Jump To:How long does it take to process an application?
Applications to the College are generally processed within 1-2 months (including ~6 weeks for applicants coming through Gateway). May take longer during peak times. The fees and timelines charts for each pathway to registration list the processing time for various applications.
What do I do if one of my requirements has expired?
The Registration Committee has authorized College staff to extend the validity of some requirements (e.g., language proficiency test scores). A panel of the Registration Committee may consider extending the validity of some requirements (e.g., training). Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professionalism exam results will not be extended. Please contact registrantservices@ocpinfo.com for more information about expiry dates for your requirements.
I am an international applicant. What requirements could I complete before I move to Canada?
You may submit your documents for evaluation by the PEBC before your arrival. The PEBC Pharmacist Evaluating Exam may be offered in London, England for an additional fee. Please refer to the PEBC website for more information.
You may submit your language proficiency test results from any testing institution that offers one of the tests accepted by the College. Please refer to the website for each testing agency to find out where their testing institutions outside of Canada are located.
The online Orientation to the Canadian Health Care System, Culture and Context course that is part of the bridging education for international pharmacy technician applicants may be completed before your arrival. The program recommends that you only take this course if you are within three to six months before arriving in Canada.
The self-study reading and activities for the online IPG Program may be completed while you are overseas. You must provide evidence of your Canadian status to register for the IPG Program. Please refer to the IPG Program website for more information.
Why is the College increasing fees?
Stable revenues are required to support the College’s ability to meet our fundamental duties and mandate to protect the public and put in place strategic priorities defined by the Board. The steadily increasing pressures associated with higher volumes and complexity of complaints and investigations, the ongoing development of strategies and guidance to promote quality and safe pharmacy practice priorities, and the implementation of regulatory programs aimed at improving patient safety, along with the effective functioning of our core regulatory duties and objects as required under under law, all require dependable revenue streams for the College. Any fee increases do not outweigh our responsibility to ensure that our financial and human resources are used wisely at all times. We will continue to identify and act on efficiencies and new processes to streamline our work while we also invest in areas that will enable us to meet our regulatory obligations.
How are fee increases being calculated?
In March 2020, the Board passed by-law amendments that increase registrant fees each year by the percentage increase, if any, of the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) (Ontario, All Items) as published by Statistics Canada on September 30. For 2023, the fee increase was based on a CPI on September 30 of 6.7%.
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