Licensing requirements for professional services vary according to industry. Some of these services are listed below.
Accountancy
The Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICATT) is the general regulatory body and addresses matters such as the ethics, discipline, professional conduct, and standards of its members and students. The ICATT Rules and Regulations address the requirements for membership. Individuals who want to practice accountancy in TT must hold a practicing certificate in accordance with the Chartered Accountants Practicing Regulations. ICATT reciprocal membership exists for those who are members of an accountancy body outside of TT deemed equivalent in standing to that of the ICATT, provided the accountancy body grants reciprocal membership to ICATT members.
Architectural, urban planning and landscape architectural services
The Architecture Profession Act establishes the Board of Architecture, which is responsible for assessing the qualifications and experience and examining those applying for registration as an architect, registering suitably qualified applicants, and issuing certificates of registration. Entitlement to registration is based on a person’s character (i.e. being a fit and proper person to practice architecture), appropriate academic qualifications, and no less than three years practical experience in the trade.
Engineering services
The Board of Engineering is responsible for assessing qualifications and experience, maintaining a registry of qualified engineers, and issuing certificates of registration. Applicants are entitled to registration if they are persons who are qualified, fit, and proper to practice and pay the prescribed fee. A person is qualified when he has been awarded a degree, diploma, or other qualification in engineering granted by a recognized university or school of engineering, has had not less than four years of experience in the practice of engineering, and has acquired a sufficient standard of proficiency. Nationality and/or residence criteria are not a relevant consideration in determining registration.
Legal
Legal services may only be generally provided by persons admitted to practice within the jurisdiction, although there are exceptions. The Legal Profession Act provides that an attorney-at-law who desires to practice law in TT must apply to the registrar for a practicing certificate. The act establishes the Law Association and provides that every attorney-at law holding a practicing certificate is and must remain a member of the association as long as the practicing certificate has effect. As such, membership is compulsory. Eligibility to be admitted by the court to practice as an attorney-at-law is based on qualifications, good character, and citizenship. Nationality is therefore a significant consideration in determining eligibility for admission to practice law. While TT citizens receive the most favorable treatment, CARICOM and Commonwealth nationals are generally more favorably treated than those of other countries.
Medical services
The Medical Board comprises all registered practitioners. The council of the board receives and reviews applications for registration as a medical practitioner. Any fit and proper person who is qualified to practice medicine is eligible. A person is qualified if he holds a diploma, license, certificate, other status, or other form of recognition granted by an approved institution. The council may issue a temporary license to those who meet the above criteria, except for the fact that their approved diploma is not from a listed institution.
Dental services
The Dental Board is a council that manages registration of persons to practice dentistry and the enrollment of persons as dental auxiliaries. The council is specifically charged with determining the professional qualifications and experience required of an applicant. It regulates the training of persons enrolled as dental auxiliaries and publishes for general information a list of recognized universities, colleges, or other institutions.
Veterinarians
The TT Veterinarian Association represents the interests of veterinary surgeons. Any person is eligible for registration if they are entitled to registration as a veterinary surgeon in the United Kingdom or hold a certificate granted in another country that is recognized by the board as furnishing a sufficient guarantee of the possession of requisite knowledge and skill for the efficient practice of veterinary surgery. Nationality and/or residence criteria are not a condition for registration.
Nurses and midwives
Any person is entitled to be registered as a nurse upon passing examinations prescribed by the Nursing Council following the completion of a course of training in a recognized institution. Non-TT nurses can become members of the nursing council of TT by submitting an online application.