Ontario

Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP)

Licensure Requirements

Requirement

Time (Months)

Cost

Enrolment in Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada

$380

PEBC Document Evaluation

2

$705

PEBC Evaluating Examination

4

$900*

PEBC Qualifying Examination

4.5

MCQ = $845*

OSCE = $1,895*

English or French Language Proficiency Requirement

Bridging Program

5

$14,180

Application to OCP

Practice Assessment of Competence at Entry (PACE)

Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professionalism Exam

$145.40

Licensure / Registration

$981.80

* 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.

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