Regulated, certified, or neither — which one is your job?

A short read

Before we start

Which jobs are regulated, and by whom, differs by country and by province or state. This explains the three categories and how to find out which one your job is in. It cannot tell you the answer for your job in your place. The check it describes is free, and the body that answers it is public.

Sources

The three-way distinction between regulated occupations (a licence from an official body is legally required), certified occupations (a voluntary or employer-expected credential) and unregulated ones. In Canada regulation generally sits with the provinces and territories rather than nationally, so a licence may not transfer between them
The practical rule that the regulator for an occupation is the only body with nothing to sell, and publishes requirements, costs, timelines and whether existing qualifications are recognised