Certification in Two Countries: To Keep or Not to Keep?

That is the question.

Hi, folks!

When moving abroad, people who work in the Allied Health field want to know if it is worthwhile not only transferring credentials internationally, but also maintaining professional certification and license to practice in their home country.

When I moved to America, I renewed my certification and membership with Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) each year. Since moving back to Australia, I have maintained my certification with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and renewed my Florida state licensure.

Feeding Time on Siesta Key 
Florida, USA
Photo taken by Maree Richardson

Downside:

• Expensive! It costs me about $937 AUD ($647 USD) per year to maintain all three  certifications/licenses.
• Time consuming to update professional development hours and check progress toward compliance for three certifications/licenses. After I complete a training course, I login to three different websites to enter the information, as each association has their own requirements.

Upside:

• Freedom of moving between countries and being allowed to work right away. This makes it easier to find a job and reduces financial stress. You don’t have to repeat the laborious and costly application process for certification. You're ready to go!
• Although expensive, certification/license fees are due at different times of the year, which means you can budget and don’t have to "fork out" all the money at once. SPA fees are due by end of June, whereas ASHA and Florida state license fees are due by end of December.
• You can apply the same professional development hours to all certifications/licenses. For example, speechpathology.com offers unlimited, online continuing education courses which are recognised by all three professional associations who I am certified/licensed with. 

So, is it worth it? 

For now, yes. The advantages currently outweigh the disadvantages.

I’m interested to hear your thoughts on this topic. Feel free to comment below.

Cheers!

Maree