PIE-OT: Education for International OTs moving to Canada

Students discussing a presentation

Applications Now Open for January 2025

Our September cohort is fully booked, but there’s still time to secure your spot for January 2025! Don’t miss out – Apply Today. Interviews will be held this November, so act fast!

Program for Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (PIE-OT)

Before practicing as an occupational therapist (OT) in Canada, internationally educated OTs are required to successfully complete the Canadian SEAS program. This is a process to assess your educational qualifications and competencies to determine that they are substantially equivalent to an OT educated in Canada. Once complete, you will then be eligible to write the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination (NOTCE) to be qualified to practice in Canada. 

We are pleased to offer a new Program for Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists (PIE-OT) course, which aims to support internationally educated OTs through the SEAS program.

PIE-OT is a focused, non-credited, structured course designed to familiarize you with the practice standards, protocols, ethics of practice, and professional and educational frameworks required to pass the final phase of the SEAS program (the competency assessment) and prepare you to be an OT in Canada.   

How can the PIE-OT course help me?

PIE-OT is a part-time online course designed to support you for Phase Three of the SEAS program, the competency assessment, which is a 6.5-hour interview-style assessment.

We will guide you through pre-recorded content, exercises, and readings, and you will attend weekly online sessions with an instructor to explore content areas, ask questions and apply your knowledge to case studies.

At the end of the PIE-OT course, you should feel confident about the nuances of Canadian OT practice and be ready to take the SEAS competency assessment.

Flowchart describing connections between SEAS process and the PIE-OT program

PIE-OT Course Eligibility Criteria

  • Achieved a level of education in OT that is at least equivalent to a Canadian bachelor’s degree (this will be confirmed by your completion of phase one).
  • Completion of phase one and invited to continue onto phase two of the SEAS program (email evidence from ACOTRO required).  
  • Meet the minimum English requirements as set out by ACOTRO for the SEAS program.

How do I apply to PIE-OT? APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED

The application process is simple and straightforward:

  1. Review Eligibility: Make sure you meet the eligibility criteria.
  2. Prepare Your Application: Gather any necessary documents and information.
  3. Submit Your Application: Complete the application form found here.

Our September cohort is fully booked. The application form is now opened for January 2025. Apply today and a member from our team will reach out to organize an interview in November of this year.

If you have any questions or need assistance, our program coordinator is here to help.

Starting the program


Due to variable timelines for each SEAS applicant, participants will be able to join the program at any time when a vacant seat is available.

Prior to beginning the program, you will meet with the program coordinator to informally discuss your strengths and weaknesses, and any specific needs. This will help identify any additional pre-requirements you may need to address prior to beginning the program and help to create an individualized learning plan.

Please note: The introduction module content must be completed before joining any other modules. You are also strongly encouraged to complete ALL modules prior taking their SEAS competency assessment. 

Course Structure

  • The program is delivered virtually through:
    • Weekly self-directed content, including pre-recorded lectures, readings, podcasts, videos (approximately 1-3 hours per week).
    • Weekly live virtual tutorial session where you can engage in a Q&A with the facilitator on the week’s learning, work through case studies based on the week’s learning and relevant competencies, and bring your own experiences to discuss (approximately 3 hours per week).
  • The program also offers:
    • Mid-program office hours, where you can discuss progress and raise questions about material covered.
    • Capstone in the final three weeks of the program, where you will have the opportunity to attend a one-to-one mini mock interview (with a similar format as the competency assessment) to practice what you have learned and apply it to case studies.

Course Cost

Our online program is competitively priced at $2,500 (CAD), offering exceptional value for the comprehensive education and resources you’ll receive.

Planning to settle in British Columbia (BC), Canada? You may be eligible for reimbursement opportunities through Health Match BC.

At present we are unaware of any reimbursement programs outside of BC.

Questions?

Please contact our Program Coordinator