Practitioners of natural healing (NOC 3232)

Education, training & qualifications

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners:

• usually need to complete a three- to four-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
• in Ontario and B.C. must be registered with a regulatory body

Acupuncturists:

• usually need to complete a three-year diploma program in acupuncture from a private institute or complete some university undergraduate studies in science and training in a related health-care discipline or gain work experience under the supervision of a registered acupuncturist
• in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and B.C. must be registered with a regulatory body

Other occupations in this group usually require completion of training programs specific to their type of practice and some supervised practical training.

Practitioners who are certified for an 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 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 B.C. occupational regulators.

Education programs in B.C.

For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.