Internationally Educated

Information for internationally educated Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.

SAC Membership

Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) is the national professional association that represents speech-language pathologists (S-LPs), audiologists and communication health assistants in Canada. SAC membership is voluntary and has many benefits.

The professions of speech-language pathology and audiology are regulated in all Canadian provinces except for Prince Edward Island, and the Northern Territories. If you plan to work in a province where S-LPs and audiologists are regulated, you must register with the regulatory body in order to practice. Employers in provinces and territories without regulatory bodies may require SAC membership and certification.

There are four types of applications you can complete to join SAC. These are:

Member of a Canadian Regulatory Body Application

You should complete this application if you are currently registered with a regulatory body in Canada. SAC members are eligible to become certified.

Internationally qualified S-LPs and audiologists who are registered with a Canadian regulatory body may apply to become a member of SAC without further assessment of their qualifications. SAC members are eligible for SAC’s Certification Program.

Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) Application (for S-LPs)

You should complete this application if you are a speech-language pathology certificate of clinical competence holder of ASHA, a full member of IASLT, a full member of NZSTA, certified member of RCSLT or a certified practicing speech pathologist of SPA. You must also have completed your professional education in a country that is signatory to the MRA. Once you have successfully completed the application process you will be eligible to become a certified member of SAC.

Recognition Agreement (RA) Application (for Audiologists)

You should complete this application if you are an audiologist who is a certificate of clinical competence holder of ASHA. Once you have successfully completed the application process you will be eligible to become a certified member of SAC.

Recognition Agreement Application Information (for Audiologists holding ASHA CCCs)
  1. Completed application form (Online Form) with the applicable fee.
  2. Request a letter of verification from ASHA attesting to your current certification status with ASHA. The letter must be sent from ASHA to SAC’s Membership Department. Letters received from the applicant or other sources will not be accepted.
  3. After your application has been approved, you can create a SAC member account and submit your membership fee.

    In Canada, the field of audiology is subject to regulation in the majority of provinces. As such, in order to work as an audiologist, it’s generally necessary to be registered with the appropriate provincial regulatory body. This requirement applies regardless of whether or not an individual is a certified or registered member of a professional organization. While the majority of Canadian provinces regulate the field of audiology, the province of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon do not have such regulations in place. However, it’s worth noting that individual employers may still have specific job requirements that must be met in order to work as an audiologist in these areas.

International Assessment Application

If you are not eligible to submit a Regulatory Body Application, an MRA Application or an RA Application, you should complete the International Assessment application. Once you have successfully completed the application process you will be eligible to become a member of SAC. SAC members may become certified under SAC Certification Program.

Before commencing your application to SAC, please note that the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology are regulated in most Canadian provinces. If you plan to work in a province in which the professions are regulated, ensure you contact the regulatory body. Employers in provinces and territories without regulatory bodies may require SAC membership and certification.

SAC generally recommends that internationally educated professionals register with the relevant regulatory body (if applicable) before applying for SAC membership.

The SAC International Assessment Process is as follows:

  1. Review SAC academic and clinical requirements.
  2. Arrange assessment of your academic credentials by the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS; request the Specialized Assessment) or the World Education Services (WES; request the Course-by-Course Report). Please sign the release that allows IQAS or WES to share the assessment report with SAC.
  3. Complete the SAC Application for Assessment.
  4. Send an official copy of the documents below to SAC along with a non-refundable payment of $500* Canadian.
    1. Official degree transcripts;
    2. Complete course descriptions including hours of study;
    3. Verified signed record of clinical practicum hours;
    4. Official translations of the documents if they are not in English or French. 

SAC will begin your assessment when all documents and fees are received, including the IQAS or WES report. Once all documents and fees are received, the SAC assessment will be completed within 8-12 weeks. Official documents such as transcripts will not be returned to the applicant.

If the SAC assessment shows that you meet the academic and clinical practicum requirements for membership, you are also eligible for SAC Certification.

Professional Master’s degree in speech-language pathology or a professional Master’s or doctoral degree in audiology.

For many Internationally Trained Professionals (ITPs), the cost of licensing exams, training and skills upgrading can present a barrier to credential recognition. The Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Loan Project provides financial assistance to ITPs to lessen some of these burdens. For more information, please visit the Foreign Credential Recognition Loan Project website.