Each year, thousands of Canadians move from one province or territory to another. “Labour Mobility” refers to the ability of certified workers to practice their regulated occupation, throughout Canada, wherever opportunities to work in that occupation exist.

The Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) reaffirms the labour mobility provisions and obligations that were established under the 1995 Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT).

Labour Mobility provisions of the CFTA (Chapter 7) state that certified workers have to be recognized as qualified to work by a regulatory body in another province or territory which regulates that occupation, without having to go through significant additional training, work experience, examination or assessment, unless an exception has been posted.

In cases where certification requirements or occupational standards for a regulated occupation are very different from one jurisdiction to another, a government may approve an exception to full Labour Mobility based on a legitimate objective. Examples of legitimate objectives include the protection of public security and safety, public order, protection of human, animal or plant life or health, protection of the environment, etc. For a full listing of legitimate objectives please visit the Labour Mobility website. Currently, there are a small number of exceptions considering the number of regulated occupations that exist in Canada. Jurisdictions continue to review exceptions and update their exceptions list accordingly to ensure currency.

• Approved Exceptions by Jurisdiction
• Approved Exceptions by Occupation

Please visit the Labour Mobility Website for more detailed information, including:

• FAQs for Certified Workers
• FAQs for Regulatory Authorities
• FAQs for Employers

If you have questions or concerns about labour mobility in Canada please contact the labour mobility coordinator in your Province or Territory.