Licensure — social work (Nova Scotia)
Register with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW). Registered Social Worker (RSW) requires a CASWE-accredited BSW or MSW plus 2,500 hours of post-graduation practice experience within the scope of practice. Applicants without those hours are placed on the Social Worker Candidate registry and must complete all or part of the Candidacy Mentorship Programme based on prior experience. Providing CLINICAL social work services in a private setting requires an additional level of registration — Registered Social Worker-Clinical Specialist — applied for through the Board of Examiners, and members in private practice must provide evidence of that status.
“5.5.2 securing registration with the College as a Clinical Specialist when they are providing clinical social work services in a private setting and providing evidence of their status” [footnote: “In Nova Scotia, providing clinical services in a private practice requires an additional level of registration.”] — NSCSW Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, s. 5.5.2, effective 2026-02-01