Having options as to where a massage therapists can pratice can help a lot. Students may have friends and family across the United States and Canada, and might therefore consider massage therapy jobs in a few different areas. However, this means that they will need a massage therapy certification, allowing them to work in multiple states, as well as Canada.

Massage license requirements and regulations

It is important for students to understand that massage therapists are regulated differently in the United States and Canada. A nationally certified massage therapist to work in the United States will not automatically be certified to work in Canada.

Massage license requirements and regulations in Canada

In Canada, three of the ten provinces regulate massage therapists. Massage therapists are regulated locally in the other seven provinces, which means that an American massage therapist may be able to work, depending on local policies, in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

However, in Ontario, British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, massage therapists are regulated by the Canadian Massage Therapists Alliance, or CMTA. To become certified in Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario, students must complete 2,200 hours of massage therapy training. In British Columbia, students must complete 3,000 hours before they are eligible for certification.

Massage license requirements and regulations in US

In the United States, 42 of the states require massage therapists to be certified. The remaining eight states regulate massage therapists locally. These requirements are much more intensive than they are in the US. In the United States, students must attend one of the accredited massage therapy schools, receive 500 hours of training, and take the NCBTMB exam to become nationally certified.

What is the difference between NCBTMB and MBLEx

Many of the top massage therapy schools do offer training programs longer than 500 hours, which will help students fill the requirements necessary to become certified in Canada. Students may also want to consider taking classes at one of the online massage therapy schools, in order to fill their hours for Canadian certification. Even if a student does not become certified in Canada, this additional training may help to advance their potential massage therapy salary.

How much is an average massage therapist salary?

Best way to obtain a massage license for US and Canada

Therefore, if students wish to become nationally certified in the United States and Canada, they may want choose one of the massage schools in the US, finish their 500 hours, and take the NCBTMB exam. From there, a student may choose to acquire more hours at one of the many massage therapy schools either in person or online, until they are eligible for Canadian certification. While it will take a significant amount of time and dedication to become certified in both the United States and Canada, it is possible if a student is willing to work toward their goal.