et de formation aux fins de la délivrance d’un permis de physiothérapeute ou de technologue en physiothérapie.
OR - You are legally licensed to practice as a physiotherapist in another Canadian province or territory under the Règlement sur les autorisations légales d’exercer la profession de physiothérapeute hors du Québec qui donnent ouverture au permis de physiothérapeute délivré par l’OPPQ.
OR - You have met the conditions set out in the Règlement sur la délivrance d’un permis de l’Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec pour donner effet à l’arrangement conclu par l’Ordre en vertu de l’Entente entre le Québec et la France en matière de reconnaissance mutuelle des qualifications professionnelles.
Temporary restrictive license
The temporary restrictive license is issued to candidates who, by decision of the OPPQ Executive Committee, must complete refresher training or a bridging program as part of their application for degree, diploma, or education equivalency.
Temporary license
A temporary license is issued to candidates who graduated outside Quebec and who do not yet meet the French language requirements under the Charter of the French Language.
This license is valid for one year and may be renewed consecutively up to three times, with authorization from the OQLF.
What are the membership categories?
Any licensed physiotherapy professional may register as an OPPQ member in one of the three membership fee categories: regular, outside Quebec, or retired.
Regular member
A regular member is entitled to practice their profession in Quebec. A reduced membership fee may apply subject to certain conditions determined by OPPQ.
Member outside Quebec
A member outside Quebec is a member whose professional activities are exclusively outside Quebec.
For information purposes:
Retired member
A retired member is a member who is 55 years of age or older and has ceased all professional or volunteer physiotherapy activities.
This process applies to professionals trained in France who wish to practice physiotherapy in Quebec.
Under the Quebec–France Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on professional qualifications, graduates of a “masso-kinésithérapie” program in France may obtain their OPPQ license subject to certain conditions.
If you meet the eligibility requirements under the Quebec-France MRA, the admissions process involves the following mandatory steps:
- Submit an MRA eligibility application
- Receive an OPPQ eligibility notice recognizing your credentials
- Fulfil the compensatory measures required by OPPQ and provide proof of successful completion (this process can take 1 year if you are applying for a physiotherapy technologist’s license and 1.5 years for a physiotherapist’s license)
- Receive confirmation from the Admissions Committee that you have successfully completed the compensatory measures
- Obtain your OPPQ license
Eligibility for the Quebec–France MRA
To make sure you meet the eligibility criteria, refer to the OPPQ regulation on the Quebec–France MRA (French only).
Application for eligibility and type of license
When applying for MRA eligibility, you will be asked to choose between two professional designations, physiotherapist or physiotherapy technologist (formerly physical rehabilitation therapist). Learn more about these two professions
Applying for a physiotherapy technologist’s license
Select this designation if you meet the requirements of section 3 of the regulations.
Applying for a physiotherapist’s license
An agreement allows individuals who hold a Diplôme d’état de masseur-kinésithérapeute with one of the following two degrees to be licensed as a physiotherapist:
- Diplôme de Master 1 “Ingénierie de la Rééducation, du Handicap et de la Performance Motrice (IRHPM),” co-issued by Institut de Formation en Masso-Kinésithérapie du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d’Amiens and Institut Universitaire Professionnalisé en Ingénierie de la Santé at Université de Picardie Jules Vernes
- Diplôme de Master 1 “Sport, santé, société, Spécialité Mouvement, performance, santé, ingénierie (MPSI), parcours Mouvement-Santé” (formerly “Sport, santé, société, parcours mouvement et santé” or “IUP santé kinésithérapie sport”), co-issued by Institut de formation en masso-kinésithérapie at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble et l’Université Joseph Fourier
Notes on MRA application
Only graduates of the university programs officially recognized in the regulation are eligible to apply.
In some cases, membership in Ordre des masseurs-kinésithérapeutes is not required. To learn more, contact admission@oppq.qc.ca.
Application not eligible for the MRA
If you are not eligible under the MRA, follow the equivalency process for internationally trained professionals.
Step 1: Apply under the MRA
Consult the criteria under the regulations and check your eligibility under the MRA, then submit an OPPQ application for eligibility under the MRA.
Send OPPQ a file with the following documents:
- The duly completed Application for Eligibility under the Quebec–France Mutual Recognition Arrangement Form (French only).
- Payment of the file review fee
- A certificate of registration with Ordre des masseurs-kinésithérapeutes, issued by the Conseil national de l’Ordre des masseurs-kinésithérapeutes (CNOMK)
- A state diploma certificate
- A certificate of good standing with Conseil national de l’Ordre des masseurs-kinésithérapeutes
- A certified true copy of an identity document
If you are applying for a physiotherapist’s license:
- Proof that you hold one of the two Master 1 degrees accepted under the MRA
Expect that it will take at least five business days for OPPQ to verify your file and issue the notice of eligibility if you do meet the criteria under the regulations.
Submitting your application
Send all your applications:
- by email to Admissions Services at admission@oppq.qc.ca
OR - by mail to:
Service de l’admission
Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Quebec
7151, rue Jean-Talon Est, bureau 700
Anjou (Quebec) H1M 3N8
Step 2: Fulfil the compensatory measures
Compensatory measures consist of bridging or refresher training and mandatory clinical internships.
Details on compensatory measures
If you are applying for a physiotherapist’s license
If you meet the criteria to apply for a physiotherapist’s license, you must complete:
- 688 hours of academic bridging courses covering clinical, scientific, and professional subjects as well as training on how the profession is regulated in Quebec
- A 525-hour integration internship
For a list of compensatory measures, see section 2 of the regulations (French only).
If you are applying for a physiotherapy technologist’s license
If you are applying for a physiotherapy technologist’s license, you must, among other obligations:
- Take several college-level (cégep) courses, including 210 hours of bridging courses that include clinical training and training on how the profession is regulated in Quebec
- A 225-hour integration internship
For a complete list of compensatory measures, see section 3 of the regulations (French only).
At which educational institutions can I fulfil my compensatory measures?
For physiotherapists
You can fulfil the compensatory measures required for recognition of your physiotherapy qualifications at two universities in Montreal:
- Université de Montréal: See the description of the Professional Qualification Program for Physiotherapists (QPP)
- McGill University: See the description of the Equivalency in Physiotherapy Program.
For physiotherapy technologists
You can fulfil the compensatory measures for recognition of your credentials as a physiotherapy technologist at Cégep Marie-Victorin in Montreal: See the description of the integration program (French only).
Cancelling the equivalency process
To close your eligibility application file, you will need to submit a formal request by emailing OPPQ a signed letter. Your documents will then be returned to you.
Step 3: Receive your license
Once you successfully complete the compensatory measures:
- Send the proof of completion issued by the educational institution to OPPQ Admissions Services
- It will take at least five business days for you to receive your license once the Admissions Committee confirms that you have fulfilled the compensatory measures.
Disagreement with the outcome of the professional qualification recognition process
If the OPPQ Admissions Committee determines that you haven’t fulfilled the compensatory measures and you disagree with this decision, you may send a written request for review to the OPPQ Secretary at secretariat_general@oppq.qc.ca. This request for review must be submitted within 30 days of the decision.
The OPPQ Secretary will inform you of the date of the Executive Committee meeting at which your review request will be considered.
If you wish to submit written representations, you must send these to the OPPQ Secretary at least two days before the review meeting. The Executive Committee will examine the review request and render a written decision along with its justifications within 60 days of receiving the review request.
The decision of the Executive Committee is final. It will be sent to you by registered mail within 30 days of the meeting at which it was rendered.
File opening and review fee
The file opening and review fee for an eligibility application under the Quebec-France MRA is $344.93, including tax.
Reimbursement of fees when process is cancelled
The fee can be partially reimbursed provided the admissions file has not yet been reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Part of the fee you paid may be withheld, depending on your file’s progress.
Once the file has been reviewed by the Admissions Committee, the fee cannot be reimbursed.
The fee for a Competency Assessment is non-refundable.
Frequently asked questions about first-time registration
How will I receive my license number?
You will receive your license number by email. All documents concerning your registration as an OPPQ member, including your license, will then be mailed to you.
I would like to become an OPPQ member, but I am still seeking employment. Which type of annual fee should I choose on the notice of annual fee?
If you are seeking employment, we suggest you choose the “Regular member in a private/public setting” category with the OPPQ insurance.
When it’s time to renew your membership (in February or March), you can then select the category that reflects your current job.
For more about reduced membership fees, see the FAQ on Renewing your membership (French only)
During the registration process, I’m asked to choose between private professional liability insurance or public professional liability insurance. Which should I choose?
During the registration process, you will need to choose between private professional liability insurance or public professional liability insurance.
Depending on your situation, one of the following options will apply:
- If you are not working, choose private professional liability insurance.
- If you will be practicing physiotherapy in a private setting, choose private professional liability insurance.
- If you will be practicing physiotherapy only in a public setting, choose public professional liability insurance.
- If you will be practicing in a public setting but you also want to practice physiotherapy in other settings (e.g., volunteering at sporting events, providing professional advice to people you know), choose private professional liability insurance.
For more information, see the FAQ on Professional liability insurance (French only)
Working as a physiotherapy professional in Quebec
In what sectors do physiotherapy professionals work in Quebec?
Physiotherapists and physiotherapy technologists can work in both the government-funded public sector (hospitals, specialty centres, etc.) and the private sector (independently or with a private physiotherapy or other practice).
For more information on the job market and wages, see the following websites:
Types of licenses and categories
What types of licenses does OPPQ issue?
OPPQ issues three types of licenses for physiotherapists and physiotherapy technologists: regular, temporary restrictive, and temporary licenses.
Regular license
A regular license is issued to any candidate for professional practice who meets one of the following conditions, provided they have appropriate knowledge of French:
- You hold a degree or diploma that entitles you to an OPPQ license and that is recognized by the government under section 1.14 or 2.12 of the Regulation respecting the diplomas issued by designated educational institutions which give access to permits or specialist’s certificates of professional orders.
OR - You are recognized as holding an equivalent degree, diploma, or education under the Règlement sur les normes d’équivalence de diplôme et de formation aux fins de la délivrance d’un permis de physiothérapeute ou de technologue en physiothérapie.
OR - You are legally licensed to practice as a physiotherapist in another Canadian province or territory under the Règlement sur les autorisations légales d’exercer la profession de physiothérapeute hors du Québec qui donnent ouverture au permis de physiothérapeute délivré par l’OPPQ.
OR - You have met the conditions set out in the Règlement sur la délivrance d’un permis de l’Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec pour donner effet à l’arrangement conclu par l’Ordre en vertu de l’Entente entre le Québec et la France en matière de reconnaissance mutuelle des qualifications professionnelles.
Temporary restrictive license
The temporary restrictive license is issued to candidates who, by decision of the OPPQ Executive Committee, must complete refresher training or a bridging program as part of their application for degree, diploma, or education equivalency.
Temporary license
A temporary license is issued to candidates who graduated outside Quebec and who do not yet meet the French language requirements under the Charter of the French Language.
This license is valid for one year and may be renewed consecutively up to three times, with authorization from the OQLF.
What are the membership categories?
Any licensed physiotherapy professional may register as an OPPQ member in one of the three membership fee categories: regular, outside Quebec, or retired.
Regular member
A regular member is entitled to practice their profession in Quebec. A reduced membership fee may apply subject to certain conditions determined by OPPQ.
Member outside Quebec
A member outside Quebec is a member whose professional activities are exclusively outside Quebec.
For information purposes:
Retired member
A retired member is a member who is 55 years of age or older and has ceased all professional or volunteer physiotherapy activities.
Scheduling an appointment
Candidates can meet with OPPQ by appointment only.
To schedule a phone or a virtual appointment, please write to admission@oppq.qc.ca.
Additional information
To learn more about regulations and other aspects of your future profession, see the Member section (French only)
If you have any questions, email OPPQ Admissions Services at admission@oppq.qc.ca.
If you are dissatisfied with the way your application was processed
1) For questions about or problems with your application
You can contact OPPQ Admissions Services at admission@oppq.qc.ca.
2) If you are still dissatisfied
You can contact the Commissioner for Admission to Professions (in French, Commissaire à l’admission aux professions).
The Commissioner for Admission to Professions is an independent government agency associated with the Office des professions du Quebec.
The Commissioner may:
- Review any complaints regarding access to a profession
- Verify any processes or activities associated with access to a profession
The Commissioner assesses the admissions process based on several criteria (fairness, objectivity, impartiality, transparency, efficiency, timeliness). After review, it may propose solutions to the candidate and recommend that OPPQ review the admission file.
Visit the Commissioner for Admission to Professions website (French only)
Please note:
Only OPPQ can decide whether your qualifications will be recognized and which knowledge and skills, if any, you need to acquire to become an OPPQ member.
Recourse to the Commissioner will not lead to your qualifications being reassessed or the OPPQ decision on recognizing your qualifications being appealed or reviewed.
Financial assistance for internationally trained professionals
Several microlending organizations provide financial support to immigrant professionals who need to update their skills or have their credentials recognized with a professional governing body: