Individuals with social work credentials from a school outside of Canada may be eligible for registration as a Registered Social Worker or Social Worker Candidate in Nova Scotia. Applicants will need to have their social work academic credentials evaluated by The Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) as equivalent to a minimum of a Bachelor of Social Work obtained from a social work program accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education. If so, you will likely meet the academic requirements for Registration.
Ensure that the CASW forwards a signed and dated letter confirming the outcome of the social work credential evaluation directly to the College. At the time of writing, the CASW assessment currently costs $339, and applicants are responsible for any fees that apply to have their credentials assessed. If the CASW evaluation concludes that your academic credentials are not equivalent to at least a Canadian bachelor of social work degree, please contact the College to discuss your individual circumstances. Generally, those who do not hold an equivalent degree from a CASWE accredited program will be evaluated individually and when required, additional requirements will be imposed and/or practice restrictions until the registrants successfully demonstrate the competence to practice the full scope of social work practice as described in the Social Work Act.
To learn more about the CASW assessment process, please visit their website or contact them directly.
An application for registration with the College with a degree in social work from an unaccredited school shall include the following information:
To be completed in the Application Portal:
- Completion of online application form accompanied by a non-refundable $100.00 application fee
- Consent for release of information to the employer concerning the status of your application.
- Two completed reference forms. The forms will be automatically emailed to your referees for completion through the application portal.
- Current Resume
- Job description (if employed)
Mail an original copy to the College:
- An Assessment of Credentials from the CASW
- Criminal Record Check (contact local police or visit backcheck.net/nscsw)
- Child Abuse Registry Check
If you are residing outside Nova Scotia, forms may be made available through the province’s child welfare agency or government department. If the province does not conduct a child abuse check, please note this in your application and assure that the police include a vulnerable persons’ check.
Mailing address: 1888 Brunswick St., Suite 700, Halifax, NS B3J 3J8
Member classes
The Board of Examiners will determine if an applicant is eligible to be placed on the Registry of Registered Social Workers. Eligibility for the Registry of Registered Social Workers is outlined in section 22 of the Social Workers Act and further defined in Section 8 of the regulations.
A person is eligible for Registered Social Worker status if they have completed a CASWE accredited Bachelor of Social Work degree or a Masters of Social Work Degree or equivalent and an additional 2500 hours of practice experience post-graduation that falls within the scope of practice (Social Worker Act Section 5(a)).
An applicant who has not completed 2500 hours of practice experience post-graduation will be considered a Social Worker Candidate and placed on the Social Worker Candidate Registry, and must complete all or part of the Candidacy Mentorship Program based on their previous experience.
For details on the Candidacy Mentorship Program, visit candidacy.nscsw.org.
