Professional licensing

Why you see this The MCC accepts translations from three providers only, and you deal with them directly.

Comes after: Open a physiciansapply.ca account and confirm your identity

1. Providers: ITC Global, NATIONS Translation Group or Straker. You pay them directly; the MCC does not refund translations that are not accepted.
2. Upload the original with the translation exactly as you received it, without adding or removing pages.
3. Translate the back of a credential only if it has vital information or stamps not on the front.

How you know it is done When the translation is uploaded with the original, or if all your documents are already in English or French.

Why you see this The MCC sends your degree to ECFMG, which asks your university directly. You must submit and pay this before applying for the MCCQE.

Comes after: Open a physiciansapply.ca account and confirm your identity

1. From your account, submit the verification request for your degree and pay. The MCC reviews the documents and tells you if anything needs fixing.
2. Also verify the credentials your route needs: internship, postgraduate training and specialist certificate. Each credential has its own fee.
3. If ECFMG verified your documents before (for example EPIC or USMLE), still submit and pay, then send your number by message so the earlier verification may be reused.
4. If you need an immigration Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), the MCC is the designated body for physicians. It is for immigration only and does not let you practise.

Fee: CAD 232 · Source verification, per credential (non-refundable) · Medical Council of Canada

How you know it is done When the request is submitted and paid.

Why you see this We found no published national rule for universities that cannot reply because of war or conflict, such as in Sudan.

Comes after: Open a physiciansapply.ca account and confirm your identity

1. If the university does not reply, ECFMG re-sends every two months, up to three requests. After that nothing more happens until the university replies.
2. You may ask for courier delivery at your own cost.
3. Write to the MCC and CPSBC, explain your situation and ask about any alternative arrangement.
4. Do not rely on anyone offering verification or substitute documents that do not come from the university.

How you know it is done When you have a written answer from the MCC.

Why you see this The ball is with your university. Meanwhile you can work on language and exams.

Comes after: Request source verification of your medical degree (SVR)

1. ECFMG usually sends the documents to the university within 5 days and usually updates your status within 5 to 10 days of receiving the verification certificate.
2. If your request is more than two years old, contact the MCC: a new request at the current fee may be needed.

Published processing time: No time is guaranteed. University replies can take three months or longer. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When your degree status reads “verification returned – passed”.

Why you see this The common standard lets a regulator accept evidence other than a test. But the MCC eBook says a test is generally still required if you studied in a country whose first language is not English, even when teaching was in English.

1. Evidence that may be accepted: medical education or training in English (its weight fades over time), medical exams passed in English, or documented practice in English.
2. If your route is PRA-BC, a language test is required: the program does not accept waiver letters, unless you hold a current medical licence in a Canadian province or territory (for example as an associate physician).
3. CPSBC waives the test in two cases. First: the primary language of your medical education and the primary language of your patient care were both English (it takes the language of instruction from WDOMS). Second: you hold a valid licence in a majority native-English-speaking country (19 listed) and practise independently primarily in English. Only the second case depends on the country list, and Sudan is not on it.
4. There is an exemption for exceptional circumstances, with third-party evidence showing no risk to patients.
5. If CPSBC does not accept it, you will need a language test.

How you know it is done When you know in writing whether your evidence is accepted or a test is needed.

Why you see this These are the tests and scores in the regulators’ common standard. Your province’s rules follow.

1. OET Medicine is preferred: grade B in each component.
2. Or IELTS Academic: 7.0 in each of the four components. Or CELPIP General: 9 in each component.
3. The result must be from within 24 months before you apply for registration. The regulator may waive this if you have worked or trained in English since the test.
4. CPSBC: all scores in one sitting, valid two years from the test date. Scores from different sittings are not combined.
5. Results go directly to CPSBC: IELTS by listing CPSBC on the form, OET through myOET, CELPIP through Paragon’s service.
6. PRA-BC requires a test and no longer accepts waiver letters (from April 17, 2026). The one exception: applicants with a current, valid medical licence in a Canadian province or territory (for example an associate physician or clinical assistant) may be exempt. A recently expired result may be considered case by case.

How you know it is done When you have a result with the required scores from the last 24 months.

Why you see this It is required for residency in Canada and for the LMCC you need for a full licence, and most PRA programs use it.

Comes after: Request source verification of your medical degree (SVR)

1. From your account: Examinations, then “Apply for an exam”. Once accepted you have 12 months to book and sit it (extendable once).
2. Booking is at Prometric centres only, first come first served, up to five months ahead. Remote proctoring is paused from the August 2026 session.
3. The exam is one day: 230 multiple-choice questions in two sections.
4. 2027 sessions: Jan 19–Feb 11, Apr 27–Jun 1, Aug 10–Sep 7 and Oct 5–26.
5. You have four attempts only, with a full one-year wait after the third result. The pass score is 439 (scale 300–600).
6. If something goes wrong on exam day, report it within 7 days and request reconsideration within 15 days of the result. The only possible outcome is No Standing (not counted as an attempt), never a pass.

Fee: CAD 1500 · MCCQE application · Medical Council of Canada

Fee: CAD 120 · Eligibility window extension (if needed) · Medical Council of Canada

Fee: CAD 1200 · Appeal (if needed) · Medical Council of Canada

Published processing time: Up to four weeks for the application. Results four weeks after the last day of the session (five for April). (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When a pass result appears in your account.

Why you see this It is required to apply to the residency match (CaRMS).

Comes after: Request source verification of your medical degree (SVR)

1. Your degree must be “reviewed and accepted” in your account. The MCCQE and NAC can be taken in either order.
2. Apply during the session’s application window and rank up to three centres. It runs twice a year (spring and fall), in person in Canada only.
3. Half a day: 12 clinical stations. In English at all centres and in French at some.
4. You have three attempts, not in consecutive sessions. The pass score is 577 (scale 500–700); results come about eight weeks later.
5. The result has no time restriction, but only your most recent result counts.

Fee: CAD 3320 · NAC application · Medical Council of Canada

Published processing time: Up to four weeks for the application. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When a pass result appears in your account.

Why you see this Most PRA programs require it, including PRA-BC per the MCC eBook. Passing it alone does not get you into a program.

Comes after: Request source verification of your medical degree (SVR)

1. Your degree must be “reviewed and accepted”. You do not need program approval to apply.
2. Four hours at a Prometric centre: 55 cases, about 110–140 questions, in English or French, in Canada and abroad.
3. Four attempts only, pass or fail. After a fail you cannot apply to the next consecutive session, and after three fails in a row you wait a year.
4. The MCC publishes no result validity. Programs set their own window.
5. PRA-BC refers only applicants who passed the TDM within the previous three years.
6. PRA-BC says the four attempts include at most two passes. This is the program’s rule, not the MCC’s.
7. If you are sponsored and complete the field assessment, PRA-BC reimburses your TDM fees.

Fee: CAD 2850 · TDM application · Medical Council of Canada

Published processing time: Up to five business days for the application. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When a pass result appears in your account.

Why you see this A free one-time virtual consultation of about an hour. It is a pilot with limited spots.

Comes after: Check that your medical school and degree are acceptable

1. Fill in the expression-of-interest form on the service page and check the eligibility criteria.

How you know it is done When you know your route, with or without the consultation.

Why you see this CaRMS’s general rule: citizen or permanent resident at the time of application, and pending applications are not accepted. Provinces differ; details follow.

1. There are province-specific exceptions. Read CaRMS’s citizenship summary for your province before paying.
2. Per CaRMS’s 2026 table, protected persons are not eligible in BC, and BC requires government proof of the right to work.
3. The 2027 provincial criteria were not yet posted when we read the page.

How you know it is done When you know whether you are eligible for this year’s match.

Why you see this An international graduate without completed postgraduate training enters residency through the match.

Comes after: Take the MCCQE (Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination)Take the NAC Examination (clinical, in Canada)

1. BC requires a provincial assessment before CaRMS: UBC’s IMGBC Clinical Assessment Program (CAP). The 2026 window was August 1–25 (closed). We could not read its requirements or fees on the UBC site, so check the CAP portal.
2. IMG-BC positions for the 2027 match: family medicine with a two-year return of service, and psychiatry, internal medicine and paediatrics with three years in Northern Health.
3. The BC government reports a Supreme Court judgment on return-of-service obligations and says existing agreements remain in effect.
4. Share your MCCQE and NAC results with CaRMS before file review (usually late November).
5. You need a Medical Identification Number for Canada (MINC). The MCC issues it, with written consent, to applicants to its exams.
6. In CaRMS Online: register and pay, prove citizenship (share your MCC identity validity period or upload a document), upload your transcript and MSPR, request references, apply to programs, attend virtual interviews, then submit your rank order list.
7. Read the provincial criteria and pay attention to return-of-service requirements.
8. 2027 dates: citizenship proof through the MCC by October 16, 2026; applications by November 26, 2026 at noon ET; match day March 2, 2027. Your degree must be completed by July 1 of the match year.
9. The fees page shows two tables. Confirm the fee before paying.

Fee: CAD 301.6 plus tax · Match participation fee (includes four programs) · CaRMS

Fee: CAD 66.26 plus tax · Each additional program · CaRMS

How you know it is done When you submit your rank order list.

Why you see this CaRMS matches your rank list with the programs’ lists.

Comes after: Apply to the CaRMS R-1 Main Residency Match

1. When you receive the result, record it here.

How you know it is done When you know the result.

Why you see this You can apply in a later cycle. We have not read CaRMS’s rules for later rounds.

Comes after: Match result

1. Read CaRMS’s page on later rounds and consider the MCC’s free consultation.

How you know it is done When you decide your next step.

Why you see this Every regulator requires recent practice, and each PRA program sets its own threshold.

1. Ask PRA-BC in writing about its threshold before paying exam fees.

How you know it is done When you know whether your practice is recent enough.

Why you see this Twelve regulators take this application through the account; Ontario is not one of them.

Comes after: Request source verification of your medical degree (SVR)

1. Submit this only when PRA-BC or CPSBC tells you to. CPSBC needs it together with the preliminary assessment documents.
2. The application is prefilled from the documents in your account. The regulator may ask for more documents and its own fee.
3. A refund needs the regulator’s approval and carries a $70 administrative fee.

Fee: CAD 240 · MCC Application for Medical Registration · Medical Council of Canada

How you know it is done When the application reaches the regulator.

Why you see this For specialists trained outside Canada, the US and approved jurisdictions, in a recognized primary specialty that is substantially equivalent.

Comes after: Request source verification of your medical degree (SVR)

1. Apply through the Royal College eBooking platform: CV, degree, internship documents, a signed letter from the program director with training dates and rotations, and a CanMEDS competence attestation.
2. The degree, internship and training documents are verified through physiciansapply.
3. Deadline: April 30 of the year before a spring exam, or August 31 of the year before a fall exam.
4. No practice time is needed for exam eligibility. Fees are non-refundable; we could not read the amount on the Royal College site.

Published processing time: Assessing a complete application can take three to six months. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When you receive the ruling letter.

Why you see this The letter says whether you are eligible for the exam, or what additional training is required.

Comes after: Specialist: apply to the Royal College Practice Eligibility Route (PER)

1. Reconsideration is possible only on substantive new information or a policy error. The Executive Director’s decision is final, with no appeal.
2. When you receive the decision, record it here.

How you know it is done When the letter arrives.

Why you see this The ruling letter states the additional residency training required.

Comes after: The Royal College eligibility ruling

1. Additional training usually means residency in Canada, through the CaRMS match. Change your answers here to see the residency route.

How you know it is done When you know the required training and how to get it.

Why you see this You have a five-year eligibility period and four attempts per exam component.

Comes after: The Royal College eligibility ruling

1. Registration: Sept 1–Nov 4 of the year before a spring exam, or Feb 1–Apr 15 for a fall exam.

How you know it is done When you pass the exam.

Why you see this The CFPC recognizes training and certification from Australia, Ireland, the UK and the US.

1. Read the Equivalent Jurisdictional Pathway page and check your training meets its conditions.

Fee: CAD 533 · Equivalent Jurisdictional Pathway application · College of Family Physicians of Canada

Fee: CAD 3518 · Certification fee (from March 1, 2026) · College of Family Physicians of Canada

How you know it is done When you receive CFPC certification.

Why you see this Substantially equivalent training opens the approved-jurisdiction route. We could not read the list on the Royal College site.

1. Open the approved-jurisdictions page on the Royal College site, check that your country of training is listed and read the conditions.
2. If your country is not listed, change your answer here to see the PER route.

How you know it is done When you know whether your training is from an approved jurisdiction.

Why you see this PRA-BC is the main route for a family physician trained in a non-approved jurisdiction such as Sudan.

Comes after: Check that your medical school and degree are acceptable

1. Two years of postgraduate training leading to family medicine, with the seven core rotations: at least 4 weeks each of internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry and emergency medicine, plus 8 weeks of family practice.
2. Two years of independent family practice, and in the last three years at least 24 weeks and not less than 960 hours of clinical practice (excluding research, teaching, administration and regulatory work).
3. Degree, passport and training letters verified in physiciansapply, a CV that explains all your activities, and an English test.
4. The internal review prioritises recent emergency experience and ATLS, ACLS and PALS certificates.
5. PRA-BC is currently reviewing complete expressions of interest submitted before January 31, 2026; later ones are waitlisted with no date.
6. The assessment licence needs the right to live and work in BC. After selection, PRA-BC recommends the BC PNP Health Authority stream.

How you know it is done When you know whether you meet the requirements.

Why you see this Application documents are only accepted through your Health Match BC account, and the service is free.

Comes after: Check the PRA-BC pre-screening requirementsRequest source verification of your medical degree (SVR)

1. Create an account: Physician, then Family Practitioner/General Practitioner, and tick the PRA-BC box.
2. Upload a current CV (PRA-BC publishes a guide and sample) and complete the PRA-BC form.
3. Do not apply directly to CPSBC for the assessment licence: PRA-BC refers you.

How you know it is done When PRA-BC forwards your file to CPSBC for a preliminary assessment.

Why you see this The letter lists your pre-licensure requirements and is valid for three years.

Comes after: Register with Health Match BC and apply to PRA-BCSubmit the Application for Medical Registration (AMR) to CPSBC through physiciansapply

1. The Licence Committee may require an interview, testing, an assessment or a trial practice period under supervised observation.
2. When you receive the letter, record it here.

Fee: CAD 650 · Preliminary assessment of qualification (unless waived) · CPSBC

Published processing time: CPSBC pages say four to five weeks; its timelines page says two to three weeks after all documents are in. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When you receive the preliminary assessment letter.

Why you see this There is no appeal of the registrar’s adverse application decision. Reconsideration is allowed once only, within 30 days of receiving it.

Comes after: CPSBC does the preliminary assessment of eligibility

1. Grounds are limited, for example a decision contrary to the Act or bylaws, or not procedurally fair.
2. Application fees are not refundable.

Fee: CAD 100 · Application for reconsideration or review · CPSBC

How you know it is done When you submit the request or decide not to.

Why you see this With an eligibility letter and a TDM pass within three years, you may be referred for interviews. Selection is competitive, with limited communities each intake.

Comes after: CPSBC does the preliminary assessment of eligibilityTake the TDM Examination (therapeutics decision-making)

1. PRA-BC strongly advises emergency practice and ATLS, ACLS, PALS and NRP certificates.
2. Intakes run in spring and fall, with up to 96 positions a year.
3. When you receive the result, record it here.

How you know it is done When you know the result.

Why you see this PRA-BC has not published how long you stay in the pool.

Comes after: Health-authority interview and selection

1. The eligibility letter is valid three years and the TDM pass must be within three years. Watch these dates.

How you know it is done When you are selected or choose another route.

Why you see this PER applicants must pass the exam before provisional (specialty) licensure. BC accepts only Alberta’s PRA as a specialist PRA.

Comes after: Register for and pass the specialty exam

1. Pre-screening through Health Match BC, a recruiter or CPSBC directly (licensing@cpsbc.ca).
2. Submit the AMR in physiciansapply when asked, with the preliminary assessment documents.
3. You must give CPSBC your specialty certificate from the international body, even with a Royal College ruling.

Fee: CAD 650 · Preliminary assessment (unless waived) · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 240 · MCC AMR · Medical Council of Canada

How you know it is done When you receive the eligibility letter.

Why you see this Residency needs an educational registration with CPSBC; its length depends on the specialty.

Comes after: Match result

1. Your program and the regulator explain the registration you need.
2. At the end you take the CFPC or Royal College certification exam.

How you know it is done When you complete residency and pass the certification exam.

Why you see this The Royal College requirement for certification through PER.

Comes after: Register for and pass the specialty exam

1. Two full-time years in one location, with at least half your practice in the specialty, then an assessment with multisource feedback. The provisional licence for this practice comes from CPSBC.

How you know it is done When you receive Royal College certification.

Why you see this The government says the contract warrants independent legal advice and that breaking it has significant financial consequences.

Comes after: Health-authority interview and selection

1. Under the 2026 template: if the contract ends through your breach before the first day of orientation, you repay $90,000 plus interest. From the first day of orientation until the service is complete: $402,000 plus interest.
2. The amount is not pro-rated for partial service.
3. If it ends because you cannot start or do not pass the field assessment, the Province may reduce the amount (even to zero), at its discretion, not automatically.
4. This is a template. The contract you sign is binding.
5. Immigration: the BC PNP Health Authority stream, after a health authority selects you and you sign the contracts.

How you know it is done When you sign the contract and the health authority requests your assessment licence from CPSBC.

Why you see this You practise only what the assessment needs, under trained assessors, at a site different from your service community.

Comes after: Sign the return-of-service contract: three years full time

1. Your file manager sends a secondary application. Then a phone interview on licence terms, no more than two weeks before the assessment.
2. Orientation in Vancouver, then 12 weeks, including two weeks of emergency medicine (10 shifts).
3. Spring 2027: orientation April 4–9, assessment April 12–July 2. Fall 2027: orientation September 19–24, assessment September 27–December 17. Dates may change.

Fee: CAD 140 · Assessment licence application · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 100 · Assessment licence renewal · CPSBC

How you know it is done When you complete the 12 weeks.

Why you see this If successful, you may move to the provisional class. The licence ends if the assessment is stopped for competency concerns.

Comes after: The assessment licence and the 12-week field assessment

1. When you receive the result, record it here.

How you know it is done When you know the result.

Why you see this PRA-BC publishes no appeal. Adverse registrar decisions can be reconsidered within 30 days.

Comes after: Field assessment result

1. Check the contract clause on failing the assessment: the Province may reduce the repayment at its discretion. Get legal advice.

Fee: CAD 100 · Application for reconsideration · CPSBC

How you know it is done When you decide your next step.

Why you see this You practise in your service community under supervision, for a three-year return of service.

Comes after: Field assessment result

1. A sponsorship letter from a health authority or medical school naming your supervisor. An individual physician cannot be a sponsor.
2. Requirements for every licence: two IDs in English, one proving the right to live and work in BC (and, at first licensure, one issued by a Canadian authority), references, liability protection of at least $10 million, a criminal record check with a Canadian-notarized copy of your passport and driver’s licence, and certificates of professional conduct from every past regulator dated within 60 days.
3. With under 12 months of independent practice in Canada: enrol in BC-PIP within one month of licensure and finish within a year.
4. The licence ends if sponsorship is withdrawn, supervision is withdrawn for competency, or no new supervisor is found within 7 days.

Fee: CAD 665 · Provisional licence application · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 1925 · Annual renewal · CPSBC

Published processing time: Final review up to one week; the licence within three business days of payment. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When the provisional licence is issued.

Why you see this The same provisional requirements: a sponsor (health authority or medical school), a supervisor, and BC-PIP if you have under a year in Canada.

Comes after: Specialist: after passing the Royal College exam, pre-screening and CPSBC’s preliminary assessment

1. CPSBC says a PER applicant may apply for Royal College certification after two years of practice in Canada as an independent specialist.

Fee: CAD 665 · Provisional licence application · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 1925 · Annual renewal · CPSBC

How you know it is done When the provisional licence is issued.

Why you see this Residents at UBC or SFU need an educational licence.

Comes after: Match result

1. Sign the IMG-BC return-of-service agreement before you start.

Fee: CAD 140 · Resident licence application · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 150 · Resident licence renewal · CPSBC

How you know it is done When you start residency with a CPSBC licence.

Why you see this It is part of the common standard for a full licence.

Comes after: Take the MCCQE (Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination)ECFMG contacts your university and the MCC updates your status

1. Requirements: an acceptable school, an MCCQE pass, a verified degree and nothing owing to the MCC.
2. If you applied for the MCCQE after January 26, 2026, it is issued automatically at no cost. If earlier, apply under Other Service Requests and pay $50.
3. It is now a digital number; paper certificates are not issued automatically.

How you know it is done When an LMCC number is issued.

Why you see this The provisional licence lasts five years at most. Without a move it expires, unless the Licence Committee extends it. If the Committee finds that you have not met your licensure requirements, you are not eligible to reapply for a provisional licence.

Comes after: The provisional (family) licence with a sponsor and supervisorThe provisional (specialty) licence with a sponsor

1. Family: CFPC certification by exam within five years. Specialty: Royal College certification within five years.
2. Or CPSBC’s licensing assessment at your cost, after two years of continuous practice in BC.
3. Or the restricted class after five years of supervised practice with a sponsorship letter. You may stay in it indefinitely and move to full later.
4. The five-year clock starts on your first day of licensure and keeps running if you leave BC. Extensions are only for exceptional circumstances with evidence; poor planning does not count.
5. Renew each year by March 1 (the Bylaws say February 1). Liability protection of $10 million, and a criminal record check every five years.
6. If not renewed before March 1: a $500 late fee, and before April 1: an additional $300. The licence is suspended on April 1, and you cannot practise until the renewal is complete.

Fee: CAD 12000 · CPSBC licensing assessment (if chosen) · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 1925 · Annual renewal · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 500 · Late fee if not renewed before March 1 · CPSBC

Fee: CAD 300 · Additional late fee if not renewed before April 1 · CPSBC

How you know it is done When you hold the full or restricted licence.

Why you see this Family physicians from Australia, Ireland, the UK and the US, and specialists from Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland and the UK. Not every specialty is approved in each jurisdiction.

Comes after: Open a physiciansapply.ca account and confirm your identity

1. Do not apply before you receive your certification or certificate of completion of training (CCT) from your country of training. You do not need to wait for CFPC or Royal College certification on this route, and a ruling may not be needed, but if CPSBC cannot determine your eligibility it may ask for an exam eligibility letter from the CFPC or the Royal College.
2. Submit the AMR in physiciansapply no more than three months before your start date (citizen, PR or work permit), or six months if you have no status.
3. Secondary package: certificates of professional conduct within 60 days, references and language proof. BC-PIP if you have under a year of practice in Canada.

Fee: CAD 665 · Full licence application (plus MCC fees) · CPSBC

Published processing time: An average of six to eight weeks. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)

How you know it is done When the full licence is issued.