Telepractice From Outside NS

Eligibility criteria

In order to be entitled to register with NSCSW to engage in electronic social work practice with clients located in Nova Scotia, a social worker must:

• be a registered, licensed, and/or permitted social worker in good standing with a Canadian social work regulatory authority outside Nova Scotia;
• hold an active practising registration, license, and/or permit issued by a Canadian social worker regulatory authority;
• hold a bachelors, masters or doctoral degree in social work accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education, the Council on Social Work Education or international equivalent;
• have completed at least two years of experience as a social worker that, in the opinion of the Board of Examiners, demonstrates competence in the field of social work;
• undertake to restrict their practice in Nova Scotia exclusively to electronic social work practice;
• be familiar with the Social Workers Act, Regulations, and practice standards;
• adhere to the scope of practice for social work in Nova Scotia; and
• adhere to any additional requirements as appropriate.

Applicants must specifically review and be familiar with:

• Standard 9: Technology & Storage of Files from the NSCSW Standards of Practice; and
• Standards for Technology and Social Work Practice, published by the National College of Social Workers and College of Social Work Boards.

Application process

Applicants may use the online applicant portal to start an application, add new information or check on the status of their application.

To apply to our College for entitlement to engage in electronic social work practice from outside Nova Scotia, the social work regulatory body in your home jurisdiction must verify your status directly with our College.

1. Complete the online application form.
   • Complete and sign an undertaking form. This undertaking acknowledges the limitations of your registration to electronic social practice in Nova Scotia. Upload the completed undertaking form in the application portal.
   • Obtain a professional liability insurance policy either independently or through your employer with adequate coverage for electronic social work practice in Nova Scotia.
   • Pay the non-refundable $100 application fee.
2. Arrange for the Canadian social work regulatory authority in your home jurisdiction to verify your status directly with NSCSW. If you are registered in multiple Canadian jurisdictions, you will need to complete this process separately for each one.
   • Complete the applicant section of the verification form (at the top of page one). This provides consent for your regulatory authority to confirm whether you are in good standing and to release any relevant information to NSCSW.
   • Provide both pages of the verification form to the social work regulator in your jurisdiction, so they can complete the remainder of the form before they send it back to our College.
3.  Once your application is reviewed by the NSCSW they will approve and invoice you for the annual tele-practice registration fee. Once this is paid you will be issued a letter of authorization, registration number and will appear in the registry.

Ongoing reporting requirements

Once registered, a social worker registered to engage in electronic social work from outside the province is responsible for immediately reporting to NSCSW:

• any changes to their registration, licence, and/or permit status in their home jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, a change to non-practising status; the imposition of or consent to restrictions and/or conditions);
• any changes to their contact information

Annual renewal

Registration to engage in electronic social work practice from outside Nova Scotia expires annually. In order to renew electronic social work registration, a social worker must:

• complete an annual renewal application, including confirmation of good standing from their home jurisdiction; and
• pay annual renewal fees

If these requirements are not met, the entitlement to engage in electronic social work practice in Nova Scotia will expire.