3122-NOC

Occupational therapists

(NOC 3143)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$88,638
Typical Education Background
Degree
Job Openings
(2022-2032)
1,050

Career Overview

Occupational therapists help people whose capabilities have been impaired by illness, injury, developmental disorders, emotional or psychological disorders or the aging process.

People in this occupation:

  • Develop individual and group programs to promote, develop, restore and maintain participation in all aspects of a person's life
  • Help people care for themselves, return to work and resume community activities
  • Develop and implement health promotion programs with individuals, community groups and employers
  • May be self-employed
  • Work for health care facilities, in schools, and by private and social services agencies
  • Need advanced critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills
  • Must be empathetic, creative and have good judgment
  • Must be able to analyze and apply research to everyday practise
  • Must be self-sufficient and work as part of a team

Duties

Occupational therapists:

  • Analyse clients' capabilities and expectations related to life activities through observation, interviews and formal assessments
  • Develop intervention programs to address clients' needs related to self-care, work and leisure activities
  • Maintain clients' records
  • Establish personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team Consult and advise on health promotion programs to prevent disabilities and to maximize independent function in all activities of life
  • May supervise support personnel and students and provide training.

Special duties

Occupational therapists may specialize in working with specific populations such as children or adults, or persons with distinct problems such as dementia, traumatic brain injury and chronic pain. They may also provide special interventions such as return-to-work programs.

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

$88,638

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$50.00/hr
Median$42.50/hr
Low$25.77/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2022 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

2,000

% Employed Full Time

45%
Source: 2016 Census

Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, day programs, home-care programs, schools and industry. They also work in settings where clients live or work or in community settings (where clients participate in leisure activities).

Employees generally work 40 hours per week during standard office hours, however, evening, weekend and shift work may also be required.

Work in this field can be both physically and emotionally demanding since it involves helping people through rehabilitation. Therapists may have to do considerable lifting, carrying, walking, standing and crouching. In some practices, therapists may also have to use a computer for extended periods of time during report preparation.

Career Pathways

In hospital settings, most occupational therapists begin at an Occupational Therapist Grade I level. Advancement into managerial positions is possible with additional training and experience.

Opportunities to move into consultant positions or specializations within occupational therapy (i.e., quality assurance and research) are increasingly becoming available. Occupational therapists may also become teachers in their field.

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
Investigative
Investigative

Job Titles

Consultant, occupational therapy rehab.
Occupational therapy specialist, clinical
OT (occupational therapist)
Rehabilitation consultant
Specialist, clinical
Vocational evaluator

Education, Training and Skills

Beginning in 2010, the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) only grants accreditation to graduates with a master's degree in occupational therapy.

Registration to practice in B.C. requires:

  • Graduation from a college-approved program or demonstration that a program is equivalent to the degree earned in B.C.
  • Field work and accreditation by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is currently the only institution in the province that offers a college-approved program in occupational therapy. For more information, visit the UBC School of Rehabilitation Sciences website at www.rehab.ubc.ca.

Occupational therapists must be registered members of the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) to legally practise in the province. The COTBC is the regulatory body that sets entry to practice requirements (establishing education qualifications; fieldwork requirements; entry level competencies and registration requirements); setting standards for practice and ethical conduct; and implementing quality assurance programs such as continuing competence standards to assure continued safe, quality practice.

Occupational therapists who are certified for that occupation 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 criminal record check.

For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.

Contact the College of Occupational Therapists 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.

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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.

74%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

73%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

72%
Social Perceptiveness

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

72%
Critical Thinking

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

71%
Writing

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

67%
Active Learning

Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.

65%
Judgment and Decision-Making

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

64%
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

64%
Complex Problem Solving

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

63%

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

2,000
Source: 2016 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Employment (2022) % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 70 1.8%
Kootenay 50 1.3%
Mainland/Southwest 1,670 62.2%
North Coast and Nechako 50 1.8%
Northeast N/A 0.5%
Thompson-Okanagan 360 13.2%
Vancouver Island/Coast 390 19.3%
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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 (2022-2032)

1,050
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 (2022-2032)

Map of BC Map of Cariboo region Map of Kootenay region Map of Mainland/Southwest region Map of North Coast and Nechako region Map of Northeast region Map of Thompson-Okanagan region Map of Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
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Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 0 1.3%
Kootenay 0 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 680 1.6%
North Coast and Nechako 0 1.8%
Northeast N/A N/A
Thompson-Okanagan 150 1.6%
Vancouver Island/Coast 170 1.7%
N/A: Data is not available for this region.
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 (2022-2032)
Health Care and Social Assistance149,700
Educational Services64,500
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services148,000
Public Administration49,200
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: 2016 Census and B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

Job growth will be due to an aging population, increased life expectancy, technological advancements, greater social health awareness and a shift toward ambulatory care (for patients who do not need to stay in a health-care facility overnight). The majority of job openings will result from new job creation. Further, since women make up a high share of these workers, there are many openings from maternity leave.

Occupational therapists are in high demand throughout the province. At present, the number of new graduates is insufficient to meet demand. This shortage has provided expanded opportunities for new graduates to practise in areas that typically would have required a higher level of experience. More opportunities for on-the-job training and mentorship will also likely become available as a result of shortages.

Industry reports that the trend for workers moving to community practice (private practice) is expected to continue, as privatization and insurance coverage for occupational therapy services becomes more common.
Some practices have adopted technologies for consultations provincewide. The move to electronic health records requires computer skills and basic office software knowledge. Occupational therapists may also work more often on teams delivering services through tele-health technologies.

Resources