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Occupational therapists

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October 17, 2024 — Occupational therapists (OTs) are regulated health care professionals who promote health, well-being and quality of life by enabling individuals, families, organizations and communities to participate in occupations that give meaning and purpose to their lives. Occupational therapy is a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them — everyday things such as caring for themselves, being productive and enjoying leisure activities.Reference1 OTs contribute to the productivity of Canadians through client-centred care.

Use the sections below to learn about the supply, education, employment and distribution of OTs across the country. 

Key findings

In 2023,

  • 11,718 occupational therapists (OTs) were employed in direct patient care in Canada.Footnote i This number increased by 268 between 2022 and 2023 (an annual growth rate of 2.3%).Footnote ii
  • In the jurisdictions where place of work data was available,Footnote i the majority of OTs were employed in direct care roles in hospitals (44.7%) or in community health (42.8%).
    • In 2023, the number of OTs employed in direct care roles increased by 118 in hospitals (+2.3%) and 65 in community care (+1.3%).Footnote ii
  • The overall supply of OTs licensed to practise in Canada was 21,331, an increase of 3.1%.
  • Internationally educated OTs accounted for 6% of the OT supply (1,302). This percentage has been relatively stable for the past 5 years.
  • Most OTs (90.3%) were female. More than 50% of the OT supply was younger than 40.

Featured material

Quick Stats

This interactive tool is ideal for workforce planners, health service managers and analysts who want to create customized visualizations.

Explore and compare the supply, workforce, inflow/outflow and provincial and territorial trends of Canada’s occupational therapists. 

Download Quick Stats(XLSX)

Data tables

These tables are meant for analysts, researchers and those who want to explore and analyze the raw data.

Access 10 years of supply, workforce, employment, education and demographic trends for Canada’s occupational therapists.

Download data tables(XLSX)

Methodology notes

These notes are meant for all data users.

They summarize the sources, definitions, strengths and limitations of the data available. 

Download methodology notes(PDF)

Reports

The state of the health workforce in Canada, 2023

ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨has compiled the most recent data (up to 2023) on selected health professionals to illustrate the current state of the health workforce, with a special focus on primary care.

Read report 

The state of the health workforce in Canada, 2022

This report provides an overview of 4 key areas: health workforce supply and distribution, internationally educated health professionals, workplace measures and specific population needs.

Read report

ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨ workforce in Canada: In focus

Learn about the impacts of COVID-19 on occupational therapists and how these professionals helped shape Canada’s response to the pandemic.

Read report

Databases and data sources

ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨ Workforce Database

ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨collects record-level, standardized, comparative data on the supply, demographics, geographic and distribution characteristics, and education and employment details of OTs in Canada. To find out more about CIHI’s OT data, visit the ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨ Workforce Database metadata page.

Reference

1.

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Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. . Accessed October 26, 2023.

Footnotes

i.

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Excludes Quebec, as place of work data for OTs was not submitted to CIHI. Excludes the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as they transitioned to the updated ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨ Human Resources Minimum Data Set, which rendered the data incompatible with that of other jurisdictions.

ii.

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Excludes 2022 direct care counts for Quebec, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut to align with the 2023 data exclusions.

 

How to cite:

Canadian Institute for ºìÁì½í¹Ï±¨ Information. Occupational therapists. Accessed January 7, 2025.

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