Occupational Therapist

Occupational therapists develop individual and group programs with people affected by illness, injury, developmental disorders, emotional or psychological problems and aging to maintain, restore or increase their ability to care for themselves and to engage in work, school or leisure. They also develop and implement health promotion programs with individuals, community groups and employers. They are employed in health care facilities, in schools, and by private and social services agencies, or they may be self-employed.
Occupational therapists analyze clients’ capabilities and expectations related to life activities through observation, interviews and formal assessments. They develop intervention programs to address clients’ needs related to self-care, work and leisure activities, establish personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team, and consult and advise on health promotion programs to prevent disabilities and to maximize independent function in all activities of life.

Average Hourly

$39.39

Range Hourly

$20.58 – $49.86

Average Yearly

$76,811

Range Yearly

$40,122 – $97,227

NOC Code

Occupational therapists (3143)

Alias Job Titles

Case manager occupational therapist; Clinical occupational therapist; Clinical occupational therapy specialist; Community occupational therapist; Community practice occupational therapist; Home care occupational therapist; Occupational therapist (OT); Occupational therapist vocational evaluator; Occupational therapy rehabilitation consultant; Research and development occupational therapist; Research occupational therapist; Vocational evaluator occupational therapist

Qualifications Required

A university degree in occupational therapy including supervised fieldwork is required.

Salary Range

Average hourly	Range hourly	Average yearly	Range yearly
$39.39	$20.58 - $49.86	$76,811	$40,122 - $97,227

Job Demand

High

Employment outlook is mostly good across provinces. More information is available here.

Growth Opportunity

Occupational therapists may obtain expertise in a particular area through additional training or experience.

Years' Experience Required

Complete a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised fieldwork experience (on-the-job training)

Training Options (if available)

Having health-related undergraduate education a master’s in Physiotherapy is usually required. Some examples of master’s program:

MSc. in Occupational Therapy at University of Alberta

Master of Occupational Therapy at University of British Columbia

MSc Occupational Therapy at Dalhousie University

Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy MSc (OT) at Queen’s University

Find more programs

Personal Qualities

Excellent communication skills; empathetic; ability to work independently, Physical and mental stamina; Critical thinking skills

Notes/Other Information

Occupational therapists may specialize in working with specific populations such as children or adults, or persons with distinct problems such as dementia, traumatic brain injury and chronic pain, or provide special interventions such as return-to-work programs.

Steps towards capacity building to become competitive for this job

Enter into a MSc. program.
The entry to master’s program is very competitive. To compensate that one can start with a diploma and experience in Occupational Therapy Assistant program.
After completing the master’s and supervised training, a licence or registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces and territories. Licensing related information and support can be found from Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists

References

i. Alberta Learning Information Service

ii. Job Bank Canada

iii. National Occupation Classification ESDC

iv. Neuvoo

v. Indeed