r/socialworkcanada

As the title says, I’m seriously considering going back to grad school for an MSW with the goal of eventually becoming an LCSW. I’m currently in the research/decision-making stage and would really love to hear from people who have actually gone through the process.

For some background, I have a Bachelor in Fine Arts and have worked across arts, museums, galleries, and now a corporate office environment. I actually really enjoyed my time interning at museums and would still be open to working in that environment again, particularly because I love the educational and community-oriented aspects of the work. However, I’ve found that museum/arts opportunities can be fairly limited, both in terms of the number of positions available and the career paths they offer, which has made me think more seriously about what I want long-term. My current 9-5 corporate job has also made me realize that I don’t thrive in a traditional corporate environment. The day-to-day feels pretty unstimulating, and I’ve been missing a stronger sense of purpose in my work.

I’ve always been drawn to community-based work and helping people, and the more I’ve learned about social work, the more I can genuinely picture myself in the field. I’m particularly interested in the clinical/therapy route, but I also like that an MSW could leave room to explore different areas of social work.

I’ve done a lot of research on MSW programs and the LCSW path, but I’d really value hearing from people who have lived it rather than just reading program websites.

For current MSW students, recent grads, and LCSWs:
- What has your experience with the MSW actually been like?
- Did the reality of social work match what you expected going in?
- If you pursued the clinical/LCSW route, was it ultimately worth the time, cost, and supervision required?
- What do you wish you had known before starting your MSW?
- For anyone who came from a completely different undergraduate/career background, did you feel like you were at a disadvantage?
- And honestly, do you feel fulfilled by the work now? What do you like and dislike about the day-to-day?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who made a career change into social work, rather than those who knew they wanted to be social workers from undergrad. I’m very open to hearing both positive and negative experiences. I’d much rather go into this with realistic expectations than just confirmation that it’s a good idea. Thanks!

For others in private practice, I am wondering what your experiences are with El/Mat leave. I have heard some debate over whether it is worth it to pay into El and get a mat leave or not. As of right now I'm leaning toward paying for El but most people I have talked to did not, which is making me second guess myself.

I’d love some of your insights!

Hello everyone,

I just got my international academic credentials appraised by CASWE and it was determined that I have a SW education equivalent to a Canadian education. I then found out that even with CASWE accreditation, I can not call myself a Social Worker unless I have registered with a provincial SW association or college. In addition to this, almost all professional job offers require that I am a registered SW with a certain province as a prerequisite.

The problem is that I do not currently reside in Canada and I would have liked to first get a job offer and then register with the province in which I would work. Some provinces have more demand for Social Workers than others, but with all jobs requiring that I first register with the provincial body I am ineligible.

I would like to hear your suggestions on how to navigate this. Thanks.

I moved here because I married a Canadian. I got my PR 2 months ago and I’ve been applying since then, and no luck anywhere, not even one follow up in social work. I’m 24, I have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and 2 years of experience working in autism/ABA. I’ve applied to ABA positions, and I do get callbacks but I’m not too sure I wanna go back into ABA. It’s been tough getting callbacks, some people are telling me it might be because I have no Canadian experience or because of the gap in my resume. It’s been a year since I moved here and since I last worked. Thankfully my immigration process wasn’t too crazy long, a year isn’t so bad I feel. I think I just realized how physically taxing ABA is since I quit my job and moved here. It was tough working so hands on with aggressive physical behaviors. As much as I enjoyed working with kids most of the time, I’d rather work with adults. I’m thinking about going back for a post grad certificate in career development practitioner at George Brown if I can land anything with just my degree and experience. Some people have recommended a mental health and addictions certificate, how is it like working in that speciality? Any advice or feedback is greatly appreciated and super helpful! Thank you for reading

Edit: Sorry I was confused! I’m looking for something similar to the social work field such as case management positions. Sorry for the mix up, I just assumed it was all under the social work title.

I am entering my gap year after graduating high school, and I can’t lie, I am all over the place about what I would like to do with my life!

I stumbled on social work as I think it aligns with the kind of change and assistance I would like to bring to people and the world in general, but also worry that it might not be a sustainable career to have. I am thinking of attending either MacEwan or MRU for my degree if that helps anything.

I hear the AHS/ALA is a good place to start after getting your BSW, but I also don’t know what to expect when it comes to being a social worker and what that looks like career wise.

Any advice or ideas you guys have?

Edit: why are people down voting me for asking a question? :(

Hello all! I am currently living in BC and debating between doing social work or psych nursing. I am very interested in working with pregnant and/or postpartum individuals and trying to find a place for myself in that field. Social work may not even be the right option but I wanted to ask if anyone has any insight or suggestions or insight for me. And before anyone asks, no, I do not want to work in L&D or mother/babe. Thank you!

I am about to start SSW in September. Does anyone have any experience transferring to University in Canada or the United States after first semester or year 1.

I just graduated from a high school that doesn’t offer university level courses, so I had to start at community college for post secondary. Of course I came across Laurier that’s obviously competitive, so im trying to be realistic with pathways to an BSW or other undergrads so I can just focus on trying to get MSW.

Also sorry if this question already gets asked was originally on r/socialwork and found this Canadian sub.

I applied for a registered clinical social worker back in March. This has been quite a lengthy process and I am still not fully approved or disapproved at this point. I wonder how long this process will take seeing as it's been about 4 months. When I applied I didn't think it would take this long and I would have time to finish my continuing education credits. However, with it coming up mid-august and I know Canada's renewal process happens in October does anyone know what kind of credit will be needed or how many credit hours? Also does anybody know how long this is going to take? I was trying to get licensed/registered before I start applying for jobs at the health authority so I can move from the US to Canada but this is taking quite a bit of time. I think the wait time in the US is between 4 and 6 leaks but I don't really remember because I got licensed so long ago here.

Also, I know I didn't have to go to the registered clinician route but I figured I would get it done now. That way I could also apply for any supervision jobs out there that may require it. I think it could open up some doors if needed. Also that allows me to do private practice either on the side or after I get permanent residency or citizenship later in life.

Hi, good people of the social work family in Canada, I need your help. I am planning to move to British Columbia or Alberta and work as a social worker. I have done research and narrowed it down to 2 provinces. I want to work in Health and am looking for a social work role in that field.

I have been working as a child protection manager for the last 8 years. We don't need a social work degree to work in child protection here (I have a Bachelor of Human Services). While working in Child Protection services, I also completed my master's in social work, which will be recognised in Canada. I also have Canadian PR. Most jobs ask for clinical experience, but I have always worked in Child Protection. What do you recommend I do? Any other insight would be greatly appreciated.

Hello,

I have a psychology degree and I plan to do a BSW. I graduated last year and was hoping to work full time before going back to school. I did end up needing to complete some prerequisites last fall to enroll in a BSW, so I couldn't really work FT until Jan 2026.

I've been working as a child and youth worker at a women's shelter since last October, have worked at a group home for adults with developmental needs, worked and volunteered for a women's helpline for 3 years, volunteered as a research assistant for children's services, have done various administrative roles, and started my own non-profit, yet I can't secure a full time job. I'm currently working 3 part time jobs and it's taking a toll on me and left me feeling incredibly discouraged. I have been trying to break into casework roles, but I don't seem qualified enough, even though my role as a child and youth worker involves casework with moms.

I've revised my resume many times and submitted CV's for most applications, yet I don't even hear a call back. I have had a few interviews here and there which haven't gone well. I will admit, I am not great at interviews, but I'm surprised I'm not even getting a call back for housing/shelter roles. I'm not sure what to do or where else to keep looking for. I am based in the GTA and understand how saturated the market is here, but I feel very distraught at my circumstances right now. It feels like I'm not really feeling any growth in my current roles. Not sure what to do.

If anyone has any advice for finding any FT entry level job in the GTA given my experiences, I would greatly appreciate it

Im 37 and a single mom of 2 neurodivergent kiddos, so there’s a lot of appointments, advocacy and burnout in my life. I’d need a somewhat flexible career, some WFH would be ideal. I have a bachelor or Sociology from a Venezuelan university have been living in Canada for 14y but only 5 of those have been working for a non-profit and would be counted as experience.

I need to keep working during my schooling and I fully understand how competitive the programs at Windsor and WLU are, but I’m feeling really bummed about not being accepted, Im at the cap of my income at 60k and I feel very stuck where I am today, I’m not sure how much growth I could have with just my sociology degree in this area.

My dream is to become a Social Worker and now I’m kicking myself for choosing sociology over SW for my bachelors. Would it be easier for me to apply for a BSW and then a MSW? Maybe even start with a SSW? I would like to avoid a huge amount of debt and so many years of schooling, but I don’t know what to do.

Or should I maybe pick another masters? I’d love to work with marginalized groups, my experience so far is working with vulnerable seniors and I loved it. I could also see myself working for a school board or a hospital, not necessarily counselling or private practice. Sorry about the novel, I’m feeling very down today and holding back tears at work.

Just getting into school for social work and I am a bit of a free soul. I love to travel and backpack and I don’t mind grinding and saving to be able to take time off here and there for adventures or small trips (which I’ve had the privilege in every job I’ve worked). Being stuck in a 9-5 really scares me. I’ve never had a job where my time off is restricted and I worry about work/life balance sometimes if I do go forward especially with the nature of the job and the extra need to take care of yourself and your mental health. Then also I feel I’m being greedy and should work work work like everyone else does. This life is just too short!

TLDR; Currently in BC hoping to move to the island and maybe even backpack Europe after I finish school, along with some other travel plans, but worried about feeling stuck!

Hi all, im finding it difficult to break into Healthcare social work. Recently graduated with my msw, completed my placement in a hospital. Been in child welfare for 5 years and have certification around dementia/alzheimers care and IPV. Also registered and in good standing with the college.

Been applying to hospitals, which i know are notoriously difficult to get in to. Im also open to community health and LTC as well. Problem is i am not even getting any interviews. Any recommendations for how to get a foothold?

Hii Everyone

I’m planning to apply to a BSW program this year, but I recently realized that I seriously hurt my GPA.

I struggled a lot this semester due to family and personal challenges. Instead of withdrawing from my course. I thought I could manage everything and push through. Unfortunately, I ended up failing despite working hard and doing my best to pass.

By the end of this year, my GPA may be around 3.0, which is close to the minimum requirement for admission to some BSW programs.

I’m a newcomer living with my dad, and because of my family situation, I can only apply to universities close to me such as UBC and UFV. Financially, it would be very difficult for me to stay in school for an extra year to boost my current GPA. My family has worked incredibly hard to support my education, and I already feel like I’ve let them down. As an unemployed adult still living with family, I feel that the least I could have done was maintain a strong GPA.

I was wondering if anyone has been accepted into a BSW program with a GPA similar to mine, or if anyone has gone through a similar situation. I currently have about 200 volunteer hours and plan to continue volunteering to strengthen my application.

I’m honestly feeling very anxious about all of this, and I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences you can share. Thank you.

Feel free to share your income + area of expertise to help one another with pay transparency.

In last year's thread, someone suggested that it'd be helpful to hear benefits as well. Db pensions, vacation time, sick leave, etc.

Additionally, degree, location, and years of experience could be helpful for others/new social workers too. But please only share what you're comfortable sharing :)

Edit: Thank you, you amazing group of people. The advice and guidance you e already provided is incredibly helpful.
Thank you!!

Hello,

I have looked through this Reddit to see if my question was already asked and I can’t seem to find anything. Apologies if I missed it and this is repetitive.

I am a middle aged lady (45-48) and have a BA in an unrelated field. My BA was a career change already into an industry that you can’t try until after you graduate. Well I tried it and it is extremely competitive (I am good at it so it’s not competitive for me but…) and the competitive nature creates a very toxic environment. There is only one employer in Canada for this so I can’t just switch.

I am unable to make the impact folks are lead to believe they can make if they enter this industry.

I’ve realized through this work what I want my remaining 15-20 working years to look like and the only option I can find is MSW. The idea of this work and the impact I could have to help improve people’s lives or support people feels purpose driven and I want to contribute.

I am in a small community in BC (I work for this single employer remotely). I have little volunteer experience (5 months on crisis line) and my current role is on the application of gender equality policies in programs funded by a level of gov. I have only been in this role for a year.

So after that long winded intro, my question for all of you lovely SWs is**: how do I gain the required volunteer or work experience to qualify for MSW in a small town in BC? What should I look for?**

I am limited to the online MSW and am worried about this aspect of the application.

Curious if this is possible. I’m from Vancouver but my parents are Portuguese and I will be getting my EU passport soon. Would love to live semi in Portugal semi Vancouver.

I've applied to WLU for Spring 2027 but won't hear back until November. ETA completion if admitted = Spring 2030. I'm aware of how competitive it is.

I've been admitted to a program that will allow me to register as a Psych Associate in Ontario or a Registered Psychotherapist. ETA completion = Spring 2030. I'd have to start in January 2027.

I've also been admitted to a program that will allow me to register as an RP. ETA completion = Spring 2028. I'd have to start in October 2026.

That's a full two year difference in time, effort, and money. I like the earnings potential and optionality of an MSW but the timing/cost is a deterrent. I already have a Master's in Health Policy and Systems, but I want to focus on micro level work through direct practice, hence the second degree.

So my questions are:

- How do MSWs find clinical practicum placements in Ontario?

- Is the two year wait worth it?

I appreciate everyone's advice here 😊

i’m finishing up my bsw (december i’ll be done) and wanting to see what it’s like for social work jobs in nova scotia and/or bc, specifically with children or youth.

i’m coming from ontario and have found it’s difficult to find a decent paying job without an msw.

any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I have a BSW and Im thinking of transitioning to working as a CP social worker.

I have several years experience in a role that regularly dealt with families and a CP agency and legal experience in CP and family law.

Im a work in progress in terms of healing and learning to regulate my cptsd symptoms. I still struggle with hypervigilance and dealing with the aftermath of interacting with rude or abusive people.

Ive been following a stable routine for over 3 years including regular exercise, eating nourishing foods, sleeping enough and taking care of self regulating.

I regularly see a counsellor once a month.

I think I will continue to have some symptoms from it in the near future.

For CP social workers who also have cptsd, did the job become impossible to bear? Or do you still work as a CP SW and how have you managed triggers while working?