Career Occupations and Other Regulators

Some programs lead to employment in career occupations regulated by other regulators.

A regulator is a provincial or federal statutory body that requires an individual to hold membership, accreditation, licensing or registration to be authorized to work in a specific occupation. For example, practical nurses (PN) must be licensed by the BC College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM), a BC regulator, in order to work in BC. PN programs must be recognized by the BCCNM.

PTIRU requires institutions offering programs leading to employment in a career regulated by a regulator to maintain evidence they meet the requirements set by the regulator. For example, we require institutions offering a PN program to maintain evidence the program is recognized by the BCCNM.

The list below includes the regulator and the corresponding career occupations. Before enrolling in a program, you should review the requirements set by the regulator to practice the career occupation in BC.

Regulator Career Occupation
BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) Practical Nurse; Registered Nurse; Psychiatric Nurse
College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC) Pharmacy Technician
College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC) Acupuncturists; Chiropractors; Massage Therapists; Naturopathic Physicians; Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners
College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC)  Audiologists; Dietitians; Hearing Instrument Practitioners; Occupational Therapists; Opticians; Optometrists; Physical Therapists; Psychologists; Speech-Language Pathologists
BC College of Oral Health Professionals of BC (BCCOHP) Certified Dental Assistants; Dental Hygienists; Dental Therapists; Dental Technicians; Dentists; Denturists
Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC) Engineers (including but not limited to Software Engineers, Firmware Engineers, Data Engineers, Etc.); Geoscientists
Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) Chartered Professional Accountants; Professional Accountants
Diver Certification Board of Canada (DCBC) Restricted/Unrestricted Scuba Diver; Restricted/Unrestricted Surface-Supplied Diver; Closed Bell Diver
Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board (EMALB) Emergency Medical Assistant; First Responder
College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) Immigration Consultant; Immigration Practitioner
Transport Canada (TC) Flight Training – Commercial Pilot; Multi Engine Rating, Instrument Flight Rating; Airline Transport Pilot; Maritime/Marine Training
SkilledTradesBC Skilled Trades Certification is required for: Construction Electrician; Industrial Electrician; Powerline Technician; Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic; Gasfitter Class A & B; Steamfitter/Pipefitter; Sheet Metal Worker. SkilledTradesBC also sets program standards for Qualification and Red Seal for many other trades programs.
BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW) Social Worker; Registered Social Worker; Registered Clinical Social Worker

We note that the following organizations, while not regulatory bodies, may set requirements to work in specific occupations.

Organization Career Occupation
BC Care Aide and Community Health Worker Registry (the Registry) Acute Care Aide; Health Care Assistant; Personal Support Worker
BC Society of Laboratory Science (BCSLS) Medical Laboratory Assistant
Early Childhood Educator Registry (within BC Ministry of Children and Family Development) Early Childhood Educator; Early Childhood Educator Assistant