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A 5 Step Guide To Becoming A Travel Agent In Ontario, Canada Go Back Button

If you are living in the Province of Ontario Canada, and you are thinking about becoming a home-based travel agent, you may be wondering what the first step should be. Unlike other provinces and most American States, Ontario Canada is very highly regulated when it comes to the reselling and marketing of travel products and services. To become a travel agent working in the province of Ontario, it is critical that you follow the correct procedure or you may risk getting a “cease” letter from the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO). No need to be turned off or scared, there are more than enough resources to help make the process very easy for you, and if you follow the 5 steps provided below, you should have no problems getting through all the legal requirements and have your travel business up and running in no time.

1. Do Your Research

Being a frequent traveller and often helping your friends arrange travel plans does not automatically make you a travel professional. While those two things make you an ideal candidate to become a travel agent, there are a few more factors that need to be considered and covered before you are adequately qualified to promote yourself as a travel expert. This is why it is necessary to first do your research before you ultimately decide that this is the career path you want to take, whether part time or full time. The key things you need to find out are; what are your legal requirements for you to start selling travel in your current jurisdiction? What type of products and services do you plan on specialising in and will you need any additional training before you are qualified to offer such services? Knowing how you get paid and what the maximum earning potentials are for your niche market is also a good piece of knowledge to have. Most importantly, you need to know how exactly you go about completing all the steps necessary to take you from interested to the place where you are finally ready to start promoting yourself as a certified travel expert, and what are the costs and timelines associated with those steps if any.

2. Study The TICO Manual

There are no mandatory training courses of University degrees required in the Province Of Ontario for you to become a travel agent. When doing your research you will find many ads for courses and college degrees, but none of that is a requirement. If you think it is something you need for your personal knowledge, then doing a course is not a bad idea. However, there is one training program that all persons selling travel in the province of Ontario must complete and that is the TICO education standard manual. This training document is available to be downloaded for free on the TICO website , and it contains 9 modules and about 130 pages, covering everything from general industry knowledge to consumer etiquette, use of customer funds, general code of conduct and other information useful to the legal operation of a home-based travel agency. Downloading and studying this manual should be among your top priorities when preparing to set up your Ontario-based travel agency. Download it, print it and use your free time at work or before bed at nights to ensure you carefully cover all modules of this document.

3. Complete Your TICO Exam

Studying the TICO manual is not only necessary for general industry knowledge, but you also need to retain the content to complete the TICO exam. Without successfully completing that exam and earning the certificate of completion, you will be unable to legally promote yourself as a travel expert in the province of Ontario. The TICO exam is a closed book multiple choice exam done electronically under supervision at any of the TICO certified exam centres. Each exam is different and may contain anywhere between 50 to 90 questions taken from the information provided in the TICO training manual. The average passing grade is 70%, and the test can be redone multiple times if you do not pass the first time. There is a registration fee of $35 to do the exam. Click here to find all information related to writing the TICO Exam.

4. Register A Small Business

There are travel agents that work as Employees for travel agencies, airlines and tour companies. Those agents are known as “Inside Sales Agents”. If your goal is to be an employed travel agent, then this step does not apply to you. However, if you are looking to start your own home-based travel agency, then you will be required to register a small business with Service Ontario. Your small business name registration must be completed for any name that you will be using to promote your travel products and services. This could be; your personal name, a website domain name or a brand that you will be using to identify your travel business in your marketing. The Travel Industry Council Of Ontario will need a copy of your business registration, so it is logged into their system. Small business registrations can be done online on the Service Ontario website for $60 and the registration document sent to your email within 2 business days.

5. Find A Host Agency

Once you have successfully completed your TICO exam, and you have registered your business, there is still one step that is required before you can legally start promoting yourself or your brand as a travel expert in the province of Ontario. You will need to be associated with a TICO registered agency, holding a valid TICO registration number. Being TICO certified and TICO Registered are two different things. In order to obtain your own TICO registration number, you will need to have; at least two years of travel agent experience, successfully complete the TICO Office Managers' exam, complete the TICO registration application by paying the $2500 application fee and putting up the $10,000 bond, submit your credit score and personal finances to prove you have at least $5000 in operational funds, and you have excellent credit. Or, you can save yourself all that headache by joining an Ontario-based Host Agency . A host agency based in Ontario have already completed all the mandatory TICO requirements and have all the resources already setup for you to start doing business right away. They will allow you to run your travel business under their TICO registration number, as well as other industry registration ID’s like IATA, IATAN, and CLIA registrations. A Host Agency will also have established relationships with product vendors and tour operators that will be useful to you being able to provide your clients with competitive package pricing and unique offerings. Joining a host agency not only saves you a tonne of money but saves you a lot of time. Most host agency will charge a registration fee and a monthly fee to use their license. You will also share the commission you earn with your host agency. The standard commission split is 70% of the agent and 30% for the host agency. In addition to the above mentioned, your host agency will also handle all the administrative work behind commission payouts, registering you with vendors, providing you with all the tools needed to sell and operate your business.

Once you have completed all the steps listed above, you are now ready to start promoting your travel business in the Province of Ontario and helping clients with their travel plans. If you need help with getting your travel business started quickly, contact an Ontario certified host agency like The TravelNet and get assistance with everything you need to get your home based travel business up and running. Another useful resource to get information regarding becoming a travel agent in Ontario is the ACTA (Association Of Canadian Travel Agents) website. 

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Canadian Regulations for Travel Agencies in a Nutshell

 We have a pretty comprehensive article on US Seller of Travel Laws   (SOT), but we don’t want to leave out our neighboring Canadian travel agents. Canada has enriched my life with many great gifts like poutine, Justin Trudeau, Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro, the prettier half of Niagara Falls, hockey, and Alaska (jk, that last one was from Russia. Thanks, Russia!).

Plus, from a design standpoint, their flag is pretty awesome. This is my long way of saying, I owe you one, Canada. So allow me to attempt to repay my huge debt with an article that includes some updates on Canadian travel agency regulations.

Want to fast-forward to a specific province? Here you go:

⭐️ HAR ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: ⭐️

• Canadian Licensing in a Nutshell [+infographic]
• British Columbia
• A List of Canadian Host Agencies, by Province

Canadian Travel Agency Licensing Regulations in a Nutshell:

Only three provinces have specific regulations for selling travel—Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia. In short, this means that if you are a travel agent that operates your business in of any of these provinces OR if you sell to any residents of those provinces, you need comply with each province’s regulations.

There are no extra-territorial laws, so agencies that want to operate in or sell to clients in multiple of these provinces will need to register for licensing in EACH of those provinces. There’s no reciprocity, my friend.

Here is all is, simplified into a nifty infographic:

Of course, that's just the beginning. Read on for more details on each province's regulations.

Quebec Travel Agency Licensing Regulations

Quebec is a bit complex, and not only because my French is veeeeeeeery rusty. But, in the spirit of licensing, there are oodles and oodles of bureaucratic hoops to jump through (let’s be honest, this is NOT limited to Quebec).

Like most licensing requirements, the Quebec Office of Consumer Protection (OPC) differentiates between travel agencies and travel counsellors. This is a line that can be pretty blurry for hosted agents, but I’ll attempt to bring it into focus below.

For hosted agents, I don’t want to mince words. Here’s OPC’s definition of an outside agent , verbatim, “travel agents who are contractually bound to a single travel agency. Most of the time, they do not work in the office. These counselors may not receive clients at home unless a duplicate of the travel agency's permit has been issued for an establishment located at their address.”

Here’s what you need as a hosted agent:

To be licensed as a hosted agent in Quebec, you must have Travel Counsellor Certificate (on the English translation of the site, it’s sometimes referred to as “the travel agency stewardship certificate”—don’t be fooled, it’s the same thing). The process for receiving the certificate is relatively straightforward:

• Pass the Travel Counsellors Exam: You can register for your exam through the Institute of Tourism and Hotels of Quebec (ITHQ). The exam runs $53 and there are optional study guides and exam simulations (not required) also available for purchase. The exam consists of True/False questions, and applicants need to score a 65% to pass. Travel counselors must retake this exam annually to renew their license. 
• Travel Agency Certificate: Before you even apply, you must hold a Travel Agency Steward Certificate. This runs $56 CAD and you must renew it annually (the renewal is $28CAD). In order to receive your Travel Agency Steward certificate, you must be affiliated with a licensed travel agency.
• Register Your Business: Registraire des entreprises du Québec .

The caveat here is that everything you do and sell must be under the umbrella of your host agency (including service fees). This means that, while you can have your own travel agency brand, you will still need to disclose to clients the name of the host agency you sell under, and you cannot accept money from your clients (only commissions from your host).

If that’s too restrictive, travel agencies can apply for a Travel Counsellor General Permit (not to be mistaken for the “Certificate”). You will need one whether you are based in Quebec OR selling travel to clients in Quebec. There are some exceptions, but they mostly apply to outfitters and folks who book travel without any compensation or commission (probably not you). 

In order to apply for the General Permit, you must do all the above to get your Travel Agency Certificate, plus you get to have a little extra bureaucratic fun:

Eligibility to qualify for a Travel Counsellor General Permit in Quebec: 

• Another exam! Joy! This one is the Travel Agency Managers Exam , and it runs 70CAD and lasts 90min. If you’re taking the exam for the first time, you must pass it before you apply. But if you’re renewing (which you will do annually), you just need to make sure you pass it before the renewal date of your license. 
• Cost: The cost of permit is $74/$75 CAD per month for an agency and $46/$47 CAD per month for a branch office 1
• Bond: You will need to provide a $25,000 CAD bond. This is used to compensate customers in the event the agency fails, closes or needs to provide compensation for services promised then not rendered. None of this will apply to you, but it’s a safety net that will help you as much as it will help your clients. 🙂
• If the bond is a bearer bond or cash (CHA-CHING!), you will need to also submit a Merchant’s form (so you can’t go all anonymous superhero, and sell travel under the cover of night).  
• First-time applicants must demonstrate proof they have $5,000 CAD of working capital, and this must be verified by an external accountant and or auditor. (Sorry, you can’t submit janky homemade Excel sheets like I always try to do.) 
• Copy of agency’s opening documents and signature from of each trust account signed by its financial institution.
• If your company is registered outside of Quebec, you need a certificate of compliance from Registraire des entreprises du Québec .

The licenses are issued 15 days after the completed application is received but can be rushed in 3 days if you’re really in a pinch. 2 Did I mention my French is horrible? If I missed anything, let me know.

Ontario Travel Agency Licensing Regulations—TICO Registration

Travel agents in Ontario, Canada, you’re the most highly restricted. The first thing you need to know is that there is a difference between the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) Education Standards Exam (or the TICO exam ) and being a TICO registered travel agency.

Every employee working at an Ontario agency that is selling travel/providing advice (and yes, this includes you, supervisors and managers!) must take and pass the TICO exam. But get this. Even if everyone in your office has taken and passed this test, you aren't legal unless your travel agency is registered as TICO agency.  

That's right Ontario travel agencies, you need two parts to be compliant:

• TICO agency registration
• all employees to pass the TICO exam

Or, on the flip side, if you're a hosted travel agent in Ontario, you need:

• a TICO registered host agency ( search for TICO registered travel agencies )
• to take (and pass) the TICO exam

So, here's the info that will help make sure you're legal! The  (TICO) exam  currently rings up at $35 CAD for travel counsellors, $35 CAD for managers/supervisors, and $50 for the combined travel counsellor/manager-supervisor test. Here's a great resource if you're looking for in-depth information on the TICO exam process .

Getting registered as a TICO agency is going to require quite a bit more moola. You can find more specifics on the requirements of the TICO agency registration  on their site but we've shortened the list for you. Here's the things that will jump out to you and have you gawking at your screen:

• There's a $3,000 CAD application fee for new agencies
• You need to show financial statements proving you have $5,000 in capital to work with
• You'll need letters of reference
• A $10,000 security deposit (returned to you after 2 years of showing you're not going to rip anyone off)
• You need to set up a trust account

If you're already a TICO registered agency, the renewal fee is based on your travel sales:

One last thing to note, the TICO agency registration is NOT transferable. So if you were looking to buy an agency, know that the costs to re-register will be significant. And after all that, if you're still ready to make the leap, here's the registration forms to become a TICO registered travel agency!

British Columbia Travel Agency Licensing Regulations

In BC, you'll need licensing regardless if you plan to be a hosted travel advisor or want to get your own travel accreditation . Big picture, if you want to get licensed in BC, here's what you need to do:

• Register your business with the BC Corporate Registry (Tele: 1-877-526-1526, $40 registration fee and $30 name approval fee for Sole Proprietors, or $305 for LLCs)
• Apply for your license to sell travel through the Consumer Protection BC  (Tele: 1-888-777-4393, $1,293 fee for travel agencies/wholesalers and $839 for branch offices).

Here's a big whopping checklist of steps needed to get licensed in BC:

Here's a look at BC's license application checklist:

However, the process is going to be different for hosted advisors compared to independently-accredited advisors. Below offers a bit more detail:

4 steps to get licensed as a Hosted advisor in british columbia, Canada

Hosted advisors are considered a branch office in the eyes of BC. The good news for all y'all hosted advisors is that this route is lighter on the paperwork.

Here's the steps to get licensed:

• Provide your municipal business license
• Set up a business phone number (must be public, searchable, and clearly listed on your website, invoices, and other public documents.)
• Fill out a branch location license form .
• [For home-based advisors only] Fill out this form if you want to operate your business from home.
• Get knowledgeable about lots and lots of rules and regulations .

9 steps to get licensed as an independently-accredited advisor in british columbia, Canada

Fun for you, you get to fill out a lot more paperwork than your hosted peers! Here are the nine steps you need to get licensed as a "head office" in BC.

• Provide proof of registration or incorporation. (Go here to register your sole proprietorship or general partnership.)
• Get a criminal record check (for Canadian residents).
• Obtain and provide financial security. (Cash, Letter of Credit, Surety Bond, or Safekeeping agreement are all acceptable forms. Go to this link for more details.)
• Provide financial information. (This ensures you have enough working capital to operate.)

List of Canadian Hosts by Province

Here's a handy dandy guide to see which Canadian-based host agencies are licensed to operated in the provinces mentioned in this article:

• Nexion Travel Group-Canada
• Fareconnect.com
• Independent by Flight Centre / Envoyage
• The Travel Agent Next Door
• Travel Edge
• Travel Masters
• Expedia CruiseShipCenters
• Newwest Travel & Cruises
• Nexion Canada
• Prestige Agent Network
• TravelOnly  
• Travel Professionals International

British Columbia:

• Expedia CruiseShipCenters  
• Newwest Travel & Cruises  

If you want to operate to your agency in any of provinces outside of QC, ON and BC, AND you don't plan on selling to resident in any of those provinces, you're in the clear and don't need to worry about of this (but you're dang smart!). 

Canadian + Fees.

This last part doesn't necessarily have to do with regulations but I figure since you've read the entire way through this, that you deserve a little pick me up. And I have just the thing for you.

Take some time to listen to a fellow Canadian who only sells air tickets (no he's not a corporate agent) and has come up with a way to charge a $60-500 CAD ticketing fee for every ticket. 85% of his income comes from fees. Feeling inspired and curious? Have a seat and plug into an episode of our Travel Agent Chatter podcast!

I reached out to Justin Trudeau for comment, but his offices mentioned something about him being busy running a country or something like that. Oh well. You can’t win them all. Look no further.

But  I'd like to extend a very special thank you to two excellent resources who shared their expertise for this article:  Mike Foster , President of Nexion Canada, ULC, and James Shearer , Chief Operating Officer of Travel Masters who offered a ton of great insights and information for this article. 

Do you have thoughts or comments or ideas or experiences you’d like share? We want to hear from you!

• Depends on when application is submitted: If it’s before May 1st, it’s the lesser amount in both cases. If you apply after May 1st on any given calendar year, it’s the higher amount ↩
• if you want to do that, you will need to pay 50% of your entire permit—which would be half of the monthly cost times 16 months. ↩

About the Author

Mary Stein has been working as a writer and editor for Host Agency Reviews since 2016. She loves supporting travel advisors on their entrepreneurial journey and is inspired by their passion, tenacity, and creativity. Mary is also a mom, dog lover, fiction writer, hiker, and a Great British Bake Off superfan.

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Job requirements travel agent in canada.

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Find out what you typically need to work as a travel agent in Canada. These requirements are applicable to all Travel counsellors (NOC 64310).

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This is what you typically need for the job.

• Certification with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA ) may be required.
• A college diploma or vocational training in travel or tourism is usually required.
• Completion of secondary school is usually required.

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From: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

You might choose to have a travel agent help you book your next vacation. Here’s what you need to know about using the services of a travel agency.

On this page

Choosing a travel agency or agent, licensed travel agents, members of travel associations, travel agency complaints.

Here are some questions to ask before choosing a travel agent:

• Is the travel agent licensed in your province or territory?
• Has the agent completed a training program?
• Has the agent travelled widely?
• How many years has the agent or agency been in business?
• Does the agent or agency belong to a travel agents' association or related organization?

In some Canadian jurisdictions, travel agents must be licensed or registered. Check with your provincial or territorial consumer affairs office to find out what requirements exist in your region.

Many travel agents or agencies belong to professional travel associations. Members may be required to meet certain requirements for training, staffing and financing, and often must follow a code of ethics and standards.

Here are the names of a few of these associations:

• Association of Canadian Travel Associations (ACTA) : Over 12,000 travel agents across Canada work in ACTA member agencies – representing more than 80% of the travel business booked through a travel agency.
• International Air Transport Association (IATA) : Travel agencies displaying the IATA designation are authorized to sell tickets for IATA-member airlines ( some 290 airlines  in 120 countries).

Choosing a travel agent or agency affiliated with these groups does not guarantee that you won't have problems, but it can offer you an additional measure of security.

Although the Canadian Transportation Agency may be able to help with complaints about the air portion of travel arrangements booked through a travel agency or as part of a tour package, complaints about travel agents and tour operator services fall under provincial jurisdiction. The Consumer Hub can help you find the appropriate provincial or territorial government authority to seek redress for a consumer issue with a service booked using the services of a travel agency.

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