Language Fluency Policy

Summary

The Registration Regulation under the Massage Therapy Act, 1991 states that applicants for registration must have sufficient language proficiency to be able to communicate and comprehend effectively both orally and in writing (O. Reg. 30/24.5.4). Candidates must meet the College’s language fluency requirement before attempting the Certification Examinations.

Background

Effective communication is essential for Registered Massage Therapists/Massage Therapists (RMTs/MTs) to provide competent, safe and quality Massage Therapy services. An RMTs/MT’s language fluency enhances public protection by ensuring that registrants can communicate effectively with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (the College), clients, and other members of the healthcare team.

Policy

A requirement under CMTO’s Registration Regulation (O. Reg. 30/24.5.4), is that an “applicant must possess sufficient language proficiency, in either English or French, to be able to communicate and comprehend effectively, both orally and in writing.” Candidates must meet the College’s language fluency requirement before attempting the Certification Examinations.

Subject to the College obtaining reasonable grounds to indicate that the candidate may not in fact be reasonably fluent in either English or French (described below in section 1 under Possible Outcomes), the following are the permissible options for meeting the language fluency requirement:

 

 

Requirement How to meet the Requirement
  1. The candidate’s first and primary language is English or French
 Signing a self-declaration indicating that their first language and the language they primarily use now is English or French.
  1. The candidate has completed high-school in English or French (minimum of three years’ education required; completion of a single high-school course is not accepted)
 Signing a self-declaration indicating that their secondary school education (i.e., three years) was completed in English or French and identifying the name and location of the school. If the applicant completed their education outside of Canada in a country where neither English nor French is the primary language of communication and employment, they may be required to provide verification from the school regarding language of instruction.
  1. The candidate has completed a standardized English or French language test approved by the College within the previous 24 months and achieved the required scores set by the College (see Approved Tests and Minimum Scores table below).
 Providing test results from an approved standardized language fluency test demonstrating that they have achieved the minimum scores determined by the College (see Approved Tests and Minimum Scores table below). This report must be submitted directly from the language testing agency to the College. An applicant must meet College-approved minimum scores in each area of one test and test results will be considered valid for two years from the date the test was completed.
  1. The candidate has successfully completed a recognized Massage Therapy program that:
    1. Had a minimum language fluency requirement for admission that includes only the options in paragraphs 1. and/or 2. above, and/or a third-party language assessment that evaluates reading, writing, listening and speaking, AND
    2. The program’s curriculum included at least two full (e.g. 3-credits or 30-hours each) mandatory courses in English or French comprehension or health-related communications that the candidate successfully completed and that were previously approved by the CMTO as meeting this requirement.
 Providing an original transcript from a recognized Massage Therapy education program showing successful completion of at least two full courses in English or French comprehension or health-related communications. The courses must be part of the Massage Therapy curriculum and each must be either 3-credits or 30-hours in length.

Note:
The two courses in English or French must be part of the Massage Therapy curriculum for all Massage Therapy students. Courses that are mandatory only for students for whom English or French is not their first language do not meet the requirement.
  1. Providing to the College other compelling evidence of language fluency.
 Other compelling evidence could be, for example, evidence that the applicant completed a university degree in English or French.

 

Approved Tests and Minimum Scores Required to Meet the Language Fluency Requirement
English Tests & Required Score(s) Michener English Language Assessment (MELA) International English Language Testing System
(IELTS)
GT, AC or One Skill Retake[1]		 Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL) internet-based test (iBT)		 Canadian English Language Proficiency Index
(CELPIP – General)		 Pearson Test of English
(PTE Academic)		 Pearson Test of English
(PTE Core)
Writing: 7
Speaking: 8
Listening: 8
Reading: 8		 Writing: 6.0
Speaking: 6.5
Listening: 7.5
Reading: 6.5		 Writing: 20
Speaking: 20
Listening: 24
Reading: 19		 Writing: 7
Speaking: 8
Listening: 8
Reading: 8		 Writing: 46
Speaking: 56
Listening: 76
Reading: 56		 Writing: 60
Speaking: 76
Listening: 71
Reading: 69
French Tests & Required Score(s) Test de connaissance du français pour le Canada
(TCF Canada)		 Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada
(TEF Canada)
Test taken between Oct 2019 – Dec 10, 2023
 Test d’évaluation de français pour le Canada
(TEF Canada)
Test taken after Dec 10, 2023
Writing: 10
Speaking: 12
Listening: 503
Reading: 499		 Writing: 500
Speaking: 500
Listening: 500
Reading: 450		 Writing: 428
Speaking: 494
Listening: 462
Reading: 462

 

Possible Outcomes:

  1. A candidate who provides acceptable evidence of meeting the language fluency requirement by way of one of the five methods listed above will be permitted to register for the Certification Examinations. However, despite a candidate having provided such evidence, if the College obtains reasonable grounds to indicate that the candidate may not in fact be reasonably fluent in either English or French, the candidate will be required to submit proof that they have obtained the minimum scores determined by the College on an approved standardized language fluency assessment in order to apply for a Certification Examination and/or complete the registration process.
  2. A candidate who cannot provide sufficient evidence of reasonable fluency will not be permitted to attempt the Certification Examinations until they have met the language fluency requirement.

Adopted: July 1, 2014 (valid until May 1, 2016)
Reformatted: August 6, 2019
Revised: November 27, 2015 for implementation February 1, 2016, January 18, 2021, December 9, 2022, March 25, 2024,
Updated wording/numbering for amended Registration Regulation: July 1, 2024
Revised: September 30, 2024, November 1, 2024, March 3, 2025

 

[1] IELTS One Skill Retake test must be taken within 60 days of the individual’s full IELTS test.

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