Last updated: December 2019
Regulated profession:
- Medical Laboratory Technologist
| NOC 2016¹ | Occupation |
| 3211 | Medical laboratory technologist (Open NOC 3211 see ‘View all titles’) |
Regulator:
Regulated title:
- Medical Laboratory Technologist (M.L.T.)
- Note: Medical Laboratory Assistant certification, while not yet mandatory in any province or territory, is gaining recognition across Canada.
National body:
- Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) is the national certifying body for medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory assistants. CSMLS conducts the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process for internationally-educated applicants as well as the CSMLS Certification Exam for all applicants in all jurisdictions across Canada. CSMLS is not a regulatory body.
Application process (for certification):
- See CSMLS First Steps to Certification
- See Steps to CMLTM Registration
Credential evaluation:
- The CSMLS Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process includes a credential evaluation. CSMLS accepts credential evaluations from either of two assessment agencies: WES Canada or International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES); both are members of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC). ACESC members are not regulatory bodies.
- Important Information: Before applying for a credential evaluation, see details in the MLT PLA Handbook. To locate the Handbook:
- Go to CSMLS Preparing for PLA
- Open Step 1
- Open MLT PLA Handbook
- Read Stage I: Pre-Assessment
Language proficiency:
- In 2017, CMLTM revised its language proficiency policy. For details:
- Open CMLTM Policies
- Scroll down to open Policy # BOA 17 – Language Proficiency
Professional competency profiles:
- See CSMLS Competency Profiles.
Tools/resources:
- CMLTM – Frequently Asked Questions
- CMLTM – Internationally Educated Applicants – Steps to CMLTM Registration
- CMTMV – Videos including a Talking PowerPoint for Internationally Educated Applicants.
- CSMLS – Resources for Internationally Educated Medical Laboratory Technologists
- CSMLS – See useful tools and resources at Steps 1 – 4 (Step 1 – MLT PLA Handbook, Step 2 – Self Assessment Readiness Tool, Step 3 – Personal Competency Rating Booklet, Step 4 – Online Self Assessment)
Membership associations:
Voluntary membership is available in:
- Medical Laboratory Technology – Manitoba Healthcare Providers Network
- Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS)
(Neither organization is a regulatory body.)
Employment outlook:
- Open Explore careers by outlook
- Enter occupation name or NOC code in window; click “Search”
- Scroll down to view employment outlook by provinces and regions across Canada.
Job search tools:
- See CSMLS Career Centre. Note: to access the Career Centre you must create an account at CSMLS
To search job postings in any occupation visit:
- Government of Canada – Job Bank – Job Search
- Government of Canada – Job Bank – Job Match
Related occupations / Alternate careers:
There are many reasons an internationally-educated medical laboratory technologist may be interested in working in a related occupation. Related occupations provide an individual with the opportunity to:
- apply his/her skills and experience in a different (but related) occupation;
- gain meaningful, interim employment while pursuing professional certification;
- gain meaningful, alternative employment (as a stepping stone or career goal) if he/she chooses not to pursue professional certification or if he/she is not eligible to pursue professional certification.
See CSMLS Alternate Careers for Lab Professionals to access valuable information, tools, and resources on alternate careers.
In addition to the CSMLS resource, listed below are examples of occupations in the broader field of health and technology. While each occupation will have its own set of employment requirements, none are regulated occupations in Manitoba and therefore do not have certification / registration requirements with a professional regulatory body. Employers often, however, require applicants to have job-specific experience, training, and/or certification. Always check the hiring criteria carefully. Hiring criteria is set by the employer and will vary from employer to employer.
Listed below are examples of occupations in the broader field of health and technology. While each occupation will have its own set of employment requirements, none are regulated occupations in Manitoba and therefore do not have certification / registration requirements with a professional regulatory body. Employers often, however, require applicants to have job-specific experience, training, and/or certification. Always check the hiring criteria carefully. Hiring criteria is set by the employer and will vary from employer to employer.
| NOC 2016¹ | Occupation |
| 3212 | Medical laboratory technicians (Open NOC 3212 see ‘View all titles’) |
| 3414 | Other assisting occupations in support of health services (incl. blood donor clinic assistant) |
| 6221 | Technical sales specialists (incl. medical instruments and pharmaceutical sales representative) |
| 2221 | Biological technologists and technicians |
| 2211 | Chemical technologists and technicians |
Other resources:
- BioTalent Canada is a Canadian company that supports the biotechnology sector. The About Us section will help users learn about BioTalent’s mandate before navigating through the website to find a variety of tools and resources related to the Bio-Economy, Professional Development, and other topics.
Note: This Fact Sheet was developed by Manitoba Education and Training, Immigration and Economic Opportunities Division. It serves as a guide and will be updated periodically. When researching information on professional registration policies and procedures, always refer to the regulator to ensure accurate, up-to-date information.
1 The Government of Canada updates the National Occupational Classification (NOC) every five years. At present, users can access three versions of NOC (2016, 2011, and 2006) on the NOC website. With each update, some NOC codes will change but the majority will stay the same. When searching an occupation on the NOC website always use the most recent version (NOC 2016). The Government of Canada also operates Job Bank using NOC codes. Job Bank, however, currently operates on NOC 2011. When navigating on Job Bank, always use 2011 NOC codes.