What Is an Occupational Therapy Assistant?

Occupational therapy assistants (OTA) work under the direction of an occupational therapist to provide a treatment plan for each patient. This may include teaching patients how to move properly from a bed into a wheelchair, do therapeutic exercises, or complete daily living tasks. 

Occupational therapy assistants may also work with those with developmental disabilities, teaching them skills to be more independent.

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Is working as an occupational therapy assistant a good start to pursuing a career as an occupational therapist?

Working as an occupational therapy assistant will typically provide you with the skills and foundational education you need to advance in the career path to an occupational therapist. You will usually gain the required experience should you decide to advance your education or undertake a bridge program. 

OTA duties and responsibilities

Occupational therapy assistants help patients recover from injuries and enhance their physical health so they can perform their daily activities effectively. 

Meanwhile, an occupational therapist diagnoses a patient and prescribes a treatment plan. The occupational therapy assistant then works one-on-one with the patient to perform therapeutic activities and exercises. 

Occupational therapy assistants may also complete basic clerical duties, such as appointment scheduling, answering phone calls and emails, collecting patients’ medical history, and ordering medical supplies.

An occupational therapy assistant supports the occupational therapist with:

• Therapeutic activities

• Encouraging patients and ensuring they are doing their therapy exercises properly 

• Teaching patients how to manage their treatment program

• Documenting a patient’s progress as required by the occupational therapist

Where do occupational therapy assistants work?

As an occupational therapy assistant, you can work in various settings, including:

• Schools

• Medical rehabilitation clinics

• Physical therapy clinics

• Hospitals, physicians’ offices

• Nursing homes

• Occupational therapy clinics

• Drug and alcohol rehab centers

• Assisted living facilities

• Halfway houses

You can also find employment with home health care agencies assisting patients who have been released from a hospital or rehabilitation facility and need help adapting to their homes. 

OTA salary

According to Glassdoor, occupational therapy assistants in Canada make an average annual base pay of $49,643 [1]. The Government of Canada Job Bank reports that the median hourly wage for people in this field is $24.00 and can be as high as $33.86 per hour, though it may be higher or lower in certain provinces and territories [2]. Keep in mind compensation may be influenced by experience, education, company, and more.

How to become an OTA

To become an OTA in Canada, you must complete a two-year college program and earn an occupational therapy assistant diploma or a diploma in a related field. Because this type of job is not regulated in Canada, certification or licensing is not usually required for employment. One exception is hearing instrument practitioners who require licensure in every province other than Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Ontario.

However, it's always best to check with your province or territory's regulatory board to ensure there are no additional requirements for your area. The employer you wish to work for may also have additional requirements.   

Required skills and traits

To be a successful occupational therapy assistant, you'll need to possess certain traits and skills. For example, you should enjoy helping others one-on-one and in groups. You must also be mentally and physically fit to perform your duties. Some other skills and traits you'll usually need include:  

• Ability to follow instructions 

• Empathy

• Flexibility 

• Fine motor skills 

• Organization 

• Patience 

• Sensitivity to your patients' needs and actions 

• Ability to work under stress 

• Communication skills 

• Observation skills, including the ability to pick up on nonverbal cues

• Problem-solving skills 

• Creativity 

• Ability to work independently and as part of  a team 

Read more: What Are Interpersonal Skills? And How to Strengthen Them

Career progression

Some people who work as OTA also work as physical therapy or physiotherapy assistants. Many go on to become occupational therapists themselves. To become an occupational therapist in Canada, you must finish the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy or MSc(OT) degree program and pass the national certification exam. Each province or territory may have additional requirements.  

Read more: Upskilling: What It Means and How It Can Help Your Career

Get started

Explore your area's accredited OTA programs to get started as an OTA. If you’re still considering whether becoming an OTA or pursuing another health care career is for you, learn more about what it’s like to work in the field by taking the Science of Exercise Course offered by the University of Colorado Boulder through Coursera.