Bridge to Registration & Employment in Mental Health
For immigrant professionals with experience in psychotherapy who wish to register with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).
We are currently processing applications submitted by March 31st.
If you submitted an application by March 31, 2025 and have uploaded documents, you will be receiving emails from us about whether your documents are received and accepted. (Please check your spam/junk folders). Applicants with complete applications (all required documents uploaded and accepted) will receive an email invitation to proceed to the Professional Communications Assessment stage.
Last updated: July 8, 2025
Applications submitted AFTER March 31, 2025 are currently on hold.
We hope to begin processing applications submitted in April 2025 in the coming 1-2 weeks. Due to high volumes of applications we are not able to respond individually to questions about application status. We have hired more staff to support us; please be patient while we train them.
* Links to the Application form are provided to people who attend an updated info session (from Feb 2025 onwards).
If you submitted an application by March 31, 2025 and have uploaded documents, you will be receiving emails from us about whether your documents are received and accepted. (Please check your spam/junk folders). Applicants with complete applications (all required documents uploaded and accepted) will receive an email invitation to proceed to the Professional Communications Assessment stage.
Last updated: July 8, 2025
We hope to begin processing applications submitted in April 2025 in the coming 1-2 weeks. Due to high volumes of applications we are not able to respond individually to questions about application status. We have hired more staff to support us; please be patient while we train them.
* Links to the Application form are provided to people who attend an updated info session (from Feb 2025 onwards).
The Bridge to Registration & Employment in Mental Health (BREM) program supports immigrants with background in psychotherapy who wish to register with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).
The main goal is to help participants meet the requirements for registration with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, CRPO as RPs (Qualifying) as well as preparing them for employment in the field.
Program Location
Available anywhere in Ontario
Full time
12 Months
Part time option available
Next Cohort Start Date
September 2025
“I remain indebted to BREM for the personalized guidance and support throughout the whole process!” ~ Mona
I’M READY TO HELP OTHERS
Who Should Apply
Internationally educated professionals with post-secondary education in psychology or a related field where a significant component is psychotherapy, as well as two years working in psychotherapy.
Eligibility Requirements
- Education: Post-secondary education in psychology or a related field with specialization in psychotherapy.
- Experience: Minimum of two years’ experience in psychotherapy outside of Canada.
- Language proficiency: CLB 7+ or equivalent in the following exams IELTS, CELPIP, TOEFL
Legal immigration status: Naturalized Canadian citizens, Permanent residents, Convention refugees with an Open Work Permit, Refugee claimants with an Open Work Permit, Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) with an Open Work Permit, Provincial nominee under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (excluding those under the International Student stream), Temporary work permit who has received confirmation from IRCC that they meet the eligibility requirements for permanent residence (i.e. approval in principle)
- Residence: Ontario
If you have more questions, please check our FAQs.
I’M READY FOR THE NEXT STEP
12 months
Full time program, including
- enhanced academic curriculum (over 1,100 hours, including a course series in psychotherapy)
- 6 months of supervised placement
- SEUS seminar (Safe and Effective Use of Self)
- small group clinical supervision
- employment counselling and job search support
BREM FAQs
General
For further information about becoming a registered psychotherapist in Ontario, please visit the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) website.
At this point we are the only bridging program recognized by CRPO and we are not aware of any others.
You can submit an Affidavit.
Once you complete the BREM program. We will give you a transcript to apply.
It is not required for the BREM program, but it would be good to have.
Six months.
You will receive login credentials to access the Moodle platform, where the instructional BREM materials will be available. Additionally, you will be required to purchase two textbooks as part of the program.
CRPO will give you the license to work in Ontario as a Psychotherapist. Each province has their own regulations. Some will allow you to transfer your license, but you will need to check with the specific province.
No, because the bridging program is composed of several important components. Each component has a purpose and it is designed to give you the essential skills which will equip you to be aware of the labour market and demands here in Ontario.
- Visit this link: https://a108157.socialsolutionsconnect.ca/login
- Enter your email address and click “Forgot Password.”
- You will receive a link with instructions to recover your password.
Residency
Yes. This program is offered online, and you can join from any city in Ontario.
A requirement to participate in a bridge program is to be an Ontario resident. You are welcome to participate once you move back to Ontario. Please join an info session and if eligible apply once you have arrived in Ontario. In the meantime you can work on gathering your documents while still in your home country.
If you are an Ontario resident and you are temporarily on a trip outside Canada, but still residing in Ontario, yes. If you are living outside Ontario, you will not be able to take the program.
Yes, but be mindful to move forward in the application process you will need to upload an Ontario Photo ID (Driver’s Licence, OHIP Card, Ontario Photo Card) to prove you are an Ontario resident.
Immigration Status
Yes, naturalized citizens are eligible but not the ones who are Canadian citizens by birth. Naturalized Citizens are the ones who were born outside Canada and obtain their Canadian citizenship in Canada.
No. Holders of a visitor visa do not qualify. Once you get the document indicating that your PR has been approved, you are welcome to apply.
No. This program is not for temporary residents. To qualify, you need to be a Naturalized Canadian citizen, Permanent resident, Convention refugee with an Open Work Permit, Refugee claimant with an Open Work Permit, Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) with an Open Work Permit, Provincial nominee under the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (excluding those under the International Student stream), Temporary work permit who has received confirmation from IRCC that they meet the eligibility requirements for permanent residence (i.e. approval in principle).
Tuition Loans
Loans are provided by organizations outside MNLC and each have their own rules. Please get in touch with the organization/program that provided you with the loan to inquire about their payment process.
You can contact Achev Microlending or Windmill Microlending to inquire about their loans.
If you are in Ontario Works, please discuss with your case worker if they can cover the tuition fee.
As MNLC is not a designated educational institution, we are not authorized to issue T2202A tax forms.
Documents
OBTP stands for Ontario Bridge Training Program, and it is funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. The OBTP registration form is a form that the applicant needs to fill in to register for the bridge program. Our staff will share with you the form once your participation has been confirmed.
The SIN number is required to work in Canada and to access government programs and benefits. OBTP (Ontario Bridge Training Program) is funded by the Government of Ontario and in order to register the applicant in the government system, a valid SIN number is required.
No, because the bridging program is composed of several important components. Each component has a purpose and it is designed to give you the essential skills which will equip you to be aware of the labour market and demands here in Ontario.
Please contact Service Canada to renew it.
Please contact Immigration Canada to renew it.
Education
You need proven post-secondary education in psychology or a related field with specialization in psychotherapy.
Clinical Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, GP Psychotherapist (MD), Psychiatrist (all require proven psychotherapy training and work experience).
Yes, internationally educated professionals with post-secondary education in psychology or a related field where a significant component is psychotherapy are eligible to apply.
Work Experience
Minimum of two years’ proven work experience in psychotherapy outside of Canada after graduating from your degree.
Yes. The eligibility requirement is to have at least two years experience outside Canada.
Yes. For the BREM program it is required to have minimum of two years’ experience in psychotherapy outside of Canada.
Credential Assessment
You can reach out to any of the following authorized centres:
Language Assessment
CLB stands for Canadian Language Benchmarks, and it is a descriptive scale of language ability in English. It provides a common Canadian framework for describing and measuring English communication for instructional and other purposes, ensuring a common basis for the development of programs, curricula, resources, and assessments tools that can be shared across Canada.
Language assessment is free for qualified applicants. You can find an authorized language assessment centre here.
No, you do not. The minimum requirement to participate in any of our bridge programs is CLB 7. The validity of a CLB is two years.
No, you must have a minimum of CLB 7 in all 4 domains (Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking).
Yes. If you were born outside Canada and want to participate in a bridge program, you would need to take the CLB assessment, as it is a requirement of the funder, the Government of Ontario.
Upcoming Info Sessions
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This Employment Ontario program is funded
by the Government of Ontario
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