COVID-19 and Registration Timelines
The regular timelines shown on this page and the individual pharmacist registration pathways have been affected by the closures of testing organizations across Canada and the suspension of on-site training and assessments in Ontario due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please see the registration pathway that best describes you to determine which registration requirements apply to your registration process. Estimates of the overall time and fees are included on each pathway.
In most cases, acceptable forms of payment to the College are Visa, MasterCard, American Express, cheque, or money order. However, fees for applications for a Certificate of Registration and the Jurisprudence. Ethics and Professionalism Exam must be paid online by credit card.
| Application | Processing Time | Valid For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-registration | Included in timelines below for each certificate of registration. | File kept open for 5 years | Required for students and graduates of CCAPP-accredited programs, and pharmacists already licensed in another Canadian province |
| Student Certificate of Registration | 1-2 months (including ~6 weeks for applicants coming through Gateway).
May take longer during peak times. | Status valid:
| Required to perform the authorized acts while:
|
| Intern Certificate of Registration | 1-2 months (including ~6 weeks for applicants coming through Gateway).
May take longer during peak times. | Status valid for 1 year | Required upon graduation from a CCAPP- or ACPE-accredited pharmacy degree program to perform the authorized acts before and during PACE, and until registered as a pharmacist |
| Pharmacist Certificate of Registration | 1-2 months. May take longer during peak times. | Valid until March 10 of the following year | Annual renewal of certificate of registration is due on or before March 10 of each subsequent year |
| Requirement | Processing Time | Valid For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice Assessment of Competence at Entry (PACE) | Up to 10 business days after both assessor's and applicant's conflict of interest declarations are submitted. May be longer during peak processing periods. | 2 years after date of successful completion of PACE | Must be registered as a student or intern to apply and until final date of assessment Not required for:
A PACE Reassessment Fee is charged for the second and all subsequent reassessments |
| Jurisprudence. Ethics and Professionalism Examination | Online OCP application processed immediately.
Online Prometric application processed immediately. Results are released within 4 – 5 weeks after the exam. | 3 years | Initial application deadline is 30 days before the exam date. Late applications with a late fee may be accepted only if spaces remain. |
| Provider | Requirement | Processing Time | Valid For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) | Pharmacists' Gateway Canada enrollment | Online application processed immediately | Required for pharmacist applicants who did not graduate from a CCAPP-accredited program
May enroll before arrival in Canada | |
| Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) | Document Evaluation | Acknowledgment:
6 weeks (approx) Results: 8 weeks | 5 years | Required for ACPE-accredited program graduates to apply for the Qualifying Exam
Required for international pharmacy graduates to apply for the Evaluating Exam May be completed before arrival in Canada |
| Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) | Pharmacist Evaluating Exam | Application: 3 months (approx) Results: 3 weeks | Must successfully complete within 5 years of Document Evaluation | Required for international pharmacy graduates to apply for the Qualifying Exam |
| Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) | Pharmacist Qualifying Exam | Application: 3 months (approx)
Results: 6 weeks (approx) | PEBC requires both parts of the exam to be successfully completed within 3 years of each other | Required for all pharmacist applicants who are not already licensed in another Canadian province |
| University of Toronto, Faculty of Pharmacy | International Pharmacy Graduate Program (IPG Program) | Accepted by OCP as proof that your knowledge, skills and judgment are current for 2 years from graduation date | Required for international pharmacy graduates who did not successfully complete Parts I and II of the PEBC Pharmacist Qualifying Exam on their first attempt at each | |
| Various | Language proficiency testing | Timelines vary depending on the agency | 2 years from test date | Required for international pharmacy graduates
May be completed before arrival in Canada |
| Sterling Talent Solutions or Ontario local police station | Police background check | 24 hours for online check through Sterling Talent Solutions or varies depending on the local police station | 6 months from report date | Must be valid when submitting an application to register as a student, intern or pharmacist |
| The College does not endorse any particular insurance provider | Personal professional liability insurance | 1 year. Must be maintained as long as you are registered as a student, intern or Part A pharmacist | Required before submitting an application to register as a student, intern or pharmacist | |
| Other education if required by a panel of the Registration Committee | Varies | The panel will determine the timing of any required courses |
College Contact: registrantservices@ocpinfo.com
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