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 CPSO 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.
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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.
PRO also accepts medical education in English in a listed English-first country, or current English practice with an attestation.
If CPSO 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.
CPSO: each of the three tests must be in the same sitting and within 24 months at the time of application.
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.
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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 Most PRA programs require it, including Practice Ready Ontario (PRO) per the MCC eBook. Passing it alone does not get you into a program.
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Your degree must be “reviewed and accepted”. You do not need program approval to apply.
Four hours at a Prometric centre: 55 cases, about 110–140 questions, in English or French, in Canada and abroad.
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.
The MCC publishes no result validity. Programs set their own window.
For PRO, TDM results older than three years are not valid. The main PRO page said three attempts, while its FAQ and the MCC say four, so ask PRO.
PRO: one TDM attempt per calendar year, and at most two passes.
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.
Per CaRMS’s 2026 table, protected persons are eligible in Ontario. Check the 2027 table when it is posted.
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.
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Ontario, first iteration of the 2026 match: IMG positions were limited to those with at least two years of Ontario high school. Others applied in the second iteration with everyone. 2027 criteria are not yet posted.
CaRMS’s Ontario page has two wordings: “Physicians in practice in Canada or the United States are not eligible for the R-1 match in Ontario” and “Physicians in practice are not eligible for the R-1 match in Ontario”. If your practice was outside Canada and the US, ask CaRMS or the PGME office whether this bars you.
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 PRO is Ontario’s practice-ready assessment, for family medicine only. Entry is competitive.
Comes after:
Citizen or PR at application. People awaiting PR are not eligible.
48 months of training and practice: 12 months postgraduate training plus 36 of independent practice, or 24 plus 24.
Core rotations: family medicine 8 weeks, and 4 weeks each of emergency, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and psychiatry, in university-affiliated programs.
960 hours of family practice in the last three years, at least 720 in person.
At most one previous PRA attempt in Canada.
How you know it is done When you know whether you meet the requirements.
Why you see this Applications are open year-round, first come first served, and free.
Comes after:
Apply in the PRO portal. You need the LMCC (or to have met its requirements and be awaiting it), a MINC, your MCC candidate code, a valid driver’s licence and a CV in PRO format.
NAC and TDM are needed in Phase 2, not to apply. You can apply without the TDM and be scheduled later.
Published processing time: The whole process may take up to a year, from application to the start of return of service. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)
How you know it is done When the application is submitted.
Why you see this Phase 2 includes referee attestations for your hours, three references (two physicians, at least one a supervisor), the TDM and an interview.
Why you see this CPSO’s approved jurisdictions: Australia and New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, the UK and Ireland. Only the colleges, specialties and training dates listed in the policy’s Appendix A count.
The policy page does not state the certificate’s length, supervision or route to independent practice. Ask CPSO.
How you know it is done When you know your training is from an approved jurisdiction.
Why you see this For those certified in family medicine in Australia, Ireland, the UK or the US, who practised there and obtained CFPC certification without examination.
Without the MCCQE or LMCC: a provisional certificate to practise independently in your scope. With them: an independent practice certificate.
How you know it is done When you know which certificate fits you.
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 CPSO.
How you know it is done When you receive Royal College certification.
Why you see this The assessment is in a designated community, with a stipend, under a provisional CPSO certificate.
Comes after:
Sign a three-year return-of-service agreement with the Ministry of Health and a practice location agreement.
Apply to CPSO in its portal (my.cpso.on.ca) for the assessment certificate. Under it you may not be the Most Responsible Physician, may not charge fees for services, and are supervised.
A mandatory virtual orientation (one self-paced week and one live week), then 12 weeks in the designated community.
PRO pays for orientation and the assessment, and gives you a stipend during the field assessment. You pay exams, CPSO fees and the criminal record check, plus accommodation and travel for orientation and relocation and housing for the field assessment (costs vary).
Why you see this The certificate is limited to your scope, supervised in your service community, and expires automatically after three years.
Comes after:
Communities: RIO score 40 or higher, the northern referral centres (Timmins, North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay), or communities with many people without a family doctor.
Once you hold CFPC certification you may apply to remove supervision. After the service, apply for an independent practice certificate.
Why you see this An IMG in a ministry-funded position signs a return-of-service agreement and needs a postgraduate education certificate from CPSO.
Comes after:
Sign the return-of-service agreement; the ministry asks for it before July 1. ontario.ca says five years while the ministry’s guidelines from 2026 say 7,200 clinical hours, so ask the ministry which applies to you.
Service is anywhere in Ontario except Ottawa and the Toronto area (Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Pickering). Breaking it means repaying training costs.
The 2–3 week Pre-Residency Program in Toronto before you start.
Apply to CPSO for a postgraduate education certificate. It needs citizenship, PR or a work permit for the program.
An initial assessment period of at least 12 weeks (normally 12). Failing it makes you ineligible for the same specialty in Ontario.
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 You apply directly to CPSO, which verifies your documents itself.
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Create a portal account, complete the screening questionnaire, then submit and pay. You may submit before your documents are complete.
Third-party documents go directly to credentials@cpso.on.ca from an official email, or by mail in a sealed envelope. Translations by an ATIO-certified translator or by the school itself. You may also share items verified in physiciansapply.
A Canadian criminal record check (Ontario police Level 2 or 3, RCMP or Triton). Police checks from outside Canada are not accepted. The check is valid for six months.
On supervised pathways: identify a potential supervisor, who completes the supervision arrangement form. CPSO does not pay supervisors.
PER: the policy page requires passing the Royal College exam, while the infographic says only “accepted into PER”. Ask CPSO.
New policy (October 2026): holders of Royal College certification by exam or CFPC certification, or specialists from an approved jurisdiction, may get a provisional certificate without the MCCQE or LMCC. The page shows no effective date and other pages still list the LMCC, so ask CPSO.
The application is valid for nine months. After final verification, pay the annual fee within 90 days or the application is withdrawn.
Published processing time: First review within three weeks. If the file goes to the Registration Committee: at least five to seven more weeks. April to June is slower. (the body’s time, not your own time to complete)
How you know it is done When CPSO asks for the annual fee, or refers your file to the Registration Committee.
Why you see this The Health Professions Appeal and Review Board is an independent government-funded body.
Comes after:
Send a written request to both the Board and CPSO’s Registration Committee, received within 30 days of notice of the order.
The review may be on paper or by hearing. The Board may confirm, require registration after exams or training, require registration with conditions, or refer the file back.
How you know it is done When you file the appeal or decide not to.
Why you see this The final goal: practice without supervision.
Comes after:
General requirements: a medical degree, the LMCC, one year in Canada (training or practice), and Royal College or CFPC certification by exam. CPSO has exemption policies from the Canadian year and from the citizenship requirement for those otherwise fully qualified.
Holding a provisional certificate continuously for five years, limited only by scope, with continuous Ontario practice, exempts you from the exam, Canadian-year and certification requirements.
Changing certificate class needs a new criminal record check.
Professional liability protection is required; CMPA coverage is normally enough.
Renew every year in the portal. The 2026 cycle ran April 13 to June 1. Late: a $431.25 penalty, and a notice of intention to suspend 60 days after the deadline.
Family medicine and specialties. The specialty sets the route: PRO is for family medicine only; specialists use PER or the approved-jurisdiction pathway.
Independent practice certificate: covered
Provisional certificate (from January 1, 2026): covered
Academic practice: not covered · Not covered: needs an offer of a full-time professor appointment at an Ontario medical school.
Physician assistant: not covered · Not covered: a foreign MD does not qualify; an accredited PA program is needed.
Short-duration and temporary certificates: not covered · Not covered: not a route to licensure for newcomers.
Ontario is different: CPSO assesses credentials itself and does not take the registration application through physiciansapply. You still need that account for the exams, CaRMS and PRO.
CPSO does not require citizenship or PR for a certificate, but work needs a valid work permit. PRO and the residency match require citizenship or PR.
Ontario Health’s Access Centre gives free licensing information and guidance, including alternative careers.
This is education, not legal or immigration advice.
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https://zaayt.com/licensing/physician/ontario?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.
