Working In Canada

Are you new to Canada or are you considering immigrating? Opticianry is a rewarding career that combines math, science, business, health and fashion. There are two options for becoming an optician in Canada. For either option, the first step is to consider which province you want to live in.

For more information about life in each province and immigrating to Canada, visit the Immigrating as an Optician section of this website.

Option 1 – PLAR

If you have a background in optics or health care, you may be eligible to become an optician through the PLAR process.

PLAR stands for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition and is a process that allows applicants who have not been educated in an accredited Canadian institution the opportunity to become a licensed optician.

Each province handles the PLAR a little differently; the following is a general outline of what you can expect from the process.

1. Application

2. Case Based Interview

3. Competency Gap Analysis

4. Review of Results

5. Decision

For more detailed information about each of these steps visit the PLAR page of this website.

Option 2 – Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions

If you do not have a background in optics or health care but think opticianry might be a good fit for you. You will need to apply to an accredited Canadian institution that offers optician training.

Accredited programs are available at several institutions. You can view the complete list by visiting this page.

For more information about optician training in Canada, visit the Education of Opticians in Canada page on this website.

Test Your Knowledge

To be an effective optician in Canada, many different skills and abilities (called “competencies”) are expected and needed. We have developed Competency Self-Assessment and Knowledge Self-Assessment tools to help you understand your strengths and weaknesses as they compare to the skills and abilities required for Opticianry in Canada.

These assessments are for your purposes only; your results will not be accessible to any regulator or licensing body. The more accurate you are in your ratings, the more useful the feedback is to you.

For more information about these self-assessments visit the Evaluating Your Skills page on this website.

You can find a complete list of the Competencies for Opticianry in Canada at the NACOR website.

The requirements for the province of Quebec have some differences. For information on the prior learning assessment and recognition process in the province of Quebec. Please refer to the OODQ page (Order of prescription opticians of Quebec) : Candidate trained in Canada or abroad