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Registration

If you wish to practise optometry in Ontario you must hold a General Certificate of Registration issued by the College of Optometrists of Ontario. If you have a full-time faculty appointment at a university or in an optometric educational facility in the Province of Ontario approved by the College of Optometrists of Ontario and you are required to practise optometry in the course of your employment, you must be a member of the College and may apply for an Academic Certificate of Registration.

The Registration Regulation sets out the requirements for the issuance of a Certificate of Registration.

Initially, the Registrar considers each application for registration. If the Registrar is satisfied that all of the registration requirements have been met, the applicant is issued a Certificate of Registration. If the Registrar has doubts about whether or not the applicant meets the requirements for registration, or if the Registrar intends to refuse the application or to attach terms, conditions or limitations to the Certificate of Registration, the application is referred to the Registration Committee. The applicant has the right to submit a written submission for the Committee’s consideration with respect to their application.

If the applicant is not satisfied with the Registration Committee’s decision, he or she may request an appeal of the decision before the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board in the form of either an oral hearing or a document review. The Board’s decision may be further appealed to the Divisional Court.

Timelines

Detailed information regarding timelines is included in each application package. Applications for registration are open for two years from the date they are received by the College. Most applicants are able to complete the application process in less than one year. The College communicates with applicants throughout the application process, confirming when requirements are met and/or are still outstanding.