Qualifying to work as a pharmacist in Canada

Dear Miss Powell,

I am a final-year pharmacy student at the University of Technology, Jamaica. I have less than two months to go before I complete the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. The programme is an internationally accredited one from both a United States and a British university. I want to know, what are my chances of migrating to Canada to practise as a licensed pharmacist after I have graduated and completed the one-year internship programme needed for me to get my license? I further want to know the alternative methods of migrating to and obtaining citizenship in Canada with a Bachelor of Pharmacy if going directly to Canada only as a licensed pharmacist is not possible. Additionally, please advise me on the probability of working in Canada as a licensed pharmacist from Jamaica without having to redo the entire programme in Canada. Thanks in advance.

-SRF

Dear SRF,

Like most professionals, a pharmacist must have a licence to practise in Ontario, Canada. The qualification is known as a Certificate of Registration as a Pharmacist from the Council of Ontario College of Pharmacists. Since you fall under the category of 'internationally trained pharmacists', you will need to go through an accreditation process. This process could take up to two years. You may not be required to do the entire programme over, but you will need to be evaluated by the Pharmacy Examination Board of Canada (PEBC). You will also be required to do the PEBC evaluating examination. To do so, complete their Document Evaluation Form and submit so that they can evaluate your qualifications. You will need to ensure that you have your transcripts and certificates and the required fee to submit with your application. Information about this programme can be found at www.pebc.ca.

I would recommend that you also visit the University of Toronto or University of Waterloo website for information on becoming a part of their International Pharmacy Graduate Program. This programme helps internationally trained pharmacists meet the Canadian practice standards.

CAP REACHED FOR 2012

I must caution you that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has put a limit on the number of pharmacists that they allow each year. They have reached their cap or limit for 2012. Nevertheless, you should prepare yourself by ensuring that upon graduation, you seek employment as a full-time pharmacist and submit your evaluation package to the PEBC. The evaluation process could be processed while you continue to gain some work experience, which is a necessary part of the evaluation process.

The process of becoming a Canadian citizen is a step-by-step one, and you will first need to become a permanent resident, then you must have lived in Canada for at least three years in the past four years, before applying. So I would recommend that you focus on becoming qualified as a Canadian resident first.

There are other ways to immigrate to Canada. If you have a job offer, then you may submit an application for a work permit or under the arranged employment category. If you have relatives in Canada, then you could also explore the possibilities of them sponsoring you. Remember that before you qualify as an immigrant, you will need to satisfy CIC's security and medical evaluations.

If you have additional questions, consult with an immigration lawyer to provide you with personal assistance with your case.

Best of luck!

Deidre S. Powell is a lawyer, mediator and notary public who is a member of the Jamaican and Ontario, Canada bars, with main office located in Ottawa, Ontario. Her areas of practice are in immigration, personal injury, family, and administration of estates. She is on the roster of mediators for Ottawa, Toronto and the Dispute Resolution Foundation of Jamaica. Email: info@deidrepowell.com. Subject line: Immigration