dlmd

Hi all, newbie requiring advice please. Husband been headhunted for Canadian job (Richmond).

I am a UK degree level Aromatherapist, Massage Therapist & Reflexologist currently self employed (5 years) wanting to continue my self employment over there but the info I have read has confused me.

I read if I have a degree in a non specific field I can get "a job" easily but if specific in health, law, engineering etc. I must undertake another 2-3yr canadian qualification which apparently is at a lower standard than my current degree. I also read that this is not the case in some provinces & then a post that said I can work in this field provided I don't call myself a massage therapist.

Does anyone know where I can find this information out

Thanx dlmd

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

First things first, will your husband's visa allow you to work? Not all spouses can, but if you can let us know what he'll be doing then hopefully somebody can confirm if you'll be able to to or not.

As for massage, I've no idea if it's a regulated profession in Canada, but hopefully somebody else will be able to shed some light on that.

Best of luck.

Zoe Bell

this might help for Ontario, don't know about other provinces but like everything else in canada it is a regulated profession I think

HOW TO BECOME A REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPIST

ann m

I'm pretty sure you could work, or work from home, but to be successful and and have a lucrative job you will want to be an RMT - Registered Massage Therapist - with the Association in your province of choice.

One if the reasons is that massage is huge here and people put the costs, wherever possible, through their health benefits package provided by their employer ( if they have one), and all the insurance companies will only reimburse that claim if the service is provided by an RMT.

So you will want to be able to offer that to your clients - that you are a recognizable entity.

So if you haven't done so already, check out the Association for your province and then find out how they will assess your current qualifications and if they offer you some equivalency. Be warned though that Canadians love their certifications and I can barely think of any skill where they offer full equivalency and nearly always ask for some kind of extra courses to prove your worth. If I was cynical () I'd say it was all about the $$.

Good luck.

dlmd

Thanks everyone for your replies

regarding my husbands visa we have no idea as things have not gone that far yet, we are still trying to find out stuff in the background so that should we be interested in saying yes, we will be saying yes with our eyes open. I will get him to ask about the the visa.

Thanks for the ontario link I will read up on that

Have started looking into the equivalency side but again its not clear as they talk about different quals but only say you may be eligible dependent on what, its not really clear lol I also need to find out which provinces it applies to & which it doesn't (if any)

thanx again all

adele

Richmond, BC?

If so, then here is your source: College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia and here is the page for foreign-trained applicants: Applicants From Non-Regulated Provinces or Internationally Educated (CPLA) | College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia

Massage therapy is a registered profession in British Columbia (it is in some provinces in Canada, but not all). You will need to qualify for registration with CMTBC to be able to call yourself an RMT, which as noted upthread you need to be for clients to be reimbursed through their extended health policies. Without it your earning potential will be very limited.

Good luck!

Oink

There are plenty of massage parlours around in Vancouver, apparently.

BristolUK

For teachers?

Oink

No questions asked. They're very discreet.

dlmd

Hi fun sponge, I found out the visa will allow us both to work yeahh:-)

dlmd

Hi adele thanx for the links you sent me :-)

christmasoompa

Brilliant, that's good Just Joined.

kazbob

Hi,

I work in a health clinic which provides chiro, massage, physio and acupuncture and with each of our providers I have had to register them with Blue Cross and all the insurance companies that we submit to - each time they have been registered I have to provide where, when and registration number for each provider.

I believe there are places that do not submit to insurance and maybe they do employ unregistered therapists but every new patient we have had has asked me if our therapists are registered.

Good RMT's are worth their weight in gold, it is big business over here.

Kaz

dishwashing

Is acupuncture redeemable against insurance? And presumably the RMT business is so profitable, allegedly, because of the insurance conditions.

mandymoochops

In Alberta I know for sure Chiropractors and massage therapists make a killing from the oilpatch guys.

My hubby goes to both once a month. (I made sure his masseuse is a minger)