Pathway 1

Applying as a Graduate of a Canadian Accredited Opticianry School

You are considered an accredited education applicant if you completed your opticianry education at one of the following institutions:

• Georgian College
• Seneca College
• Collège La Cité
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
• Douglas College
• Stenberg College

Writing the National Exams

The national examinations are offered by the National Alliance of Canadian Optician Regulators (NACOR).  The College of Opticians of Ontario (COO) recognizes the following examinations:

• Optical Sciences 1 - Eyeglass Examination
• Optical Sciences 2 – Advanced Practice Contact Lens Examination

Registering as an Intern Optician

You must apply for a certificate of registration as a Registered Intern optician to challenge the National Eyeglass and Contact Lens Examinations. If you have not yet challenged the examinations but wish to do so, you may submit an application for a certificate of registration as a registered intern optician if you:

• have successfully completed and graduated from an opticianry program approved by the College in the three years prior to the date of the application; or 
• were required by the Registration Committee to complete additional training, and have completed this training.

Your certificate of registration as a Registered  Intern Optician will remain valid for three years from the date of registration, or until successful completion of national examinations, whichever comes first. To extend your certificate of registration beyond the expiry date, you must apply to the Registration Committee to be granted a renewal or extension.

Please Note:  A Registered Intern Optician can perform the controlled act of dispensing only under the supervision of a registered optician, optometrist, or physician. Further, if you have not acquired practical fitting and dispensing experience specified in the Practicum Policy during the course of your program, you must complete these while registered as an intern optician.

To apply for a certificate of registration as a Registered Intern optician, please complete the Application Form, and submit it along with the following:

• A passport photo taken within 6 months of the application date. The photo may be sent as a hard copy or in a high-resolution digital format.
• A letter confirming completion of your opticianry program.
• Notarized copies of your proof of name and employment eligibility documents.
• If applicable, a Certificate of Standing Form and letters of standing from any governing body with which you are registered in any jurisdiction.
• If applicable, proof of graduation from any post-secondary program you may have completed outside of opticianry.

Registering as an Optician

To qualify for registration as a Registered Optician in Ontario, individuals must:

• Successfully complete both eyeglass and contact lens examinations; and have either
  • successfully completed the opticianry program within 18 months prior to the date of the application;
  • practised opticianry within the three years prior to the date of the application; or
  • successfully completed a refresher program or a professional competency assessment within one year prior to the date of the application.

Appeals

Registration department or Committee decisions can be appealed to the College’s Registration Appeal Panel (RAP), and further to the Health Professions Review and Appeal Board (HPARB). Applicants are provided with information about the review process when they are issued a decision letter.

Applicants choosing to appeal will not be subject to any repercussions from the College.