Why you see this Without the note you are not eligible for the MCC exams and the common standard for a full licence is not met. We found no published national alternative.
Check your school’s listing again: some schools are acceptable only for certain periods.
Write to the MCC and CPSNL and explain your situation before paying any fee.
How you know it is done When you have a written answer.
Why you see this All MCC services (verification, exams, registration application) run through this account.
Comes after:
Create the account and pay the one-time set-up fee.
Have an acceptable official certify a copy of your passport with you present in person. From the passport, only the pages with name, photo, signature, date of birth and expiry.
Upload a colour JPG photo from the last six months and your signature in blue or black pen on plain white paper.
One PDF or JPG file per document, under 10 MB and without a password. Do not mail originals.
If you plan to apply to the 2027 residency match and want to prove citizenship or status through the MCC: submit an MCCQE application and the required documents by October 16, 2026.
Document
Issued by
Sent to
Certified passport copy, photo and signature
An acceptable certifying official, and you
MCC (upload)
Fee: CAD 150 · physiciansapply.ca account set-up (one-time, non-refundable) · Medical Council of Canada
How you know it is done When an Identity Expiry Date appears under Documents in your account.
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:
From your account, submit the verification request for your degree and pay. The MCC reviews the documents and tells you if anything needs fixing.
Also verify the credentials your route needs: internship, postgraduate training and specialist certificate. Each credential has its own fee.
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.
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.
Document
Issued by
Sent to
Medical degree (plus transcript, internship and training documents as your route needs)
Why you see this The ball is with your university. Meanwhile you can work on language and exams.
Comes after:
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.
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.
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.
CPSNL exempts you if more than half of your medical education (or training), or more than half of your patient care, was in English. Its English-country list does not include Sudan.
Or an attestation from the Chief of Staff of a Canadian facility with a test passed within 36 months, two years of practice in English in Canada, or a CFPC or Royal College exam passed in English.
If CPSNL 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.
OET Medicine is preferred: grade B in each component.
Or IELTS Academic: 7.0 in each of the four components. Or CELPIP General: 9 in each component.
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.
CPSNL: the test within 24 months of applying, with the scores in no more than two combined sittings of the same test.
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:
From your account: Examinations, then “Apply for an exam”. Once accepted you have 12 months to book and sit it (extendable once).
Booking is at Prometric centres only, first come first served, up to five months ahead. Remote proctoring is paused from the August 2026 session.
The exam is one day: 230 multiple-choice questions in two sections.
2027 sessions: Jan 19–Feb 11, Apr 27–Jun 1, Aug 10–Sep 7 and Oct 5–26.
You have four attempts only, with a full one-year wait after the third result. The pass score is 439 (scale 300–600).
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.
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 CaRMS’s general rule: citizen or permanent resident at the time of application, and pending applications are not accepted. Provinces differ; details follow.
There are province-specific exceptions. Read CaRMS’s citizenship summary for your province before paying.
Memorial says all IMGs must be citizens or permanent residents, and CaRMS’s 2026 table shows protected persons as not eligible in Newfoundland and Labrador.
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:
Memorial has IMG streams in family medicine and internal medicine. Family medicine: two years of service in the Labrador-Grenfell zone or five years elsewhere in the province. Internal medicine: five years in the province. In both, the return-in-service agreement is signed by March 23, 2027 (second iteration: by May 11, 2027).
Memorial is stricter than CPSNL on language: it exempts only if both medical education and patient care were in a listed country (Sudan is not listed), and a letter from your school is not enough. It does not accept the USMLE instead of MCC exams.
If you have been away from training or practice for more than three years, you will not be considered. Observing, volunteering and clinical assisting do not count as practice.
Memorial describes its IMG stream as for those “without prior postgraduate training” and does not say whether training abroad excludes you. Ask Memorial.
Share your MCCQE and NAC results with CaRMS before file review (usually late November).
You need a Medical Identification Number for Canada (MINC). The MCC issues it, with written consent, to applicants to its exams.
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.
Read the provincial criteria and pay attention to return-of-service requirements.
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.
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 For specialists trained outside Canada, the US and approved jurisdictions, in a recognized primary specialty that is substantially equivalent.
Comes after:
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.
The degree, internship and training documents are verified through physiciansapply.
Deadline: April 30 of the year before a spring exam, or August 31 of the year before a fall exam.
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 A criminal record and vulnerable sector check is mandatory for every CPSNL licence applicant.
Comes after:
From the local police where you currently live; if you live in Canada, an RCMP check is accepted. It is valid for one year and must be valid when the licence is issued.
If your country issues no vulnerable sector check, you sign a CPSNL-approved attestation form.
They may ask for up to three references, certificates of conduct from every jurisdiction where you held a licence in the last 10 years (such as the Sudan Medical Council), a background questionnaire and photo ID.
How you know it is done When the documents are ready.
Why you see this This is the main route for an internationally trained family physician, through PRA-NL.
Comes after:
Two or more years of postgraduate training appropriate to family medicine. Or one to under two years if that is the accepted pathway where you trained, with the core rotations and two years of independent practice.
Rotations: 8 weeks of family medicine and 4 weeks each of surgery, internal medicine, paediatrics, emergency, obstetrics and gynaecology and psychiatry. Each year of family practice covers a 4-week gap, up to three.
450 clinical hours in the last three years. The old waiver for PRA applicants is gone.
You must be registered or recognized as a general or family physician in another jurisdiction. Keep proof of your Sudan Medical Council registration ready.
How you know it is done When you know you meet the requirements.
Why you see this A College delegate reviews it and replies in writing.
Comes after:
Submit a written request on the approved form within 30 days of the decision, with your documents. The fee is refunded if the decision changes in your favour.
Or appeal to a judge of the Supreme Court within 30 days of notice of the refusal.
Why you see this Incomplete applications are not accepted. CPSNL eligibility does not guarantee selection.
Comes after:
Required: the CPSNL letter, passes in the MCCQE (or USMLE), NAC and TDM, 450 hours of family practice in the last three years, and fewer than two failed Canadian PRA attempts. All documents through physiciansapply.
Selection favours family-focused training, current BLS, ATLS, ACLS and PALS, steady family practice as most responsible physician, and rural emergency experience.
Dates are tentative and may change. The PRA-NL fee is not published, and interview costs are yours.
How you know it is done When the application is accepted as complete.
Why you see this Phase 1 requires proof of eligibility to work in Canada. The committee selects and decides the pathway.
Comes after:
Two pathways: full-scope family medicine (office, emergency, inpatient, long-term care), leading to an unrestricted provisional licence; or office-only, leading to a licence restricted to the assessment’s scope.
If you accept a seat, PRA-NL sends your CV to NL Health Services for sponsorship, which is required for the assessment.
Why you see this Newfoundland and Labrador has no specialist PRA. CPSNL requires proof that you are eligible for a Royal College primary certification written exam, that is, the PER eligibility letter.
Comes after:
Submit the AMR to CPSNL through physiciansapply, with CPSNL’s fees: the application $450 (non-refundable) and the review of qualifications $250.
You need specialty training, the MCCQE (or an alternative), proof of Royal College exam eligibility, and sponsorship.
In Newfoundland and Labrador the provisional licence comes on exam eligibility, before you pass. You must then obtain Royal College certification in your primary specialty within five years of the provisional licence. Otherwise CPSNL reviews your case and may add conditions or restrictions.
Why you see this The Royal College requirement for certification through PER.
Comes after:
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 CPSNL.
How you know it is done When you receive Royal College certification.
Why you see this Twelve weeks in an NL Health Services zone under assessors, including after-hours and on-call duties. It is not a training program.
Comes after:
Before the assessment: proof of CMPA coverage, the criminal record and vulnerable sector check, and orientation, and keep your eligibility to work in Canada and for CPSNL licensure current. The costs are yours.
During the assessment you are on the Education Register, per the government guide.
The government guide says the PRA has a return-in-service agreement with NL Health Services, but its length, location and terms are not stated, and the guide expired in March 2026. Ask NL Health Services.
How you know it is done When you complete the assessment.
Why you see this The licence is issued under the sponsorship of a provincial health authority. If the sponsor withdraws, the licence is revoked.
Comes after:
Before the licence: enrolment in Mainpro+, liability coverage for the province, the course on culturally safe care for Indigenous patients, your practice location and dates, and confirmation of sponsorship.
Oversight for the first 12 months: a report every month for three months, then every three months for nine. Fees are paid before it starts.
An office-only graduate gets a licence restricted to the assessment’s scope.
Why you see this It is part of the common standard for a full licence.
Comes after:
Requirements: an acceptable school, an MCCQE pass, a verified degree and nothing owing to the MCC.
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.
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 full licence needs CCFP or Royal College certification with the LMCC or an alternative. We found no deadline in the current family-medicine policy.
Comes after:
A PRA graduate may take the CCFP after four years of full-time family practice, including one continuous year in Canada, plus the CLASS program. Whether a provisional licence is enough for the CFPC is unclear: ask them.
The licence expires January 15 each year; renewal opens November 3. From December 4 there is a $500 penalty.
A provisional licence needs sponsorship confirmation from NL Health Services at each renewal.
Why you see this Family medicine: training and certification in a CFPC-approved jurisdiction. Specialty: the Royal College approved-jurisdiction route.
Comes after:
Submit the AMR to CPSNL. US board certification (ABFM, ABMS or AOA) needs the LMCC or an alternative.
Family medicine (PRA-NL) and specialties (a provisional licence through Royal College exam or PER eligibility). There is no specialist PRA.
Full licence (family or specialty): covered
Provisional licence (family or specialty): covered
Education registration (residency): covered
Clinical Assistant: not covered · Not covered in detail: supervised work in approved departments, with no current path to independent practice.
Associate licence: not covered · Under development; CPSNL is not accepting applications.
CPSNL changed the family-medicine provisional licence and currency rules on October 1, 2026. Applications from that date follow the new rules.
CPSNL pages set no immigration-status rule, but PRA-NL requires eligibility to work in Canada.
Every licensed physician automatically joins the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association; the licence is revoked if its fees are not paid.
This is education, not legal or immigration advice.
Save and share your progress
Answers and step statuses are saved in this browser only; anyone using it can see them. Clearing browser data removes them.Your account stores only your choices and step statuses, no documents or application numbers. It is deleted automatically if not updated for two years, and you can delete it any time.
Preview the shared text (you choose the recipient in WhatsApp)
My licensing path · CPSNL
My next step: Check that your medical school and degree are acceptable
Eligibility and account: You are here (0/1)
Credential verification: Not yet (0/0)
Language: Not yet (0/0)
National exams: Not yet (0/0)
Entering your route: Not yet (0/0)
Supervised practice: Not yet (0/0)
Full licence: Not yet (0/0)
https://zaayt.com/licensing/physician/newfoundland-and-labrador?lang=en
A loan you repay, not a grant. Up to $30,000 for exam fees, training and tuition, through organisations such as Windmill (Canada-wide), Achēv (Ontario), ISANS (Atlantic), SEED (Manitoba), ISSofBC and PICS (BC). Terms and eligibility depend on your status; the page has a search tool for providers near you.
For information only, not advice or an eligibility decision. The regulator has the final say, and your case may differ.
