Sanjay asked
I am registered pharmacist from India. I have completed master of pharmacy in pharmacology with first class.now I am coming to canada(alberta) on work permit. I need to know what I should have to do to become a registered pharmacist in Alberta and what are the job opportunities for me over there. Can u please help me? Thank you.
Answer
None of the pharmacists we have currently at this site are licensed in Canada, but I do have a professional acquaintance that is licensed in Canada that gave me some information. The most important thing is to contact the Alberta College of Pharmacists (ACP) as they are the organization you MUST register with with practice in Alberta. Their contact information is as follows:
Alberta College of Pharmacists
1200, 10303 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N6
Canada
Telephone: 780-990-0321
Toll-Free: 877-227-3838
Fax: 780-990-0328
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.pharmacists.ab.ca
I highly recommend contacting them as they can give you specific information as it pertains to YOUR individual situation.
There are basically 5 requirements to become a pharmacist in Alberta Canada if you are internationally educated.
1. Residency Requirement
You must be a permanent resident or landed immigrant of Canada, or you must hold a valid employment visa.
2. Academic Credentials
You must prove you are educated and licensed as a Pharmacist by providing the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) with:
Certified copies of a university degree certificate in Pharmacy and relevant transcripts from where you did your studies
Certified copies of a licensing statement from their current licensing authority
Proof of identity (birth certificate and, if applicable, a marriage certificate)
Proof of completing the PEBC Evaluating Exam.
3. Work Experience
You must register on the ACP Provincial Register as an intern. You must schedule an in-person meeting with the ACP in order to gain provisional status. The following documents must be brought to the registration appointment:
Original immigration papers (permanent residency card, Canadian citizenship card, immigration papers or employment visa)
Criminal record check not more than six (6) months old (this can be obtained from a local police station or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
Letter from PEBC stating successful completion of the PEBC Evaluating Exam (Qualifying Exam Part I and/or II if completed)
Proof of English language proficiency
Two (2) letters of character references written within the last year by someone other than a family member who has known the applicant for at least one (1) year
Two (2) passport photographs (approximate size: 2” x 2.75”)
Registration fee (see “Payment” below).
you must complete 1,000 hours of internship before registering with the ACP as a Pharmacist on the clinical register. The full 1,000 hours must be completed after you have enrolled in the ACP internship program. Hours completed prior to registering or hours completed in another provincial internship program cannot be applied against the 1,000-hour requirement in Alberta
4. English Language Proficiency
You must complete an English language proficiency requirement. Language proficiency test scores MUST be no more than two (2) years old at the time of registration. Information on acceptable tests and required scores is provided at https://pharmacists.ab.ca/nCollege/resource.aspx?id=6744.
5. Examinations
Three (3) examinations must be completed in order to register with ACP on the clinical register.
Before registering with ACP, you must complete the PEBC Evaluating Exam. Candidates are permitted a maximum of three (3) attempts to pass the exam, with a fourth attempt available upon successful completion of remediation.
Once your documents have been evaluated by PEBC and the PEBC Evaluating Exam has been successfully completed, you can complete the PEBC Qualifying Exam, Parts I and II. Candidates are permitted a maximum of three (3) attempts for each part of the exam, with a fourth attempt possibly available upon successful completion of remediation.
Individuals are also required to complete the provincial Jurisprudence Exam, administered by the Alberta College of Pharmacists. You must have completed at least 800 internship hours (see “Work Experience”) and be provisionally registered in order to take this exam. You must receive a minimum score of 70 per cent to be successful. Candidates are permitted a maximum of three (3) attempts to pass this exam.
Again, I highly recommend contacting the Alberta College Of Pharmacists to make sure everything is in order and you can successfully complete all the requirements put forth!
In terms of job opportunities, there are plenty out there that are available and the field is only going to continue to grow. The job sector with the most availability is the retail sector followed by in patient care such as hospitals. According to the province of Alberta, pharmacists earned an average of $43.57 to $56.75 an hour.
We wish you the absolute best luck in the future!
