British Columbia - Pharmacists' Gateway Canada

College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC)

Licensure Requirements

Requirements

Time (Months)

Cost

Enrolment in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada

$380

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Candidates are asked to enrol in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada and designate the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC)
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

$705

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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

$900*

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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 twice a year: once in the winter and once in the summer. Timing: The application deadline is typically four months before the examination date. PEBC will post the examination results three 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. More details on the application process are available on the PEBC website.

English Language Proficiency Requirement

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Language proficiency is a requirement for licensure in all provinces in Canada.
Not a requirement for U.S. graduates.

English language proficiency may be completed at any time prior to applying to the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC). The results must be current within two (2) years.
Language test results from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) can be submitted by email. The Test Report Form (TRF) number will be used 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) can be submitted by email. 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.

Application to CPBC

$535

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Candidates who pass the PEBC Evaluating Examination and met the English language proficiency are eligible to apply to the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC).

Candidates must complete two steps:
1. Apply through their profile on Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada,
2. Submit the pre-registration application and fee.

Bridging Program

$13,250

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Candidates who have successfully completed the PEBC Evaluating Examination and met the language proficiency requirement are eligible to apply for the Canadian Pharmacy Practice Programme (CP3).

Timing: The 24-week program includes 12 weeks of classroom instruction, followed by 12.5 weeks of practicum. The program is based upon courses in the undergraduate pharmacy program at the University of British Columbia.

Notes for U.S. Graduates: U.S. graduates with less than 1000 hours of patient-care hours in the last three years in the United States must complete the Structured Practical Training (SPT) Program. This requirement can only be met through the Canadian Pharmacy Practice Programme (CP3).

Structured Practical Training

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Successful completion of 500 hours of structured practical training (SPT). Requirements must be met through full enrolment in the University of British Columbia’s Canadian Pharmacy Practice Programme (CP3).

Timing: The 24-week program includes 12 weeks of classroom instruction, followed by 12.5 weeks of practicum. The program is based upon courses in the undergraduate pharmacy program at the University of British Columbia.

The time to complete the SPT program is included above with the bridging program.

U.S. graduates with less than 1000 hours of patient-care hours in the last three years in the United States must complete the Structured Practical Training (SPT) Program. This requirement can only be met through the Canadian Pharmacy Practice Programme (CP3).

PEBC Qualifying Examination

4.5

MCQ = $845*

OSCE = $1,895*

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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 wishing to be licensed in British Columbia must successfully pass both parts of the Qualifying Examination. This requirement can be met at any time prior to applying for licensure with the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC).
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.

Jurisprudence Examination

$335

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Candidates who have applied to the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC) are eligible to take the Jurisprudence Examination.
More details on the examination and the application process are available on the CPBC website.

Licensure / Registration

$973

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Candidates who have completed all the licensure requirements may apply for a licence in British Columbia.

Candidates are asked to complete and submit the application form to the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC) including:

• Annual fee of $973 CAD, plus tax and the criminal record check (CRC) fee,
• Evidence of minimum professional liability insurance (minimum of 2 million dollars); and,
• All required documents.

Application process details, form and checklist are available on the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC) website.

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

* 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 accommodations (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.

Financing Resources

Some financing options may also be available for candidates wishing to take a Bridging Program, in the form of short-term loans from a Canadian banking institution such as Scotiabank or RBC Royal Bank.

The Windmill Microlending provides microloans to immigrants to help them pay for the costs of obtaining the licensing or training they require to work in their field in Canada.

The Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society (PICS) in British Columbia offers a Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) Loan Program, which is partially funded by the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program. This program provides loans to evaluate credentials, short-term training courses, examination fees or membership fees up to $15,000. The goal of this program is to help internationally trained professionals from the health, education and technology sectors to get back to their professional field or alternative career field in British Columbia.