Initial Certificate

The Initial Certificate is a temporary registration for newly registered audiologists or speech-language pathologists who do not yet meet the professional experience requirements for general registration. It allows them to practice in Ontario under a mentor’s guidance while completing CASLPO’s Mentorship Program.

An initial certificate is valid for at least six months and can be extended for up to an additional 18 months before it expires.

Initial registrants may also obtain registration before taking the Canadian Entry to Practice (CETP) Exam for the first time. However, if they fail their first attempt at the exam, their Initial Certificate will expire. To have it reinstated, they must first pass the CETP Exam.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants with a professional master’s degree in audiology or speech-language pathology can apply for an Initial Certificate if they:

• Have not completed 750 hours of patient care or related work outside Ontario within three years of earning their degree or within the three-year period before submitting an application to CASLPO,
  OR
• Are currently registered and in good standing in another regulated Canadian province with a certificate equivalent to CASLPO’s initial certificate.

Registration Requirements

1. Education – You must have a professional master’s degree in audiology or speech-language pathology which satisfies the requirements outlined in the Academic Equivalency Framework (AEF) for audiology and speech-language pathology. For more information about the AEF, click here.
2. Eligibility to Work in Canada – You must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident of Canada or authorized under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to engage in practice of audiology or speech-language pathology in Ontario.
3. Registration Examination – You must successfully complete the Canadian Entry to Practice (CETP) Exam. However, initial registrants may become registered before taking the Canadian Entry to Practice (CETP) Exam for the first time. The initial registrant must attempt the exam within 6 months of the issuance of their initial certificate. For more information about the CETP Exam requirement, click here.
4. Proficiency in English or French – You must demonstrate your proficiency in English or French if you did not complete your professional master’s degree in either English or French. For more information about CASLPO’s Language Proficiency Standards, click here.
5. Past Offences and Findings – You must declare if you have ever been denied registration by a health regulatory body, found guilty of any offences or professional misconduct, or are currently involved in a proceeding related to your practise as an audiologist or speech-language pathologist.
6. Health and Conduct – You must declare if you suffer from any physical or mental condition or disorder that could affect your ability to practise audiology or speech-language pathology in a safe manner.  The College must also be satisfied that you will practise with decency, honesty and integrity, and in accordance with the law.

Maintaining Your Initial Certificate

1. You must renew your initial certificate by October 1 if your mentorship final evaluation report has not been reviewed and accepted. The online renewal system opens on August 1. For more information about renewal, click here.
2. You must practise under the mentorship of a holder of a general certificate of registration. For more information about mentorship, click here.
3. You must maintain professional liability insurance with coverage of at least two million dollars per claim. For more information about CASLPO Professional Liability Insurance requirements, click here.

FAQs