Jun 5, 2025
On June 5, 2025, regulatory changes made under the Medicine Act, 1991, the Nursing Act, 1991, the Medical Laboratory Technology Act, 1991, the Respiratory Therapy Act, 1991, the Regulated Health Professionals Act, 1991 and a variety of supporting Acts came into force to support the expansion of Ontario’s “As of Right” rules. These changes:
Add U.S. Board-certified and licensed physicians and licensed nurses to Ontario’s “As of Right” rules for regulated health professions. This means that those individuals could immediately start practising in Ontario, while they are seeking registration with one of Ontario’s health regulatory colleges. This includes all USA states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) but excludes USA territories (e.g., Guam, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico). Like their Canadian counterparts, USA-based physicians and nurses are required to meet all the “As of Right” conditions to qualify.
Remove the restriction on “As of Right” professionals to only practising in public hospitals, long-term care homes, and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. “As of Right” professionals may practise in any setting where their Ontario counterparts practise. Instead, the out-of-province professional using “As of Right” rules may provide services while they are physically present in Ontario to residents of Ontario only.
Add the condition that an out-of-province professional attest to the Ontario regulatory college that they meet all the conditions to practise under the “As of Right” rules. With the removal of setting restrictions, having an employer validate that a person practising under the “As of Right” rules is no longer feasible. In addition, this condition allows health regulatory colleges to identify who is practising under the “As of Right” rules.