Purpose:
• To lay out the information that is required in order that Administration may approve any school from whom a potential Member has graduated, and in order that those credentials may satisfy the requirements for admittance into Membership of a potential Member specifically regarding educational requirements. The Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association (CMMOTA) does not grant educational equivalency for experience, nor does it recognize experience in lieu of education requirements.
Policy:
1. Credentials granted by a school may be accepted as proof that a potential member has met the education requirements for massage therapist membership provided that the school meets the following criteria:
a. The school is licensed with the Provincial Government in which the school is operating; or
b. The school is certified by the Ministry of Employment and Social Development branch of the Government of Canada; and
c. The school must meet a minimum of 2200 hours of educational instruction or provide proof that their graduates are qualified to write entrance to practice exams required by the regulatory body in regulated provinces; and
d. The school must be teaching to the Inter-Jurisdictional Practice Competencies and Performance Indicators for Massage Therapists at Entry-to-Practice (2016) document established by the Federation of Massage Therapy Regulatory Authorities of Canada.
i. The requirement in 1.d. is to be verified through:
1. Full accreditation of the school by the Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTCA), and continued maintenance of that accreditation; or
2. Preliminary accreditation of the school by the Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTCA), provided that not more than two (2) years has passed since the date of preliminary accreditation status was achieved; or
3. By providing evidence that their program meets the educational requirements for graduates to be eligible to write entry to practice examinations through one or more regulatory bodies in Canadian provinces where massage therapy is regulated.
2. All schools which have received previous approval prior to September 1, 2021, will continue to be recognized until such a time as we are made aware:
a. Of program changes; or
b. That they have a loss of licensing through the Provincial Government; or
c. That they have a loss of certification by the Ministry of Employment and Social Development branch of the Government of Canada; or
d. That they no longer meet a minimum requirement of 2200 hours of education or if in a regulated province their graduates lose the qualification to write the entrance to practice exam required by the regulatory body in the regulated province.
3. Any school which had received previous approval prior to September 1, 2021, who makes program changes shall meet all requirements under section 1.a.-d.of this Policy within one (1) year from the date of program change in order to maintain recognition as an educational credential provider by CMMOTA. Failure to meet these requirements within the one (1) year time frame will result in removal of the school from the educational credential provider list until such a time as they meet all requirements under sections 1.a.-d. of this Policy.
4. Any school which had received previous approval prior to September 1, 2021, if they have a revocation or suspension of licencing through the Provincial Government or who have been issued a compliance order regarding their license issued through the Provincial Government, or have a revocation or suspension of certification with the Ministry of Employment and Social Development branch of the Government of Canada, or who fail to provide 2200 hours of training in a nonregulated province or if in a regulated province their graduates loose the qualification to write the entrance to practice exam required by the regulatory body in the regulated province, shall be immediately removed as an educational credential provider by CMMOTA. To be reinstated as an educational credential provider the school must meet all requirements under section 1.a.-d. of this policy.
5. Schools approved as educational credential providers after September 1, 2021 will be removed from CMMOTA’s educational provider list if the school fails to:
a. Move from Preliminary accreditation status to Full accreditation status within 2 years of the date of preliminary accreditation; or
b. Maintain full accreditation with the CMTCA, once obtained; or
c. Maintain licencing with the Provincial Government in which the school is operating or fails to maintain certification with the Ministry of Employment and Social Development branch of the Government of Canada; or
d. Maintain a minimum of 2200 hours of educational instruction in a nonregulated province; or
e. Maintain the ability for their graduates to qualify to write the entrance to practice exam required by the regulatory body in a regulated province.
6. Schools may be reinstated as an education credential provider once they are able to prove that they meet all requirements under sections 1.a.-d. of this Policy.
7. All communication between a school seeking approval and CMMOTA must be conducted in English, and all associated documents must be provided in English.
8. CMMOTA shall not review, provide feedback, or comment on a massage school’s curriculum to or for a third party for any reason.
Original Date of Policy Adoption: February 11, 2020
Date of Last Policy Revision: May 29, 2025
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