Continuing Education

Counsellor CE & CPD Requirements in Quebec

This page summarizes the current CE & CPD requirements for regulated counseling credentials in Quebec — renewal model, mandated topics, live/interactive rules, and home-study limits — with links to the official regulator.

Quebec regulates 3 counseling credentials. This page covers: Psychotherapist Permit (Permis de psychothérapeute), Criminologist (Criminologue), Guidance Counsellor (Conseiller d'orientation / c.o.). Each has its own requirements below.
Full Quebec Counsellor requirements
Verified

Psychotherapist Permit

Psychotherapist Permit (Permis de psychothérapeute)
Regulator: Ordre des psychologues du Québec (OPQ)
90hours / credits / 5-year renewal cycle
5 live / interactive hours required
Mandated topics
  • Individual supervision or formal consultation (in psychotherapy) — 5 hMinimum 5 of the 90 hours must be individual supervision or formal (structured) consultation.

Home study: Not specified as a fixed cap; mix of recognized training, university courses, supervision and consultation permitted, with at least 5 hours of individual supervision/consultation.

Board notes: The psychotherapist permit is administered by the OPQ but is held by regulated professionals from several orders (e.g., social workers, marriage & family therapists, psychoeducators, guidance counsellors, nurses, physicians). All permit holders must complete 90 hours of continuing education in psychotherapy per 5-year reference period (current period June 21, 2022 – June 20, 2027). Governed by the Regulation respecting the continuing education compulsory for psychotherapists; hours are declared to and audited by the OPQ.

Verified

Criminologist

Criminologist (Criminologue)
Regulator: Ordre professionnel des criminologues du Québec (OPCQ)
30hours / credits / 2-year renewal cycle
No live / interactive hours required — all hours may be self-study
Mandated topics

No specific subject mandates — general CE hours only.

Home study: No fixed cap identified; a range of continuing education activities may be combined to reach the 30 hours.

Board notes: Criminologists must complete 30 hours of continuing education per 24-month reference period under the OPCQ's continuing education policy (a recent reference period ran April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2026). Emphasis on a reflective approach to professional development. No separate mandated ethics/deontology hour count identified. Exemptions available via the Espace Crimino portal; hours are declared and audited.

Confirm with board

Guidance Counsellor

Guidance Counsellor (Conseiller d'orientation / c.o.)
Regulator: Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d'orientation du Québec (OCCOQ)
CPDContinuing competence governed by the OCCOQ's Politique de développement des compétences (competency-based model rather than a single fixed global hour count). Every 5 years, counsellors are expected to update their knowledge, including at least 7 hours of activity on ethics, deontology or regulation. Exact global hour figure (Politique art. 3.01) not confirmed from public pages.
No specific live / interactive hour requirement
Mandated topics
  • Ethics, deontology and regulation update — 7 hAt least 7 hours of ethics/deontology/regulation activity recommended every 5 years as part of continuing education.

Home study: Not specified.

Board notes: Guidance counsellors are regulated by the OCCOQ. Continuing competence is structured through the Politique de développement des compétences on a 5-year horizon, with an expected minimum of 7 hours of ethics/deontology/regulation content per 5-year cycle. The Politique (art. 3.01) references a number of training hours, but the exact global figure could not be verified from the Order's public pages as of July 2026; confirm via the full Politique document.

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Frequently asked questions
How many CE & CPD hours do Counsellors need in Quebec?

Requirements differ by credential in Quebec. Psychotherapist Permit (Permis de psychothérapeute) — 90 CE hours every 5 years. Criminologist (Criminologue) — 30 CE hours every 2 years. Guidance Counsellor (Conseiller d'orientation / c.o.) — CPD-based — Continuing competence governed by the OCCOQ's Politique de développement des compétences (competency-based model rather than a sin….

Which counseling credentials does Quebec regulate?

Quebec regulates 3 counseling credentials: Psychotherapist Permit (Permis de psychothérapeute), Criminologist (Criminologue), Guidance Counsellor (Conseiller d'orientation / c.o.).

Other Quebec licenses
Counsellor CE & CPD requirements in other jurisdictions
Updated July 2026 from official licensing-board, regulatory-college, and government sources. CE / CPD requirements change often — always confirm current rules directly with your licensing board or regulator before you renew. Informational only, not legal advice.