3232-NOC

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists

(NOC 32200)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$35,592
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, 2 or more years
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
570

Career Overview

Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners and acupuncturists:

  • Assess, treat and prevent diseases, conditions, disorders or imbalances using acupuncture, herbology or other holistic health approaches
  • Work in private practice, including group or team practices, clinics, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres and health clubs

Duties

Acupuncturists:

  • Diagnose diseases, physical disorders, imbalances and injuries, within the framework of traditional Chinese medicine
  • Treat patients by inserting needles
  • Use stimulation techniques that include heat, light (including laser), acupressure, magnets, suction and electric currents
  • May suggest exercises and offer food guidelines
  • Educate patients on risks and benefits of treatments
  • Develop treatment plans including acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion, cupping, scraping or electrical current
  • Evaluate and document patients' progress
  • May develop treatment plans with other health care professionals

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners:

  • Diagnose diseases, physical disorders, imbalances and injuries
  • Treat patients using acupuncture and Chinese herbology
  • Explain procedures, risks and benefits of treatments to patients
  • Prescribe and administer treatment such as acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), scraping (Gua Sha), cupping therapy, moxibustion, acupressure, and auriculotherapy
  • May prescribe and administer Chinese manipulative therapy (Tui Na), energy control therapy (Qi Gong) and laser therapy
  • May suggest home care instructions and provide information about life therapies including energy control therapy (Qi Gong), Chinese shadow boxing (Tai Ji Quan) and Chinese food cure recipes (Shi Liao)
  • Maintain patient records
  • Prescribe and administer treatment using raw or granule herbs and other medicines or dietary supplements
  • May develop treatment plans with other health care professionals such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, physicians and psychologists 

Traditional Chinese medicine herbalists:

  • Diagnose diseases, physical disorders, imbalances and injuries
  • Prescribe and mix herbal formulas to treat patients
  • Work within the framework of traditional Chinese medicine
  • May suggest healing Chinese recipes

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$35,592

Provincial Hourly Rate

HighNot available
MedianNot available
LowNot available
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

1,525

% Employed Full Time

17%
Source: 2021 Census

Many traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists work in private practice, including group or team practices. Others are employed by health clinics, extended care facilities, rehab centres and health clubs.

They may work regular business hours, evenings or weekends. Most work environments are quiet and soothing.

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists must keep treatment areas clean and take other safety measures to protect their clients and themselves from infection. They may feel strain from standing or sitting during treatments. They also risk injury when lifting and moving tables and other equipment.

Career Pathways

With additional education and training, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners may become doctors of traditional Chinese medicine. In this advanced role, they deal with more complex medical needs.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Social
Social

Job Titles

Acupuncturist
Traditional chinese medicine practitioner

Education, Training and Skills

Acupuncturists usually require:

  • Completion a three- to four-year diploma program in acupuncture from a private institute, or 
  • Some university undergraduate studies in science and training in a related health care discipline, or
  • Work experience under the supervision of a registered acupuncturist 

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners usually require:

  • A four- to five-year diploma program in traditional Chinese medicine from a private institute, or 
  • Completion of a program in traditional Chinese medicine from recognized medical schools abroad

Traditional Chinese medicine herbalists usually require:

  • A three-year diploma in traditional Chinese medicine, majoring in herbology
  • Some university undergraduate studies in science
  • Clinical training under the supervision of a registered traditional Chinese medicine herbalist or traditional Chinese medicine practitioner

Acupuncturists, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and traditional Chinese medicine herbalists must be registered with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia, which includes completion of an approved registration examination. Throughout their careers, they must keep their skills current.

Workers coming to B.C.

Practitioners of natural healing who are certified by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references or a criminal record check.

Workers who trained outside of Canada

Practitioners of natural healing who trained outside of Canada and have never received certification from a Canadian jurisdiction will likely need a full assessment. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants. Contact the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.

For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.

View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Health/Medical - General
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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

71%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

69%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

69%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

69%
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

64%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

64%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

63%
Complex Problem Solving

Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.

58%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

58%
Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

58%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

1,525
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 30 2.0%
Kootenay 55 3.6%
Mainland/Southwest 1,065 70.1%
North Coast and Nechako 10 0.7%
Northeast 0 0.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 65 4.3%
Vancouver Island/Coast 295 19.4%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)

570
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 10 0.3%
Kootenay 20 1.4%
Mainland/Southwest 420 1.8%
North Coast and Nechako Not available Not available
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 20 1.4%
Vancouver Island/Coast 100 2.1%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Health Care And Social Assistance550
Repair, Personal And Non-Profit Services10
Retail Trade10
Educational Services0
Business, Building And Other Support Services0
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources