Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Being a registered social worker (RSW) shows that you are a trusted professional and are accountable to the public and the profession. You are encouraged to use your RSW designation and show your educational qualifications on all professional documents. Being transparent to provide your registration status to your employer and the public is required under the ACSW Standards of Practice.

Educational credentials will be cited only when they have been received from an approved education institution and verified by ACSW.

A social worker with inactive registration status will identify with “inactive” before or after the use of the protected title, or not use the protected title.

This information can also be found on the public register.

Please visit the restricted psychosocial interventions page for more information.  

Registered clinical social workers have additional continuing competence requirements over registered social workers. This includes documenting a minimum of 10 hours of clinical supervision or consultation.  

There is an additional $50 annual fee to maintain the clinical designation.  

Supervision is defined as the professional relationship between a supervisor and a supervisee that includes evaluation and direction over the services provided and promotes the continued development of the supervisee’s knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide services in an ethical and competent manner. Where supervision is limited to overseeing organizational requirements and compliance with policies it does not fulfill the requirements for supervision under these Standards of Practice.

The Standards of Practice describe when supervision is required.

Inactive status is intended to be a temporary absence from all practice and employment within the scope of social work practice.

You may not practice social work while your registration status is inactive. The public register will show that you are inactive.

Participation in the Competence Program is required while inactive, unless you have an approved exemption as outlined in the Competence Accommodation and Exception policy.

Depending on the length of your inactive status, you will be asked to participate in a return to practice assessment to determine your competence requirements.

Those who become inactive with an outstanding exam requirement will be required to complete and pass the exam before returning to active registration. Returning to active registration is not an automatic process, and staff may request additional information as necessary. Additional fees may be assessed depending upon the date of your status change and your renewal date.

You will be assigned an exam based upon your highest level of social work education. You are expected to pass the exam within the first year of registration.  

The exam may be attempted multiple times within the year as guided by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) policies. 

Social workers promote social change and enhance people’s well-being. They help individuals develop problem-solving skills and feel self-empowered. Specific duties and client populations vary from setting to setting. Social workers may work in a wide variety of conditions and practice areas.  

Visit the Alberta Alis website for more occupational information. 

The associate complaints director’s primary responsibility is to ensure safe, competent, and ethical social work practice is carried out by registered social workers in Alberta.  

The associate complaints director plays a key role in:  

• Ensuring public protection by addressing public inquiries 

• Facilitating the complaints and discipline process 

• Responding to complaints about the professional conduct of registered social workers, and  

• Ensuring that the legislative requirements set out in the HPA, part 4 are met 

An employer is free to set any job requirements for hiring. The employer cannot, however, decide that a person with a social work credential, working within the scope of social work, does not have to be registered. This may mean that a registered social worker and another person who does not qualify as a registered social worker are both doing work that falls within the social work scope of practice. The person with a social work credential, working within the scope of social work, must be registered. 

All registered social workers, including students, must complete competency requirements. If you are in an accredited education program that relates to your learning plan, taking a minimum of two courses per year will fulfill your competence requirements. If your studies are in an unrelated field, you must still complete 40 hours of activity toward your competency as a social worker.