The journey to becoming a licensed pharmacist in Canada begins here!
Canada is a vast and diverse country made up of 10 provinces and three territories. The pharmacist licensing process differs slightly in each region, but there are also many similarities.
To clarify the process, we have included an overview of common requirements below and recommend that candidates review carefully before starting their application.
It should be noted that the pharmacy regulatory authorities in Canada do not have special recognition or advance standing for graduates from an institution which has an International Accreditation by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). Like any international pharmacy graduate (IPG) interested in licensure in Canada, graduates of International Programs accredited by CCAPP must follow all the requirements as set out within this website.
International Pharmacy Graduate (IPG)
This is a mandatory first step towards licensure, except in the province of Québec where there is an alternative pathway.
Upon enrolment candidates will receive a national ID number and be able to start the next step.
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Obtaining the Certificate of Qualification
After enrolling as a candidate in Gateway, candidates must register with the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) for Document Evaluation.
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Patients rely on pharmacists to provide trustworthy healthcare information in clear and concise language.
Pharmacists in Canada must be fluent in either English or French. More information on the language tests and minimum scores are available on our language requirements page.
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There are two steps to start the application process with a pharmacy regulatory authority (PRA):
1. Application to the PRA through the candidate’s Gateway profile
2. Application with the PRA
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This is the final step in the licensure process. The relevant pharmacy regulatory authority will confirm with the candidate when all of the requirements have been successfully completed and will issue the licence.
Congratulations!
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