In Alberta, social work is a regulated health profession under the Health Professions Act, which sets out the regulatory requirements to qualify, license and regulate the practice of social work, ensuring that social workers provide safe, ethical and competent professional services to Albertans.
To practice social work in Alberta, you must be registered and obtain an active practice permit. Social work is a regulated profession that implements provisional, general and advanced practice mandatory registration requirements. Only registered social workers can identify as or use the protected title of social worker or RSW. Registration must be renewed annually and is subject to renewal fees, as well as the maintenance and enforcement of provisional registration requirements and continuing competence.
Who must be registered?
Registration is mandatory for anyone with a recognized academic social work credential, is employed, and providing social work services within the scope of practice to Albertans.
Recognized qualifying academic credentials include:
- Social Work Diploma from an approved program within Alberta
- Bachelor of Social Work from an approved program within Canada or the United States of America
- Master of Social Work from an approved program within Canada or the United States of America
Social work services are provided to Albertans throughout the lifespan and are delivered by social workers employed within a wide range of human and social service organizations in the public and private sectors. Social work services are provided in healthcare services, mental health and addictions treatment services, housing services, employment and financial aid services, correctional services and community-serving organizations.
Scope of Practice
Social workers are required to work within their scope of practice, which is defined by the Health Professions Act.
The practice of social work is defined in the Health Professions Act
In their practice, social workers do one or more of the following:
- enhance or restore the social functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities by improving developmental, problem-solving and coping capacities of people and systems,
- promote effective and humane systems that provide resources, opportunities and services to people and link people to those systems,
- contribute to the development and improvement of social policy, and
teach, manage and conduct research in the science, techniques and practice of social work, and - provide restricted activities authorized by the regulations.
If your practice involves any of the above, you are active in social work.
Do I need to be registered?
To practice social work in Alberta, you must be registered and obtain an active practice permit. Registration is mandatory when:
- Your social work credential qualified you for your job or employment
- Your job title is not social worker, but you are providing social work services that are within the social work scope of practice
- Your employer does not require registration to qualify for your job or employment, but you are providing social work services that are within the social work scope of practice
- You are employed in the Government of Alberta’s public services, including: Children and Family Services, Assisted Living and Social Services, Education and Childcare, Justice, Mental Health and Addiction, Hospital Services, Primary and Preventative Health Services
- You are employed in a community, non-profit organization
- You are employed in a private practice, providing private or contracted social work services
- You provide mental health counselling services, including psychotherapeutic interventions and treatment
- You provide emergency response and crisis intervention services
- You are volunteering and providing social work services
- You are in management and supervising other social workers
- You provide instruction or teach the profession of social work, including being a field instructor, or supervisor for social work students
- You conduct research in social work, human, community and social services, including community development
- You develop and implement social policy, analyze health, social and community systems
Annual Registration Renewal
Registrants are required to complete registration renewal on an annual basis. Registration renewal occurs before your practice permit expiry date. Notice is provided when it’s time to complete registration renewal, 2 months in advance of the practice permit expiry date. Registration renewal is completed in the registrant portal and includes a registrant profile update, completion of the renewal form and payment of the annual registration fee.
Registrants who do not complete registration renewal before their practice permit expires, will receive suspension of their registration and are subject to a late fee. The suspension period is for 30 days, in which registrants must complete their renewal. Following the 30-day suspension period, registrants who do not complete their renewal will receive cancellation of their registration and practice permit.
When there is a period of lapse in registration, registrants must complete a reinstatement application to re-establish registration and are subject to reinstatement fees. Should registration lapse for a period of 3 years or longer, reinstatement is subject to re-entry to practice requirements, including the social work licensure exam.
Inactive Registration Status
Registrants who are taking a temporary leave from employment and social work practice, can request a registration status change from active to inactive status. Inactive registration status allows for a temporary leave for such circumstances as a maternity or paternity leave, medical leave, education leave, care-giving leave, etc. Registrants can maintain an inactive registration status for 1-3 years. If a registrant remains inactive for 3 or more years, re-entry to practice requirements, including the social work licensure exam will be required before returning to active status.
Withdrawal Registration Status
Registrants who are exiting social work practice or employment, can submit a request to withdraw their registration. Registration withdrawals are provided for retirement, relocating outside of Alberta or exiting the social work profession. Registrants can request to withdraw their registration at any time in the registrant portal.
Registration status is published on the public register – verify a social worker.