Created to reduce unnecessary barriers for professionals moving between Canadian jurisdictions, the Ontario Labour Mobility Act, 2009 (OLMA) includes a concept called “deemed certification,” which is also sometimes known as “as of right” or “AoR.” This means Architects elsewhere in Canada can be licensed in Ontario with prioritized registration within prescribed timeframes.
In the absence of any regulatory concerns, once an eligible Architect (i.e. a person already licensed and in good standing with another Canadian regulator) submits the required documentation and proof of licence, the OAA will notify the applicant that they are “deemed certified” within 10 business days. From the date of acknowledgement, the applicant is eligible to practise in Ontario for up to six months, one time only, while their licence application is assessed.
An individual is no longer “deemed certified” if:
- they are issued an OAA licence or limited licence;
- they are denied an OAA licence or limited licence, and all appeals are exhausted; or
- the information provided by the applicant was not accurate at the time it was provided or at the present.
Offering Services to the Public
Under Ontario law, architectural services may be offered to the public only through a certificate of practice (CoP) issued by the OAA. Regardless of how an Architect gains the right to practise, they must either hold their own CoP or work under an existing CoP to offer services to the public.
This requirement applies during the six-month deemed certification period, as well as after licensure. Applicants who plan to practise independently should apply for a CoP (and obtain the mandatory professional liability insurance) at the same time they submit their reciprocal application.
Relationship to the Canadian Reciprocity Agreement
OLMA’s deemed certification operates within the existing Canadian Reciprocity Agreement for Architects, which remains the profession’s well-established pathway for interprovincial mobility. Applicants will still submit a reciprocal licence application to the OAA and be assessed under that framework. Deemed certification simply ensures qualified individuals are not prevented from practising due to administrative processing timelines—provided they are working within, or have secured, a valid CoP.
Reciprocity remains the route to OAA licensure, while deemed certification provides a one-time, six-month early-practice privilege triggered by the reciprocal licence application submission and acknowledgement from the OAA. Regardless of the pathway, holding a certificate of practice is always required to legally offer or provide architectural services to the public in Ontario. This combined approach balances the protection of public interest with OLMA’s goal of enabling timely labour mobility.
Canadian Reciprocity Agreement vs. Deemed Certification (OLMA)
| |
Canadian Reciprocity
Agreement |
OLMA Deemed
Certification |
| Purpose |
Profession-developed mutual recognition process |
Onetime, six-month early practice while issuance of licence is pending |
| Eligibility |
Licensed Architect in good standing elsewhere in Canada |
As prescribed by OLMA |
| Initiation |
Submit reciprocity application |
Submit reciprocity application |
| When eligible to practice |
Only after the licence is formally issued |
Upon OAA’s written acknowledgement of deemed certification |
| Acknowledgement timeline |
As prescribed by FARPACTA |
Within 10 business days of complete application submission |
| Licence decision deadline |
Within 30 calendar days of application completeness |
Within 30 calendar days of application completeness |
| Duration of early practice |
N/A |
Up to six months; one time only |
| Certificate of practice (CoP) |
Must hold, or perform work under, a valid CoP before offering architectural services to the public |
Same requirement applies (must hold, or perform work under, a valid CoP during the deemed certification period) |
| Preferred pathway |
Primary, profession-specific mutual recognition |
Support role for timely practice access under OLMA compliance |
Frequently Asked Questions