The Office of the Fairness Commissioner's (OFC) mandate is to oversee the registration practices adopted by regulated professions, regulated health colleges and skilled trades.
This authority is set out in the Fair Access to Regulated Professions and Compulsory Trades Act, 2006, (FARPACTA), and the Health Professions Procedural Code under Schedule 2 of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA). FARPACTA governs the 14 non-health professions and Skilled Trades Ontario while the RHPA governs the 26 self-governing regulated health colleges.
The OFC works with these regulatory bodies to help establish registration processes that are transparent, objective, impartial and fair, and that comply with the specific legal obligations identified in the legislation. Our overarching goal is to help ensure that qualified professionals can contribute to Ontario society to the full extent of their skills, training and aptitudes.
The OFC is led by the Fairness Commissioner, whose overall mandate is set out in section 13(3) of FARPACTA and 22.5(1) in Schedule 2 of the RHPA. While the wording of the two statutes differs in certain respects, the legislation confers the following broad functions on the commissioner:
- Assessing the registration processes of regulated professions.
- Specifying when a regulator's registration practices should be reviewed and when a fair registration practices report should be filed.
- Monitoring third parties relied on by regulated professions to help ensure that their candidate assessment and examination processes comply with the legislation.
- Providing information and advice to regulators to help them understand how to comply with their legislative obligations.
- Establishing eligibility requirements that a person must meet to qualify to conduct audits.
- Advising ministries about matters under the legislation that affect a ministry or a regulator under its jurisdiction.
- Advising the MLITSD Minister on the administration of the legislation.
- Reporting to the MLITSD Minister and other ministers on registration practices relating to internationally trained individuals.
The OFC oversees the licensing practices of 41 regulatory bodies. These organizations cover virtually every sector of the province's service sector and economy. Our office also performs a variety of other roles consistent with its statutory mandate. These include disseminating best practices through education and outreach and advising regulators and other stakeholders on how to comply with the legislation.
The OFC also works collaboratively with its Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) counterparts to help ensure that Ontario's immigration, labour-market, and domestic mobility goals for the employment of professionals and skilled tradespersons are synchronized.
The intended beneficiaries of fair access legislation are the individuals who apply for registration to a profession or skilled trade, whether they are domestically or internationally educated or trained.
While the legislation prohibits the Fairness Commissioner from becoming involved in individual registration decisions, internal reviews or appeals, the office may choose to pursue registration issues that applicants bring to our attention that are repetitive in nature or that display a systemic dimension.
You may also find the following websites helpful:
Work in Your Profession
Learn about the services available in Ontario to help you continue working in your profession or trade if you've been trained in another country.
Global Experience Ontario
Global Experience Ontario (GEO) is an information and referral centre. They can help you learn how to become licensed or certified to work in a regulated profession or skilled trade if you've been trained in another country.
Health Force Ontario's Access Centre
Health Force Ontario serves internationally educated health care professionals. They help you integrate into the Ontario health care system, with the goal to help you become trained, licensed and employed in your profession or an alternative career.
