Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Find answers to commonly asked questions about HSCPOA, the benefits of registration and how to apply for registration.
Personal Support Workers FAQs
The Ministry of Health has made registration with HSCPOA voluntary to avoid any unintended consequences or disruptions on the health care system and the PSW supply in Ontario. In the future, PSW registration may become mandatory in Ontario, which would be a decision by the Ministry of Health.
HSCPOA is hearing from the PSW professional association, PSWs themselves, employers, and educators that they want regulation. PSWs voluntarily registering with HSCPOA will demonstrate to the government and other system partners their desire to be regulated to help shape the future of PSW regulation.
Trust, respect, recognition and more. By registering, you’ll demonstrate to your employers, care recipients, and colleagues your commitment to safe, quality, ethical care.
Potential employment opportunities. Employers may prefer to hire HSCPOA registered PSWs. Learn more… read about the many benefits to PSW registration with HSCPOA.
The Ontario government recognizes that high-quality care is the cornerstone of our health care system and personal support workers (PSWs) are vital members. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, PSWs worked tirelessly to keep Ontario’s most vulnerable residents safe.
PSWs are the largest group of unregulated health care providers. Professional oversight/regulation supports public protection against the harms (e.g., abuse, injury, death) that certain professions may pose to patients/clients in their day-to-day practice.
The Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority Act, 2021, was enacted by government to support public protection and confidence that registered PSWs will deliver safe, competent, ethical, quality care to recipients in their homes, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or other health care environments. The public can expect that registered PSWs will be held accountable for their professional practice by HSCPOA.
The Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA) was established under the Ontario government’s new Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority Act, 2021. HSCPOA is an oversight body, independent from Ontario government, that has a legislated mandate to register and provide oversight of personal support workers (PSWs), and other potential classes of registrants, in the interest of public protection. It resembles the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority or a health regulatory college in Ontario, except it has its own unique regulatory model.
HSCPOA has a legislated mandate to establish and maintain educational and skills-based qualifications that registered PSWs must meet. An approach has been established to specify the minimum requirements for registration, including pathways for educational requirements, work experience, and competency assessment in consultation with key system partners. HSCPOA is not an educational institution.
An oversight body, such as the Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA) has a legislated mandate focused on public protection, while an association such as the Ontario Personal Support Worker Association (OPSWA), is focused on the interests of its members. The two act as system partners to deliver effective health care in Ontario.
For more information about the differences, refer to HSCPOA’s Oversight Body vs. Association information sheet.
Currently there is no centralized system to collect information about PSWs in Ontario, which can make it challenging for recipients seeking care, their families, and employers to easily find and hire a registered PSW, who can best serve their needs. Once HSCPOA’s Public Register is in place, recipients of health and supportive care services will have access to employment information about HSCPOA registered PSWs so that they can hire qualified personal support workers that are held accountable for safe, quality, ethical care. They will also have access to a standardized complaints system if they have concerns about a registered PSW’s services or behaviour. Information on HSCPOA’s Public Register will only contain business information, not personal information (i.e., home address, phone numbers).
Registrant information will also be used to track metrics and for HSCPOA’s reporting obligations to the Ministry of Health and other system partners. All reporting is done in anonymized aggregate format according to strict privacy protocols. For more details, refer to HSCPOA’s Privacy Policy.
General FAQs
The Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority (HSCPOA) was established under the Ontario government’s new Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority Act, 2021. HSCPOA is an oversight body, independent from Ontario government, that has a legislated mandate to register and provide oversight of personal support workers (PSWs), and other potential classes of registrants, in the interest of public protection.
The Health and Supportive Care Providers Oversight Authority Act, 2021, allowed for the creation of HSCPOA. The HSCPOA Act, 2021, outlines HSCPOA’s overarching structure for organizational governance and accountability, committees, registration, the public register, complaint resolution, and discipline and appeals. This new regulatory framework applies a proportionate and risk-informed approach, while being targeted, transparent, accountable, and nimble.
The creation of HSCPOA recognizes the important role that PSWs play in the Ontario healthcare system and strengthens health human resources oversight by ensuring quality care, consistency of education and training of PSWs, and transparency for the public regarding the PSW workforce. HSCPOA also includes a complaints resolution process to ensure public protection.
HSCPOA is aware that there were two previous attempts in Ontario to create registries for PSWs that were unsuccessful. These registries differ significantly to HSCPOA’s legislated mandate because there is overarching legislation now in place through the HSCPOA Act, 2021. There are also several regulations under the Act that specify the legal objects that HSCPOA must carry out.
HSCPOA has the regulatory framework that previous registries did not have. This new model of oversight includes a PSW Advisory Committee. These committee members will advise and make recommendations to the HSCPOA Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer about issues pertaining to registrants in that class of registration.
The PSW Advisory Committee will not undertake any regulatory functions directly (e.g., registration, complaints intake, etc.), but will provide information and advice to the Board and CEO on matters such as education, professional practice, trends and issues, and the practice settings in which health and supportive care providers work.
The PSW Advisory Committee will be made up of PSWs, PSW educators, PSW employers, representatives from PSW unions and professional associations, and those who represent the interests of individuals who receive services from PSWs or the caregivers of these individuals.
For more information, visit our Advisory Committees webpage.
Registration FAQs
The regulations under the Act come into force on December 1, 2024. An online application form will be available beginning in the fall. PSWs who meet the registration requirements can become registered on December 1, 2024. Please check the HSCPOA website regularly for updates on when HSCPOA will begin accepting applications for registration.
The Ontario Ministry of Health has implemented a new voluntary approach for the oversight of PSWs registered with HSCPOA. Voluntary registration was established by the Government of Ontario in the interest of public protection, through oversight of registered PSWs who are accountable for safe, quality, ethical care. Voluntary registration also builds the value of being regulated without inadvertently disrupting Ontario’s health care system and/or the supply of PSWs in the province.
Mandatory registration is required in law to practice a profession/occupation within a defined scope of practice and use the profession’s protected title (e.g., registered nurse). This applies to many regulated health professions under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), including nurses, dietitians, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists.
While HSCPOA exists for public protection like other RHPA regulatory bodies, the HSCPOA Act, 2021, does not contain a defined scope of practice or require mandatory registration to practice as a PSW in Ontario or use the PSW title. As an alternative to title protection, a HSCPOA PSW Visual Mark for PSW Registrants will enable the public and others to identify that the PSW is registered and subject to oversight by HSCPOA.
Benefits of Registration with HSCPOA FAQs
There are many benefits to registering with HSCPOA:
- Trust, respect, and recognition. Personal support workers are the largest group of unregulated health care providers. Being registered shows you’ve met qualifications and are committed to protecting the public by being held accountable for safe, quality, ethical care.
- It builds the reputation of PSWs. When you are registered with HSCPOA, it shows you are accountable to provide safe, quality care like other regulated health providers including nurses, dietitians, and physiotherapists.
- It makes you stand out. Being registered differentiates you from unregistered PSWs who are not accountable to an oversight body.
- More employment opportunities. Being on HSCPOA’s Public Register means employers and the public can easily find you in a list of qualified, registered PSWs. Employers may prefer to hire HSCPOA registered PSWs.
- You can use the HSCPOA Visual Mark. Colleagues, employers, and recipients of your services will immediately recognize you as a PSW registered with HSCPOA.
- Access to resources. HSCPOA will have an established Code of Ethics and guidance documents to support the work of PSWs.
- System partnership. Be a part of HSCPOA’s contribution to Health Human Resource planning by facilitating the sharing of PSW workforce data with relevant system partners (e.g., the government, health system funders, and educators).
- No fees and voluntary. There is currently no cost to become registered and be part of HSCPOA’s Public Register.
How to Apply FAQs
The regulations under the Act come into force on December 1, 2024. An online application form will be available beginning in the fall.
There are four (4) pathways to become registered as a PSW with HSCPOA:
- Path 1: Ontario PSW Education – you are eligible for this registration pathway if you graduated from an Ontario Personal Support Worker (PSW) program that meets the requirements set by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities to issue a PSW certificate (a diploma or certificate of completion), on or after July 1, 2014.
- Path 2: Employed as a PSW in Ontario – you may be eligible for this registration pathway if you are currently employed or have been previously employed as a Personal Support Worker (PSW) or equivalent, in Ontario, within the past three years before the date of your application for registration with HSCPOA.
- Path 3: Labour Mobility – you are eligible to apply for registration under the Labour Mobility pathway if you are currently registered with:
i. British Columbia Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry
ii. Alberta Health Care Aide Directory, OR
iii. Nova Scotia Continuing Care Assistant Registry
- Path 4: Competency Assessment – you are eligible to complete a competency assessment if you do not have Ontario PSW work experience and you are either internationally educated or trained in Canada outside of Ontario and not eligible for registration through the Labour Mobility pathway.
For more details on the registration requirements for each pathway, visit How to become a registrant.
If you completed an Ontario PSW training program on or after July 1, 2014, you are currently eligible for registration with HSCPOA under Path 1: Ontario PSW Education, even if you have not worked as a PSW for three or more years.
Applicants applying for registration under Path 2: Employed as a PSW in Ontario must have worked as a PSW within the past three years.
Applicants applying for registration under Path 3: Labour Mobility, must have worked as a PSW (or equivalent) within the past three years, while being registered in their respective Canadian jurisdiction.
All other applicants can apply under Path 4: Competency Assessment to demonstrate their current PSW knowledge and skills.
Registration Path 2: Employed as a PSW in Ontario, will remain open for three years from the date the regulations come into force, or until December 1, 2027. Once the three-year period has ended, this pathway to registration will close and applicants must apply to HSCPOA under one of the other registration pathways.
All applicants are required to provide the following information:
- Personal information (such as name, address, email, and telephone contact details)
- Government-issued identification
- Headshot photo (neck and shoulders) – to confirm identification
- Criminal background check – Criminal Record and Judicial Matters (level 2) check
- Proof of legal name change (if applicable)
- Language proficiency
Depending on which registration pathway you apply through, you will also need to provide documentation confirming you completed an Ontario PSW education program, you are/were employed as a PSW in Ontario, or you are currently listed on a health care aide/health care assist registry or directory in another Canadian jurisdiction.
For more details on the application process, visit How to Become a Registrant.
As per HSCPOA’s Criminal Record Check Policy, a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters (CRJM) check, sometimes called an enhanced or level 2 criminal record check, is required at application to HSCPOA. CRJM checks improve accessibility for applicants as this can be done entirely online and are also cost effective.
Vulnerable Sector checks have some limitations and must be requested at a local police station.
To reduce barriers on applicants, Vulnerable Sector checks are also accepted if an applicant has a pre-existing and valid check. A CRJM or Vulnerable Sector check is considered valid if it was issued within 12 months of the date of application to HSCPOA.
In addition to a criminal record check, applicants also have a responsibility to report additional information within their attestations and declarations on the application form as well as ongoing duty for mandatory reporting of charges and offences once registered with HSCPOA.
Ontario PSW students do not need to register with HSCPOA. Once a student has completed their Ontario PSW training program, they can apply for registration with HSCPOA.
Currently, there is no cost to apply, register, or renew your registration annually with HSCPOA.
Your registration may be refused if you do not currently meet HSCPOA’s requirements for registration. HSCPOA’s registration staff will advise if you are (or will be) eligible for registration via another pathway (e.g., after gaining at least 600 hours of Ontario PSW work experience, or after successfully completing a competency assessment).
If your registration is refused, you will receive a letter explaining the reasons for the refusal. Your letter will also explain that you have the option to request a written review of your application by the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB). Instructions will be provided on how to make a request for an HPARB review.
To be eligible to complete a competency assessment an applicant must have completed a personal support services education program outside of Ontario that was a minimum of 600 hours in duration, including both class time and practical experience time.
This includes applicants who do not have Ontario PSW work experience within the past three years before the date of application to HSCPOA, and are:
- Educated internationally as a personal care provider, OR
- Educated as a personal care provider in Canada outside of Ontario and not eligible for registration through the Labour Mobility pathway.
HSCPOA is establishing a Recognition of Nurses Policy that recognizes nurses as eligible for PSW registration with HSCPOA if they meet the policy’s requirements. This policy will be posted on HSCPOA’s website once it becomes available.
Other internationally educated professionals may be eligible to complete a competency assessment if they can demonstrate they have completed a personal support services education program outside of Ontario that was a minimum of 600 hours in duration, including both class time and practical experience time.
Alternatively, until December 1, 2027, internationally educated professionals may be eligible to apply for registration through Path 2: Employed as a PSW in Ontario.
HSCPOA will begin registering eligible PSWs on December 1, 2024, and certificates of registration will be valid until March 31, 2026. Depending on when a PSW becomes registered with HSCPOA, their initial certificate of registration may be valid for 12-16 months.
The first annual renewal is due on March 31, 2026. HSCPOA will contact all PSW registrants no later than February 1, 2026, with more information about the renewal process.
Following the first annual renewal in 2026, certificates of registration will be valid from April 1st to March 31st annually. All PSW registrants will be contacted by February 1st annually, with details about the renewal process.
HSCPOA’s Online Public Register of PSWs FAQs
The Public Register will contain information for each HSCPOA registrant including, but not limited to:
- Personal information (name, gender)
- Business/employer information for every location in Ontario where a registrant provides PSW services. This will include the facility name, employer name, business address, and contact details
- Registration status (and reason for inactive status if applicable)
- Registration class (e.g., PSW)
- Registration number
- Date of initial registration and history of registration over time
- Information regarding current or previous registration with any other regulatory body in any jurisdiction
- Complaints and investigation information, if applicable
For more information, visit: Information Appearing on our Public Register
Employer FAQs
HSCPOA is implementing a secure Employer Directory whereby employers can view who within their organization is registered with HSCPOA and download a report. Information would resemble what’s on HSCPOA’s Public Register, but employers can more easily get a list of all their employees, and download a report for their records, vs. having to confirm each individual PSW employee on HSCPOA’s Public Register.
To gain access to HSCPOA’s Employer Directory, employers of PSWs must be approved by HSCPOA. Instructions on accessing the Employer Directory will be made available on HSCPOA’s Employer page.
HSCPOA strengthens health human resources oversight in Ontario. Registered PSWs give assurance to employers and the public that they have met the minimum level of education and training and being registered shows they are accountable to provide safe, quality, ethical care.
Being on HSCPOA’s Public Register means employers and the public can easily find qualified and registered PSWs. Employers may prefer to hire HSCPOA registered PSWs and incorporate this into their recruitment and human resources policies as they know these PSWs are accountable to HSCPOA for quality care. Employers will also have access to a portal to easily download a report to identify which employees are registered PSWs.
Applicants applying for registration under Path 2: Employed as a PSW in Ontario must submit a completed Employer Confirmation and Verification of Skills as a Personal Support Worker (PSW) form. Section 5(5) of HSCPOA’s Registration Regulation lists the Prescribed Employers who are permitted to complete this form to confirm that a PSW employee is/was employed with their organization within the past three years, and that the PSW has a set of skills that is equivalent to the expectations of a person who has completed a recent Ontario PSW education program that meets the Ministry of Colleges and Universities PSW Standards.
Any further questions about the list of Prescribed Employers can be directed to the Ontario Ministry of Health.
A temporary staffing agency could be a Prescribed Employer under the Registration Regulation if the agency receives funding under section 21 of the Connecting Care Act. Otherwise, the staffing agency would likely not be considered a Prescribed Employer for the purposes of HSCPOA’s Registration Regulation.
HSCPOA is committed to ensuring that all qualified applicants who seek registration as a PSW have a means to do so. We understand that PSWs employed by staffing agencies are often contracted out to various health service providers and other entities such as Long-Term Care homes and hospitals which are Prescribed Employers for the purposes of the Registration Regulation. Within those facilities, there are individuals that supervise the temporary PSW staff and observe them in a healthcare setting. In those cases, the PSW’s supervisor in the facility in which they provide personal care services can complete the Employer Confirmation and Verification of Skills as a Personal Support Worker (PSW) form.
Where a PSW works in multiple settings, it may be possible for supervisors from multiple Prescribed Employers to provide the necessary information regarding competencies and experience. If needed, the temporary staffing agency could verify the number of hours worked as a PSW and provide this information to the supervisor completing the form, or directly to HSCPOA.
Any further questions about the list of Prescribed Employers can be directed to the Ontario Ministry of Health.
Under the HSCPOA Act, 2021, there is no title protection of Personal Support Worker (PSW) or a defined scope of practice. If an employee is a registered PSW with HSCPOA, employers may use a job title that best reflects the roles and responsibilities of their personal care employees. Titles may include PSW, Health Care Aide, Personal Support Aide, etc.
