Chiropractic Employment & Job Requirements in Canada

Arabnews24.ca:Friday 26 August 2022 12:13 AM: While there is a labour shortage for chiropractors in Canada, you must meet specific chiropractic job requirements. Typically, employers require a minimum of two years of university undergraduate studies in science and licensing by a provincial chiropractic regulatory body (see links in Section 5). You must also complete:

A four- or five-year program at an institution accredited by the Accreditation Commission of the Council on Chiropractic Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board exams Provincial licensing body exams (see links in Section 5).

The Federation of Canadian Chiropractic (FCC) is the national organization that governs the practice. Foreign-trained chiropractors should contact the relevant provincial or territorial regulatory authority for information on assessment procedures.

The job outlook for the chiropractic profession in Canada is positive. The Canadian Occupational Projections System projects a labour shortage for chiropractors until 2028. Many jobs are expected to open over the next few years as a result of Canada’s ageing population and increased public awareness of health issues. Job opportunities will also be available as more chiropractors retire. As a result, chiropractors in Canada can expect to see employment growth above the average for all occupations.

Before You Move to Canada

There are steps that you can take before you move to Canada to improve your chances of practicing chiropractic when you arrive. Following these steps can help you to prepare and save you time, money, and energy.

Contact the chiropractic regulatory body in the province where you will settle in Canada and inquire about:Specific procedures to followSteps involved in the licensing process before and after you move to CanadaDocuments you need to bring to Canada and verify if they need to be translatedPotential costs and time required to obtain a license. Improve your language skills and enroll in language classes while you’re in your home country. You will need to prove your English or French (depending on your destination province) language competency or be tested. Take language classes, and continue them after you move to Canada. Gather and organize your official education, work and identity documents while still in your home country. It will be easier to gather them while in your home country. Understand how chiropractic in Canada is practiced in Canada and familiarize yourself with the laws and legislation that govern your profession in the province where you will settle. Know the name of your job in Canada and make a list of potential employers.

1. Understanding Chiropractic Job Requirements

Researching your profession is a vital first step before you move to Canada. Because this is a regulated profession, chiropractors in Canada must be registered members of a provincial College of Chiropractors in the province where they plan to settle. Internationally trained chiropractors must become familiar with accreditation policies and processes set by the FCC.

Researching Job Requirements for NOC 31201: Chiropractors 

To research the profession, you can start by reviewing the National Occupational Classification (NOC) for chiropractors, NOC 31201. Here you will get an overview of the job requirements, main duties, and example titles. This information will help you to understand what Canadian employers seek. You can search for example titles to help you when you conduct your job search.

2. Employment for Chiropractors in Canada 

In addition to using the NOC, you can also research the chiropractic profession at the Government of Canada Job Bank site. This site provides vital information about working in chiropractic jobs in Canada including wages, job prospects, skills, and general labour market information. All of this information can help to inform your career and settlement decisions when choosing a city in Canada.

Credential Recognition for Chiropractors

To work in some Canadian jobs, newcomers must have their foreign licenses and certificates recognized. The chiropractic field is a regulated profession in Canada, so you can only call yourself a chiropractor and practice the profession if you are licensed by a regulatory body.

Regardless of your education or experience, to practice as a chiropractor in Canada, you need to be licensed. So it’s important to become familiar with the provincial licensing process and what the chiropractic regulatory body expects of you. The regulatory body can advise you on the documents you require and assessment fees. Once you have all the information you can carefully complete your application.

The FCC assesses the academic credentials of chiropractic programs in Canada. Licensure requirements may vary from one province to the other, but usually, internationally educated chiropractors must follow these registration steps:

Complete the graduation requirements from a chiropractic education program accredited or recognized through reciprocal agreement by the FCC and Council on Chiropractic Education Canada. Submit official copies of all transcripts from an accredited chiropractic educational institution Provide proof of Canadian citizenship, Permanent Resident Status or Employment Authorization Complete application and fee Successfully complete the following exams:Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board (CCEB) knowledge-based examsCCEB Clinical Competency Exams, andCCO Legislation and Ethics Exam.

Credentials Assessment Services in Canada

If you plan to attend college or university to upgrade your skills, contact the school that you are interested in to find out how to apply and what credential assessment agency to use.

World Education Services (WES) – Ontario

International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) – Alberta

The International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES) – British Columbia

To find more organizations and agencies that provide credential evaluation, assessment and qualification recognition services click here.

How Do Credential Evaluation and Recognition Differ (Infographic)

Major Employers for Chiropractors

Chiropractors in Canada usually work in private practice or in clinics with other health practitioners. You can visit Canada’s Best Diversity Employers website to check for hospitals or healthcare centres that you may be interested in. This special designation recognizes Canada’s best employers for diversity, inclusion, and equity in the workplace.

For information, tools, free webinars, and more visit our Finding a Job in Canada resource page. Get the help you need to achieve your career goals in Canada!

3. Upgrading Your Skills to Meet Chiropractic Job Requirements 

In addition to accreditation, upgrading your skills through a bridging program or other courses is an important part of your journey to becoming a chiropractor in Canada.

You can benefit from ongoing learning through continuing education courses, attending seminars and training conferences, and reading professional periodicals.

Skills Upgrading for Chiropractors

You may have strong technical skills, but often that is not enough to get a job and succeed. You may need more training or skills upgrading, especially with regard to your soft skills.

Chiropractors must possess patience, excellent oral and written communication skills, the ability to maintain precise and confidential clinical records, good observation skills, and problem-solving and analytical skills. Importantly chiropractors must be able to handle patients and empathize with them and explain things in simple terms.

Having strong skills in one or both of Canada’s official languages – English or French – is important for your future in Canada. Whether you choose to focus on learning or improving English or French will depend on which of the two languages most people speak in the area where you intend to live.

You may be eligible for Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program. Otherwise, you can find other free or affordable classes in English as a Second Language (ESL) or French as a Second Language (FSL) classes through school boards or settlement agencies.

There are even language courses to teach you professional terminology, such as job-specific language training and Occupation Specific Language Training (OSLT) in Ontario. And, if you already speak one of Canada’s two official languages at a high level, learning the other one is a good option, as it may offer you more job options.

Education

There are two programs that offer chiropractic degrees in Canada accredited by the FCC:

Many immigrants also take further education after coming to Canada, while some want to change careers or enhance their careers with a Ph.D. or MBA.

4. Job Search Techniques for Chiropractors

The Canadian job market is competitive, so it’s necessary to understand the steps to gain employment.  As well, finding a chiropractic job in Canada may be different than in your home country.

It’s best to search for jobs in the province where you plan to register to work as a chiropractor. So, take your time to research job requirements in that province, develop a plan to find work, and learn more about living in a specific region or city. For example, job prospects in Alberta and Ontario are good, so find out more about living in cities like Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, or Hamilton.

There are many ways to search for chiropractic jobs.

Broaden your search and include alternative careers. Seek out a mentor in the chiropractic sector who could give you valuable insight and advice and probably introduce you to their professional network. Join chiropractic or healthcare job-finding or networking clubs through immigrant-serving agencies. Search job banks at chiropractic colleges or associations. As well, hospitals and other health institutions generally post vacancies on their websites.

Immigrant Settlement Agencies

Finding a chiropractic job in Canada may be different than in your home country. You may need help to update your resume, write cover letters, and prepare for interviews to work as a chiropractor in Canada. Most settlement agencies offer job-search services that can help you find a job in Canada.

To find immigrant services in your area, click here.

Resume Writing for Chiropractors

When you apply for a chiropractor job you will have to submit a well-written resume. A Canadian-style resume plays an important role in getting you a job.

Consider the following tips to write your resume for chiropractic jobs.

List only relevant job experiences, or which were of a similar nature, such as working as a Chiropractor for ABC Healthcare clinic, or Assistant Chiropractor with ABC Hospital. Describe the nature of the job which you were required to do. Mention only those jobs related to the chiropractic job. List your license and educational qualifications. Here too, mention only those qualifications, related to chiropractic, such as a Bachelor of Science in Chiropractic Medicine from ABC University. List specific job duties and outcomes such as maintaining records of the case history of the patient, conducting a physical diagnosis, interpreting medical images like X-rays and scans, making adjustments to the spinal cord of the patient, making an adjustment to the spinal column, conducting sports chiropractic activities, or providing advice on general health.

Interview Techniques for Chiropractic Jobs in Canada

To prepare for your chiropractor job interview:

Think of interview questions and answers that are relevant to the field and position that you have applied for. Visit specialized chiropractic forums or blogs to ask for interview help and advice. Understand Canadian chiropractic industry trends and how they are affecting the profession. Identify attributes/traits/abilities for chiropractors that are related to this job and how to get them. Research the employer profile thoroughly for chiropractor vacancies to identify: the client base, the company’s value proposition, and what sets it apart. Identify how your experience and talent make you an ideal candidate for the role.

Sample Interview Questions

Below are a few sample interview questions that you may hear during chiropractor job interviews:

Why are you interested in this role? What do you like the most or least about your role as a chiropractor? Tell me about your last position and what you did. What is the most recent skill you have learned and how did you learn it?

Informational Interviews

While the job outlook is positive for chiropractors in Canada, landing that next opportunity requires extra effort and outreach.

Informational interviewing can be a way to demonstrate your communication skills,  research skills and time management skills.

An informational interview is a brief (20–30-minute) meeting that you schedule with a person who is currently working in the field to learn more about the industry in Canada.

You should not try to get a job during an informational interview but rather learn more about working as a chiropractor in Canada.

An informational interview with a contact from your network can be an excellent source of career information. In addition to basic information about a particular type of industry (such as you might find on a company website), it also offers you the benefit of a professional’s first-hand experiences and impressions.

Make a list of the hospitals, chiropractic practices, public health agencies, and others, as desired, that operate in your area. Use your resources including professional organizations, LinkedIn, and other networking tools to identify organization insiders, health unit coordinators, etc. Create 5 – 10 open-ended questions that will yield full useful information to help with your job search.

Networking

Networking is an essential tool that may give you job leads, gain information about a particular firm or industry, and meet others to expand your network. As many job vacancies are not advertised, you must make connections with practicing chiropractors and others in your field.

Good places to network are gatherings such as conferences, association luncheons, and industry get-togethers to meet people, build relationships, and share information.

LinkedIn is another important professional tool for networking. It is great to connect with former colleagues and employers, search by company or jobs, and get introductions and recommendations.

You can also connect with people in the healthcare sector and join some related professional groups.

But remember, that you have to allow time to cultivate and grow the ties you establish through networking. Nothing will happen overnight and you need to be patient.

5. Chiropractic Associations in Canada

The following associations provide information about licensure and certification and offer professional development, education and networking opportunities.

National

Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory and Educational Accrediting Boards (CFCREAB)

Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA)

Provincial/Territorial regulatory bodies

Alberta

Chiropractic Association of Alberta

British Columbia

College of Chiropractors of British Columbia

Manitoba

Manitoba Chiropractors’ Association

New Brunswick

New Brunswick Chiropractors’ Association

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador Chiropractic Board

Nova Scotia

Board of the Nova Scotia College of Chiropractors

Ontario

College of Chiropractors of Ontario

Prince Edward Island

Council of the Prince Edward Island Chiropractic Association

Quebec

Ordre des chiropraticiens du Québec

Saskatchewan

Chiropractors’ Association of Saskatchewan

Yukon

Professional Licensing, Department of Community Services, Government of Yukon

Immigrant Networks

Professional immigrant networks are organized, volunteer-run member-based associations or networks created by and for immigrant professionals that seek to:

Create a forum to contribute to and enrich their respective communities Provide opportunities for their members to find meaningful employment and achieve their professional goals

Activities of these networks include networking events, mentoring, information sessions, professional development opportunities such as workshops, speaker events and training and connections to employment opportunities.

Nova Scotia

isans: Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia: helps newcomer professionals with economic and social integration in the province of Nova Scotia.