Other Applications

Student Membership

Are you a student in a forestry or related program? If so, then you can apply to become a Student Member of the OPFA simply by following the Registration Link and selecting “Register for a new account”. After creating your profile, you will receive an email and after confirming your email you will be able  to complete your application through the portal..

Student Membership is free. As a Student Member you will receive the OPFA’s newsletter The Professional Forester, invitations to events and updates on OPFA activities.

If you choose to apply for Provisional Membership and work towards becoming a professional forester when you graduate, you will receive a 50% discount on the application fee if it is submitted within 6 months of graduation.

Temporary Membership

Practising Registered Professional Forester (R.P.F.s) in good standing in another province, or OPFA Non-Resident Members can apply for a temporary permit to practise specific aspects of forestry in Ontario for a limited period of time.

Please refer to the Membership Categories and/or contact the Registration Coordinator at registration.coordinator@opfa.ca if you have questions about Temporary Membership.

If you’re ready to apply you can do so by following the Registration Link, and selecting “Register for a new account”. After creating your profile, you will receive an email and after confirming your email, you will be able to complete your application through the portal.

Transferring R.P.F.s (Labour Mobility Applicants)

If you are a practising Registered Professional Forester (R.P.F.) in good standing from another Canadian province and are moving to work in Ontario you must apply for Full Membership Please refer to the Transferring From Another Canadian Province instructional document for a description of the process.

Complete your application by following the Registration Link and clicking on “Register for a new account”. After creating your profile, you will receive an email and after confirming your email, you will be able  to complete your application through the portal.

Choose this pathway if:

• You prefer to complete the standard labour mobility process up front.

• You do not require faster certification (for a period of up to six months) through the deemed certification process.

How it works: Once we receive your complete application, we will make a certification decision within 30 calendar days.

As of Right Applicants:

You can find information on As of Right (deemed certification) applications and compare them to regular Labour Mobility pathways here.

Submit proof of your out-of-province certification, the required information and the application fee. Within 10 business days of receiving what is required, we will issue a notice of receipt. Once you have received that notice, you are deemed certified.

Deemed certification permits you to work in Ontario for up to six months from the date your notice of receipt is issued. You can use this pathway only once, and it cannot be renewed or extended.

You may wish to apply under this pathway if you need to start working sooner in Ontario based on your existing out-of-province certification, for up to six months, while you complete the standard labour mobility process.

OPFA As of Right Applicant Guidance Document – please contact opfa@opfa for questions.

Re-Admission

Members who have resigned or have had their membership cancelled may apply for re-admission.

For information on this process please refer to the Readmission Process.

Note: please refer to the Re-admission Process to determine which forms you are required to submit/have submitted.

After reviewing the Readmission Process you can follow the Registration Link in order to create a profile to get started with your application. After creating your profile, the Registration Coordinator will contact you to discuss your readmission requirements.

If you have any questions about these applications, please contact the Registration Coordinator at registration.coordinator@opfa.ca.

Additional Information

Document Retention

• The OPFA retains all submitted document and keeps records for current and past members indefinitely.
• The OPFA will keep all documents, but will work with the applicant/member to return original documents where the applicant/member submits a written request and provides good reason for the request.

Alternatives to Registration Requirements

As a regulator, the primary mandate of the OPFA is to protect the public interest. Registration requirements are in place to ensure that professional foresters licensed to practice in Ontario are qualified and competent. However, we do recognize that due to circumstances outside of their control, some applicants may have difficulty obtaining some of the required documentation for the registration process. Please refer to the Alternate Documentation Policy for more information.

Registration Reconsideration and Appeals Processes

An applicant may request that the Registration Committee reconsider its decision.  Any request for reconsideration must be received in writing by the OPFA within 60 days of the applicant being notified of the decision.  If the applicant remains unsatisfied after the reconsideration, the applicant may appeal in writing to the Registration Appeal Committee within 30 days of the Registration Committee’s reconsideration decision.

For more detailed information refer to Article 11.36 of the By-laws or go the section Reconsideration and Appeal.

How long does the application process take?

The length of the application process varies by the category of membership being requested, and will vary for each applicant.

Most of the registration process requirements can be worked on simultaneously. Please refer to the Parallel Processing Plan for more information.

Changes to the Registration Process

You can view all recent changes to the Registration Process here. (please note this document is currently being updated for recent changes and will be provided soon)