All internationally trained individuals and graduates from programs in Canada that are not accredited by the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board (CFAB) who are aiming for Full Membership (R.P.F.) are required to meet a number of registration requirements, one of which is to complete the national Credential Assessment Process to have their education, and potentially their work experience, evaluated against the competencies listed in the current Certification Standards for the Profession of Forestry in Canada.

Please refer to this step-by-step guide for a description of the registration process after approval as a Provisional Membership (R.P.F. in Training) to becoming an Associate Member (Associate R.P.F.) and/or a Full Member (R.P.F.), for graduates of programs that are not accredited by the CFAB.

 

Forms & Instructional Documents

To apply for Provisional Membership (R.P.F. in Training):

Please contact the OPFA Registration Manager at registration.manager@opfa.ca  with a copy of your CV/resume to determine eligibility before applying.

If you decide to proceed, you will need to submit:

• Create a profile through the Registration Link (if you are not a current Student Member)
• Complete the application (after setting up your profile)
• Upload a line numbered CV or resume (work experience in YYYY/MM/DD format)
• Complete the online Professionalism and Ethics Evaluation*
• Pay the Application Fee

*This is an online multiple-choice evaluation. There is no fee to complete the evaluation. You may only complete the evaluation once, unless extenuating circumstances apply (please contact the Registrar). The results of the Professionalism and Ethics Evaluation do not affect your application; they are simply used to determine whether you currently meet the Professionalism and Ethics Standard or will be required to complete the Professionalism and Ethics Bridge Training module as one of the requirements for Associate or Full Membership. Information on the content, format and fees for the Professionalism and Ethics Bridge Training module are available through the above link.

When received, this application material will be considered by the Registration Committee at their next regularly scheduled meeting. You can find a list of upcoming Registration Committee meeting dates and the deadline to submit materials for them here. You will receive formal written notification within 2 weeks of the meeting date.

After approval as a Provisional Member (R.P.F. in Training):

• Mentoring Agreement- Section 1: Establishment of Mentorship and Section 2: Conclusion of Mentorship – please also review the Mentorship Instructions
• Provisional Member Guide to Developing a Personal Practice Focus and a Learning Plan
• Provisional Membership Work History Form
• Criteria For Relevant Experience
• Request for Prior Experience Form (eligible experience only – please refer to the Criteria for Relevant Experience or contact the Registration Manager at registration.manager@opfa.ca to determine eligibility to submit this form)
  • You can complete this request through the Applications tab in your online portal

You will need to have official transcripts submitted directly to the OPFA from the academic institution(s). For international qualifications, a course-by-course credential evaluation must be completed and submitted directly to the OPFA. We recommend World Education Services (WES)  (others may be accepted please contact to confirm)- these service providers can also include copies of official transcripts in their evaluations which will be accepted by the OPFA. If you experience any challenges in getting the credential evaluation or wish to submit a complaint about WES, please contact the OPFA for assistance.

Provisional Members are also required to update their Progress Report Table every February and August to show how they are working towards meeting the registration requirements. This is an individual online report; the link will be provided to you.

 

For the Credential Assessment Process (CAP):

The Credential Assessment Process (CAP) is a national process that is developed and implemented by the Forest Professional Regulators of Canada (FPRC). For information regarding the CAP, please visit the Credential Assessment Website, complete the Pre-Screening Tool, and contact the OPFA Registration Manager at registration.manager@opfa.ca for guidance through the process. Please note that assessment fees are set and received directly by the FPRC and can be found at the above link.

All information for the assessment is entered by the Provisional Member using an online web portal. The Registration Manager will provide you access to the portal when you are ready to begin the CAP. There are two phases to the CAP:

1. Phase 1 – Academic Assessment
2. Phase 2 – Assessment of experience (optional)

After you have completed the academic assessment in Phase 1, the Registration Manager and/or Registrar will meet with you to discuss the results and determine whether a Phase 2 assessment is appropriate, and whether you are eligible to apply for Associate Membership while you continue with the process to meet the requirements for Full Membership.

User guides for the web portal are available for Provisional Members and witnesses (these are also available within the portal):

• Applicant Web Portal User Guide
• Witness Web Portal User Guide

Additional guidance documents:

• Example Learning Narratives
• Sample CV

To be eligible to undergo the CAP you are required to have a minimum of a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree, or the equivalent in other education & experience. The Registration Manager can advise you of your eligibility and options if you do not have a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree; you may still be eligible to work towards Associate Membership (Associate R.P.F.) and potentially work towards Full Membership (R.P.F.) in the future.

You are only required to undergo the CAP once for each phase (Phase 2 is optional). If gaps are identified in the report, the Registration Manager and/or Registrar will assist you with discussing gap filling options and potentially Associate Membership (see below).

Complaints and appeals: Specific results of the CAP can be appealed through the Registrar and Registration Committee. There is no fee to do so, and the Registrar is available to provide advice and guide you through the process. If you have complaints about the CAP process they can be submitted in writing to opfa@opfa.ca and OPFA staff will work with FPRC to resolve the issue.

Gap Filling

The Registrar & Registration manager will explain the options available for filling any competency gaps that are identified during the CAP. One option is the Bridge Training Program for Foresters: you can find more information on this program here.  Fees for the modules vary, and can be found through the websites linked above.

After completion of the Phase 1 academic assessment you may be eligible to apply for Associate Membership if you already have 18 months of relevant mentored experience and have met the Professionalism and Ethics Standard and the Ontario Forest Policy & Legislative Framework Requirement. As an Associate Member (Associate R.P.F.) you would be able to provide some services with a limited license while you work on filling the additional competency gaps to work towards Full Membership.

Meeting the Professionalism and Ethics Standard

All applicants must meet the Professionalism and Ethics Standard. This can be done in the following ways:

1. Complete the online Professionalism and Ethics Evaluation to determine whether you are required to completed the Bridge Training module. If you prefer to complete the Bridge Training module without undergoing the online evaluation you may do so. This is an online multiple-choice evaluation that can be completed at any time. There is no fee to complete the evaluation. You may only complete the evaluation once, unless extenuating circumstances apply (please contact the Registrar). Failure to achieve a passing grade does not result in a failed application; you will instead be directed to complete the Professionalism and Ethics Bridge Training module (see below). Please contact OPFA staff for access to the online evaluation if it has not already been granted.
2. Complete the Professionalism and Ethics Bridge Training module (recommended) – this is a single online module which is self-paced and can be started at any time (even before approval as a Provisional Member). Successful completion of this module meets the Standard. Information on module content and fees can be found at the above link.

Ontario Forest Policy & Legislative Framework Bridge Training

Provisional Members who have not graduated from a CFAB accredited program are required to complete modules 1 & 2 of the Ontario Forest Policy & Legislative Framework Bridge Training. These are online self-paced modules that can be begun at any point during the registration process. You can find the fees and register for the modules here (the last 2 modules listed).

If you believe that you are already competent in Ontario forest policy and legislative framework you may choose to complete the Ontario Forest Policy Screening Test. This is an online multiple choice test with an 80% passing grade and a short (15-20 min) interview to confirm competence. There is no fee to complete the screening test. Applicants have one attempt to pass the screening test unless extenuating or special circumstances apply (please contact the Registrar for any extenuating circumstances). Failure to successfully complete the screening test does not result in a rejected application; applicants are simply directed to complete the Ontario Forest Policy & Legislative Framework Bridge Training modules 1 & 2.

If you have equivalent education in these areas or extensive experience in policy and legislation you may request an exemption from some or all of the modules. Exemption requests will be considered by the Registration Committee at their next regularly scheduled meeting.

Ontario Forest Policy & Legislative Framework Requirement Policy

Indigenous Peoples Lands & Resources Standard Training Modules

As of May 1, 2025 all applicants for Full or Associate Membership are required to demonstrate competency in the OPFA’s Indigenous Peoples Lands and Resources Standard. There are 3 online self-paced modules (one for each competency in the Standard) with a short multiple-choice tests at the end of each available that can be begun at any point during the registration process. You will receive an email invite giving you access to the OPFA Training Centre upon approval of your Provisional Membership. There is no cost or time limit for applicants to access these training resources and the modules and exams can be completed as many times as needed. 

If you already have education or knowledge in these areas you may choose to complete the screening exams in order to evaluate your knowledge. These are short online multiple choice tests with an 80% pass grade. Failure to achieve a passing grade does not result in a failed application. If you are not successful in passing these exams you will be referred to the training modules, with the opportunity to attempt the exams again at the end of the modules (as many times as needed). Additional information about the implementation of this Standard is linked below.

Implementation of the OPFA Indigenous Peoples Lands & Resources Standard

After completion of the Credential Assessment Process (CAP) & the experience requirement has been met:

The following documents will be required to be submitted when the 18 months of relevant mentored experience requirement has been met. The Criteria for Relevant Experience describes eligible experience, as well as how to make a request to get credit for eligible experience that you already have. Please note that 6 months of this experience must be attained after 80% of the competencies have been demonstrated (or 80% of the competencies required for the scope of practice if applying for Associate Membership).

If you have successfully demonstrated that you meet all competencies within the Certification Standards by the time you have 18 months of relevant mentored experience and the Ontario Forest Policy & Legislative Framework requirement, then you will be able to apply for Full Membership. If you have demonstrated some, but not all of the competencies, then you will apply for Associate Membership and can work towards expanding your scope of practice or applying for Full Membership once the remaining competency gaps have been met. The Registration Manager is available to provide guidance.

• Character Witness Form (2 required- please review the eligibility requirements at the top of the form)
• Sponsorship Form (2 required – please review the Sponsorship Instructions)
• Your sponsors will also be required to review a completed copy of your Work History Form
• Full Membership Application Form (if all competencies have been met) OR Associate Membership Application Form (if some but not all competencies met)
• You will be required to report (via email is acceptable) that your Personal Practice Focus and Learning Plan are complete and up to date.

When received, this application material will be considered by the Registration Committee at their next regularly scheduled meeting. You can find a list of upcoming Registration Committee meeting dates and the deadline to submit materials for them here. You will receive formal written notification within 2 weeks of the meeting date.

Have questions? Please contact the Registration Manager at registration.manager@opfa.ca for assistance.