CSHBC recently conducted a review of the regulatory status of hearing instrument practitioners (HIPs) in other Canadian provinces and territories. The review considered whether HIPs are regulated in other jurisdictions, and examined their scope of practice, as well as whether audiologists (AUDs) have a scope of practice that includes hearing-instrument dispensing in these jurisdictions. A final report was submitted to the College’s Registration Committee, asking the Committee to consider the report’s recommendations.
On March 9, 2022, based on the recommendations in the report, the Registration Committee formally recognized the province of Nova Scotia as a regulated HIP jurisdiction as it relates to applications under the Labour Mobility Act and rescinded recognition of the province of Ontario as a regulated HIP jurisdiction.
There is no change to the status of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Quebec, as regulated HIP jurisdictions recognized by the Committee. CSHBC continues to accept labour mobility applications for hearing instrument dispensing registration from those jurisdictions.
Ontario
For audiologists registered with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO), if transferring to British Columbia and seeking dual licensure as both a Registered Audiologist (RAUD) and a Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioner (RHIP), there will be no change. Those applicants will remain eligible for dual licensure under the Labour Mobility Act.
However, members of the Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario (AHIP), who do not also hold CASLPO registration as an audiologist, are ineligible to transfer to British Columbia as a labour mobility applicant and are required to apply for registration under section 82 of the College Bylaws.
Based on the College’s review, applicants who are AHIP members who do not also hold CASLPO registration as an audiologist do not meet the labour mobility requirements to be considered as coming from a regulated jurisdiction or for a comparable scope of practice to BC Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioners (RHIPs).
For more information
For more information on labour mobility applications in the audiology, hearing instrument dispensing, and speech-language pathology professions, see Labour Mobility Applications.