Internationally educated pharmacy technician

If you are an internationally educated pharmacy technician, you must meet the requirements indicated below to be eligible to apply to the provisional pharmacy technician register. Registration with ACP is required to practise as a provisional pharmacy technician under the supervision of a pharmacy technician or pharmacist.  

Follow these steps to register as a provisional pharmacy technician:  

1. Meet English language fluency requirements.
   • English Language Fluency results must be current within two years at the time of application to the provisional pharmacy technician register.

2. Complete the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Qualifying Exam Part 1 (MCQ).
   • The PEBC MCQ result must be current within three years at the time of application to the provisional pharmacy technician register.

3. Complete a bridging program.
   • Complete the following bridging program:
     • Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) IPHE101 – Orientation to Canadian Healthcare

4. Prepare your supporting documentation. All documents must be in PDF format.
   • Notarized copy of your pharmacist degree or pharmacy technician diploma.
   • Notarized copy of your English Language Fluency results.
   • Notarized letter from PEBC stating successful completion of the Qualifying Exam Part 1 (MCQ).
   • Notarized evidence of successful completion of a bridging program identified in step 3.
   • Prepare these initial registration documents.

5. Complete and submit your application.
   • Once you are ready to apply, complete the following steps:
     • Access the application to the provisional pharmacy technician register (in myACP). All applications can be found in the Catalog.
     • The application will require you to upload the supporting documentation you prepared in step 4. Your application is not complete until all supporting documentation has been uploaded and you have submitted the application.

6. Application decision.
   • Complete applications are reviewed in the order in which they are submitted and may take up to 15 business days to assess and process. Incomplete applications will result in further delays. ACP will notify you via email once a decision has been made or if we have any questions regarding your application.

7. Provide your payment.
   • If approved, you will be required to provide payment online. The college’s fees are outlined in the ACP fee schedule. Only the following payment methods will be accepted:
     • Visa, and
     • Mastercard.
   • Payment must be provided within 30 days of your approval or your application will expire, and you will be required to apply again.

8. Access your practice permit.
   • Once your payment has been processed, your practice permit can be accessed from your myACP profile.
   • The term of a provisional pharmacy technician practice permit is typically two years and commences when the practice permit is issued. You must not practise as a provisional pharmacy technician until you receive notification that your practice permit is issued.
   • Once you have successfully completed the entry-to-practice requirements to be a pharmacy technician in Alberta, you are then eligible to apply to the pharmacy technician register.