Occupational Therapist Salary Canada

See table for salaries.


Average Occupational Therapist Salary in Canada

The table below details the hourly wages for Occupational Therapists.

The Canadian national occupation classification code (NOC) for this role is 3143.

Job titles and exact duties vary in this occupation and examples of some job titles are: occupational therapist (OT), clinical occupational therapist and community occupational therapist.

A typical full-time annual salary for this occupation is in the region of $67,000 – $77,000.

According to the latest figures, the highest hourly average wages are earned in Calgary, Alberta at $40.61 per hour and the lowest average wages are earned in Montreal, Quebec at $17.25 per hour.

Employment prospects for occupational therapists are good in Canada. The government forecasts that because the Canadian population is aging, the demand in this profession will increase for the near future. Also, employment growth for therapy and assessment professionals will be among the strongest of all professions.

Average Hourly Wages for Occupational Therapists in Canada

Location Low Wage
$ per hr		 Average Wage
$ per hr		 High Wage
$ per hr		 Year
Calgary – Alberta* 36.38 40.61 53.14 2011
Edmonton – Alberta 32.03 38.04 45.15 2011
Vancouver / Lower Mainland Southwest – British Columbia 31.40 36.48 38.64 2011
Winnipeg – Manitoba 25.90 29.00 34.00 2010
Fredericton – New Brunswick 19.00 25.21 33.25 2006/7
Halifax – Nova Scotia 23.50 33.15 34.15 2010
Toronto – Ontario 29.32 37.97 42.50 2010
Ottawa – Ontario 31.11 36.86 40.00 2010
Windsor / Sarnia – Ontario 27.99 36.56 41.55 2010
Kitchener / Waterloo / Barrie / Guelph – Ontario 27.99 36.56 41.55 2010
Prince Edward Island 26.75 - 34.60 2011
Montreal – Quebec 16.50 17.25 18.25 2008
Saskatoon and Rural West – Saskatchewan 27.70 33.60 36.40 2010


Methodology*

Duties in this occupation include:
›› Assessing clients’ abilities and helping them set goals to gain or regain skills
›› Planning and directing therapy treatment to address clients’ needs relating to self-care, work and leisure activities
›› Maintaining clients’ records
›› Consulting and advising on health promotion programs
Comparison with employment unit

The 2013 full-time average hourly wage rate for professional occupations in health, which includes occupational therapists, is $34.79. The 2013 corresponding median weekly wage rate is $1333.20, giving an approximate full-time annual salary for this employment unit of $70,000.

Licensing

Membership of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists is required in some provinces.

Visa

This occupation is an eligible occupation for the federal skilled worker permanent resident visa.

These occupations may also be of interest:

Audiologists/Speech Language Pathologists
Physiotherapists
Registered Nurses