This occupational group includes workers, not classified elsewhere, who perform various technical therapy and assessment functions.
People in this occupation:
Source: Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Note:Estimated median employment income based on 2021 Job Bank median hourly wage rate (median annual salary = hourly wage rate x 40 (hours per week) x 52.14 (weeks per year))
Source: 2021 Job Bank Wage Report
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook
10 year expected job openings: 440
N/A - Data not available
Hearing instrument practitioners:
Audiometric technicians:
Ophthalmic medical assistants:
Physiotherapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants:
Workers in these occupations typically work a regular 35- to 40-hour week. Work hours generally depend on the business hours of health-care practices. For example, some workers may be required to work evenings and weekends to accommodate the needs of patients, while others work part-time. Emergencies can also arise, although less often than in other health-care fields.
Working conditions vary for individuals in this group, depending on the specific occupation. The work of massage therapists and physical rehabilitation technicians can be physically demanding since these workers use their arms and hands for massaging and stand for long periods of time. The work is relatively light and comfortable, however, for communication assistants, audiometric assistants, ophthalmic assistants and hearing instrument practitioners.
Workers in these groups are increasingly required to use computers.
Source: 2016 Census
Audio prosthetists and hearing instrument practitioners are required to complete a two- or three-year college program in audio prosthetics (in every regulated province except for B.C.), including a period of supervised training. In B.C., these professionals must be registered with the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of B.C. Registration requires:
For more information visit www.cshhpbc.org/default.htm.
Audiometric and communication assistants generally need:
International certification is available for ophthalmic assistants, technicians and technologists through the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. For more information visit http://jcahpo.org.
Physical rehabilitation technicians generally need:
Those 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 WorkSafe 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.
For more information about programs offered specifically for this career, visit EducationPlannerBC.
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 35 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. You’ll also find the skill strength needed, letting you know how capable you must be in that skill.
Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Jobs will come from new job creation and the need to replace retiring workers.
Demand for these workers is expected to increase as B.C.'s growing and aging population requires more vision and hearing testing, rehabilitation therapy and other services in therapy and assessment.
Massage therapists account for more than half of those working in this occupational group. An increased number of spas have created a demand for these workers, as have regulatory changes that allow patients to visit registered massage therapists without a referral from a physician. Since massage therapy and other rehabilitation services are optional expenses, they are expected to increase along with the overall growth of the provincial economy. Demand for massage therapists is expected to be greatest in rural and isolated areas in central and northern B.C.
Career paths
Ophthalmic medical assistants may progress to higher levels of certification with additional training and experience.
Additional resources