Apply for a mortgage agent level 1 licence from a different province/territory

Labour mobility “as of right” recognition for individuals

Deemed certification

Under Ontario’s new “as of right” labour mobility rules, eligible out-of-province professionals can start working in Ontario as soon as FSRA confirms receipt of a complete “as of right” labour mobility application, including all required documents. Once confirmation is received, an applicant is deemed certified. That certification will allow the applicant to operate in Ontario for six months, pending the receipt of a full licence application. Entry through the “as of right” process is only allowed once.

The “as of right” deemed certification expires after six months. To continue conducting business in Ontario after the six-month period, please ensure that you submit a standard out-of-province licensing application as early as you are able to meet the application requirements. This will avoid a gap in your ability to conduct business.

Checklist: Are you ready to apply for deemed certification?

Before you start your application under the “as of right” labour mobility process, review this checklist of requirements.

You must:

• Provide a letter from your regulator to verify that you have an equivalent licence in another province or territory. Learn more about equivalent licences.
• be sponsored by a licensed brokerage in Ontario
• have an email address that FSRA can use to contact you
• attest to the following:
  • the licence issued by another province or territory for the regulated occupation is currently in good standing
  • no out-of-province regulatory authority has refused to certify you in the regulated occupation within the past two years
  • you are not currently subject to any professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity proceeding, or any similar proceeding, in respect of the regulated occupation
  • you have not had a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence, or incapacity made against you in relation to the regulated occupation
  • you have not been found guilty of an offence

If you are unable to attest to any of the above, or meet the above requirements, see how to apply using the standard process below.

Steps to apply for deemed certification

Once you meet all of the requirements above, you are ready to begin the application process.

1. You will be required to complete a criminal background check through FSRA’s approved vendor Triton Canada (Triton). More information can be found below in the standard application section.
2. Have your sponsoring brokerage in Ontario complete the Sponsoring Company Form.
3. Complete the application form using the Online Services Portal.
4. Upload the following documents through the Online Services Portal:
   • a copy of your Triton invoice
   • Sponsoring Company Form
   • licensing documents from another province/territory

Please note you must wait for an email from FSRA confirming we have received a completed application from you before you are deemed certified. The email should arrive within 10 business days of submitting your application.

If your “as of right” application is refused, you may request a review or an appeal. Please follow the instructions provided in your correspondence, or email [email protected] for additional details.

Standard out-of-province application process for individuals

If you wish to apply for a mortgage agent level 1 licence in Ontario and hold a licence in another Canadian jurisdiction that is equivalent to Ontario’s mortgage agent level 1 licence, you might be exempt from Ontario's education requirements for your application. This exemption depends on the Canadian jurisdiction(s) in which you hold your existing licence(s).

What you need to know

You must hold one of the following licences from another province for an education exemption:

• British Columbia (sub-mortgage broker)
• Alberta (mortgage associate)
• Saskatchewan (mortgage associate)
• Manitoba (salesperson)
• New Brunswick (mortgage associate)
• Nova Scotia (associate mortgage broker)
• Québec (mortgage broker)
• Newfoundland and Labrador (mortgage broker)

Ontario Mortgage Licensing Equivalency Course (OMC)

Before being able to practice in Ontario, mortgage licence holders from outside the province will be required to know the provincial rules and regulations so they can properly protect consumers’ interests.

Applicants with eligible non-Ontario mortgage sector licences will be required to complete the Ontario Mortgage Licensing Equivalency Course (OMC) from a FSRA-approved provider.

The OMC is a two-hour seminar on regulations and requirements for conducting mortgage business in Ontario. It is followed by a quiz. Applicants must complete the OMC to ensure they understand and comply with Ontario mortgage brokering sector laws before practicing in the province.

Principal brokers need to confirm their applicant has completed the OMC before submitting their licence application to FSRA. Results do not need to be submitted to FSRA.

The FSRA-approved OMC providers are:

• Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association (CMBA) – Ontario
• Mortgage Professionals Canada (MPC)
• Real Estate and Mortgage Institute of Canada (REMIC)

Please note that level 1 mortgage agents are not authorized to deal with private lenders and mortgages in Ontario. If you wish to work in this market segment, you must apply for a Mortgage Agent Level 2 licence.

Please note that any mortgage licensee in Ontario requires an Ontario mailing address.

How to apply:

Even if you hold a valid licence from an exempt province, you still must meet all the other eligibility requirements for an Ontario licence. This includes being authorized to deal in mortgages with only one established Ontario mortgage brokerage. Your mortgage brokerage will initiate your application.

If you hold a mortgage agent level 1 licence from an exempt province, you will need to attest that you understand and will comply with Ontario’s laws and regulations under the Mortgage Brokerages, Lenders and Administrators Act, 2006.

Application fee

The fee for a mortgage agent level 1 licence is $941. The fee will be prorated based on the month in which your application is submitted in the fiscal year, starting in April.

Your brokerage will submit the application fee to FSRA after reviewing your licence application. Depending on the arrangement with your brokerage, you may need to provide your brokerage with your licence application fee so it can be paid on your behalf.

Criminal Record check process

Criminal record checks are part of FSRA’s rigorous licence qualification process to protect consumers by ensuring only suitable individuals sell or offer financial products and services in Ontario.

FSRA requires licence applicants to complete their criminal record checks through our approved vendor Triton. You must use FSRA’s link directing you to Triton’s website. After completing the background check, you will then return to your sponsoring application email and complete your licensing application on FSRA’s website. Please note that a fee of $19.15 applies for Triton’s service, and the background check is valid for 90 days.

If you have any further questions about the new background check process, please contact us.

Frequently asked questions - Background check process

Want to apply to a different province/territory?

If you are a licensed Ontario mortgage agent level 1 and wish to apply for a licence in another Canadian jurisdiction, you may need to provide a Reciprocity Letter. This is an official record of your licensing and enforcement history in Ontario. Please see the official documents request page for more details.