Alberta - Pharmacists Gateway Canada

Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP)

Licensure Requirements

Requirement

Time (Months)

Cost

Enrolment in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada

$385

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Candidates are asked to enrol in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada and designate the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP).
Enrolment in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada (the Gateway) is a mandatory first step in the process to become a licensed pharmacist in Canada except in the province of Quebec. It provides a national ID number, which is required to apply to the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) for Document Evaluation and creates a profile where candidates can track their progress using a licensure model and becomes a document repository where the pharmacy regulatory authorities (PRAs) can access information uploaded by PEBC and the candidates’ language test report. International pharmacy graduates wishing to start the enrolment process are invited to visit the candidate portal. This information can only be viewed by the candidate, PEBC, the PRA (once the candidate applies to them) and NAPRA administrators as appropriate.

PEBC Document Evaluation

$715

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After enrolling in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada and receiving a national ID number, international pharmacy graduates (IPGs) must register directly with the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) to have their documents evaluated. Timing: It will take up to eight weeks (two months) for PEBC to complete the Document Evaluation from the date all required documentation has been received. PEBC has specific instructions for the submission of each required document. To avoid delays in starting the Document Evaluation, IPGs should familiarize themselves with the requirements. More details regarding the submission of each document can be found on the PEBC website.

PEBC Evaluating Examination

$910*

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Candidates whose documents are favourably evaluated by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) are eligible to take the PEBC Evaluating Examination. The examination is offered four times a year. Some eligible candidates may be exempted from the PEBC Evaluating Examination. Please consult the PEBC website for more details. Timing: The application deadline is typically four months before the examination date. PEBC will post the examination results within five weeks after the examination date. Due to the timing of the application deadline and the release of the results, each additional attempt to pass this examination will add approximately six months to the licensure process. More details on the application process are available on the PEBC website.

PEBC Qualifying Examination

4.5

MCQ =
$855*

OSCE =
$1,915*

More details

Candidates who successfully pass the PEBC Evaluating Examination are eligible to apply for the PEBC Qualifying Examination Part I & II. The examinations are offered twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall. Candidates must pass the PEBC Qualifying Examination Part I (MCQ), or Part II (OSCE), or successfully completed the CCPP program before applying to the Alberta College of Pharmacy. PEBC Qualifying Examination results must be current, within 3 years, at the time of application to be a provisional pharmacist (intern).

Timing: The application deadline is typically four to five months before the examination date. The PEBC will post the examination results six weeks after the examination date. Due to the timing of the examination, each additional attempt to pass this examination will add approximately six months to the licensure process.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

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Language proficiency is a requirement for licensure in all provinces in Canada.

English language proficiency must be demonstrated prior to applying to the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) for a provisional licence (intern). Candidates who meet the criteria to submit their education as evidence of language proficiency are not required to submit language proficiency test results.

Language proficiency test results must be current within two (2) years. Candidates should note that tests accepted and cut scores for:
• tests taken on or before August 31, 2024, will be assessed under the requirements of the previous policy (2014); and
• tests taken starting September 1, 2024, will need to meet the requirements of the new policy (2024).

Language test results from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) can be submitted by email at gatewayinfo@napra.ca. The Test Report Form (TRF) number will be used to confirm the validity of the language test results. Candidates who took the language test from the Occupational English Test (OET) must submit their results letter by email at gatewayinfo@napra.ca. Candidates are also asked to ensure that NAPRA has permission to view their results on our OET verifier account. Our organization is listed as “National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities – NAPRA”. This is required to confirm the validity of the language test results. Language test results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL-iBT) will be accepted if the test was taken on or before August 31, 2024. Results can be submitted by email and candidates are asked to ensure that the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) is the Destination Institution (DI). It is required to confirm the validity of a language test results. More details on this requirement are available on the Language Requirements page. Fees and timing will differ from one language test provider to another.

Bridging Program

$13,600

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Candidates who have passed the PEBC Evaluating Examination and have met the language proficiency requirements are eligible to apply to the CCPP program offered by the University of Alberta.

Successful completion of the CCPP program is a mandatory step in the licensure process in Alberta. Regardless of the pathway, completion of the CCPP program is required prior to starting Level 3 of the Structured Practical Training program.

Note: As of June 1, 2024, candidates will no longer be required to complete the CCPP program if they have:
• Graduated from a pharmacy program in the United States that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE); or
• Passed the PEBC Qualifying Examination Parts I (MCQ) and II (OSCE) on their first attempt.

Timing: The CCPP program is a 10-month program starting September and ending in June. The first two terms (Fall and Winter) are taken online followed by a third term (Spring) which includes a two-week session which must be taken on campus.

Application to ACP

$646

More details

Candidates who meet the criteria below are eligible to apply to the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP):
• Met the English language proficiency requirements,
AND
• Passed the PEBC Qualifying Examination Part I (MCQ), OR
• Passed the PEBC Qualifying Examination Part II (OSCE), OR
• Successfully completed the CCPP program.

Candidates must complete these two steps when applying to ACP:
1. Apply to PRA through their profile on Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada; and,
2. Submit the application form to be a provisional pharmacist (intern) to ACP.

Jurisprudence Examination

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Candidates registered as provisional pharmacist (intern) are eligible to take the jurisprudence examination.
• Candidates must successfully complete the ACP Jurisprudence Learning Module prior to starting level 1 of the structured practical training.
• Candidates must successfully complete the Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam prior to starting level 2 of the structured practical training.
• The fee for the first attempt of the jurisprudence examination is included in the initial application fee. The cost for each additional attempt is $180.

Structured Practical Training

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Candidates registered as provisional pharmacist (intern) are eligible to start their internship. Successful completion of 1,000 hours or more of structured practical training (SPT) will be required. SPT is divided into three (3) levels:
• Level 1 – minimum 450 hours
• Level 2 – minimum 450 hours
• Level 3 – minimum 100 hours

A provisional pharmacist must complete the CCPP program, unless they were exempted (see Bridging Program for more details), prior to beginning Level 3 of the SPT program.

Licensure / Registration

$969 per year

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Candidates who have completed all the licensure requirement may apply for a licence with the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP).

Candidates are asked to complete and submit the application for registration as a pharmacist including:
• Pharmacist practice annual permit fee;
• Evidence of minimum professional liability insurance (minimum of 2 million dollars).

After successful completion of all these requirements, candidates will be granted a licence to practise pharmacy in the province of Alberta.

* Fee is per attempt. Up to four attempts are permitted.
** Total may differ, depending on the number of attempts made to pass the PEBC Evaluation Examination and/or the PEBC Qualifying Examinations.

Financial Information

International pharmacy graduates (IPGs) who want to work as a pharmacist in Canada should be aware of the various fees and costs for each stage of the licensure process. Fees are charged for such things as enrolment in the Gateway, Document Evaluation, examinations, registration for internships and other components.

If candidates need to take additional training and education to qualify for a Canadian licence, they will also need to plan and budget for those additional costs.

Costs of Licensure

IPGs often underestimate the costs associated with obtaining a licence to practise in Canada. They will need to submit fees to separate organizations at different times throughout the process, such as when enrolling in the Gateway, registering to write exams and applying for their final licence.

Costs will differ for each province and territory. The specific fees charged in each Canadian province or territory are presented on their respective pages under the menu item “How to Apply”.

Candidates should also think about the costs of living in Canada while they progress through the licensure process.

Other Extra Costs

The process to licensure can incur additional unexpected costs that are important to keep in mind.

Additional education: Candidates may choose to complete additional training to improve their knowledge and skills in pharmacy and language. This can be in the form of registering for a course, hiring a tutor, or purchasing online tools or books.
Travel costs to examination centres: Candidates living outside of major Canadian cities must account for travel costs when scheduling an examination. This may include accommodation (i.e., hotel).
Immigration: Immigration is an expensive process. Further details are available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website.
Living costs: The cost of living will vary across Canada.

Resources

The Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition (FRC) program was developed to support the credential recognition process for internationally trained professionals who want to work in a regulated profession in Canada.

Visit the FRC program page for more information on the available resources, including financial resources, for candidates who are going through the licensure process.

Some financing options may also be available for candidates in the form of short-term loans from a Canadian banking institution.