Supports for internationally educated respiratory therapists

In Manitoba, there is a greater emphasis on neonatal and anesthesia competencies, with a generally broad scope of practice. Our respiratory therapists work primarily in intensive care units, though this is expanding as the scope of practice becomes better defined.

Respiratory therapists work closely with other health professionals and effective communication skills are essential, especially when working in an operating room intensive care unit.

Manitoba Association of Registered Respiratory Therapists (MARRT)

To practice as a respiratory therapist in Manitoba, you must be licensed by Manitoba Association of Registered Respiratory Therapists (MARRT), the provincial regulator for the profession. Please visit their website or contact their office for questions related to registration.

National Alliance of Respiratory Therapy Regulatory Bodies (NARTRB)

Membership of the National Alliance of Respiratory Therapy Regulatory Bodies (NARTRB) includes the respiratory therapy regulatory colleges from across Canada. The NARTRB’s primary focus is to collaborate on matters related to respiratory therapy while respecting provincial regulators' autonomy in fulfilling their mandates.

Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists (CSRT)

The Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists (CSRT) is the professional society representing respiratory therapists in Canada with benefits available to members.

Between 2011 and 2021, 2 out of 5 (40%) of internationally educated respiratory therapy applicants became registered in the profession. The average time to registration was 1.0 years.

Manitoba does not have its own assessment process for internationally educated respiratory therapists. Candidates who wish to practice in Manitoba will need to begin the assessment process in Manitoba and complete the assessment process in Ontario. For this reason, reliable data on registration rates and durations is not available in Manitoba.

The Manitoba Association of Registered Respiratory Therapists (MARRT) provides a candidate manual for IEHPs (PDF). This covers the process to registration in Manitoba, including documents, timelines, and approximate fees.

Please review the candidate manual in full, as it addresses many of the frequent questions that internationally educated professionals have when seeking to become registered for practice in Manitoba. 

If you have further questions about the registration process, contact the Manitoba Association of Registered Respiratory Therapists (MARRT) or reach out to the Access Hub and we can help to direct you to the appropriate organization and/or resources.

The approximate cost for document review, assessment and examination is close to $5,000, including the skills assessment and first credentialing exam attempt. If you need to take the exam more than once to pass, costs can rise above $10,000.

Fees do not include:

• study materials
• exam prep courses
• any documents you may require
• travel costs to Ontario
• any applicable taxes

Fee breakdown

All figures are listed in Canadian dollars.