The new streamlined licensing pathway for pharmacy professionals from the United States, Great Britain, Republic of Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand significantly reduces the effort for these individuals to be licensed in Nova Scotia, while ensuring the same high standard.

The NSCP has used the authority provided by the recently established provincial Patient Access to Care Act to waive the national licensing exam and internship period for pharmacy professionals licensed in these countries where the education, licensing process, and scope of practice are of the same high standard as in Canada.

There are two licensure pathways available for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from international jurisidctions:

Streamlined Licensing Pathway

You are eligible for this licensing pathway if you:

Have practiced sufficient direct patient care in the last two years to maintain your competence to practice; and

Hold an active pharmacist license/registration in good standing in a designated jurisdiction; or

• United States of America
• Great Britain
• Republic of Ireland
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Canada

Hold an active pharmacy technician license/registration in good standing in a designated jurisdiction.

• Great Britain
• Canada

Note: You may also be eligible for the streamlined pathway if you have ever held a license/registration in one of the designated jurisdictions.

Non-streamlined Licensing Pathway

Applicants who do not meet the eligibility requirements for the streamlined licensing pathway can license with the NSCP using the non-streamlined licensing pathway. To learn more about these licensing requirements and apply, please see the link below.

• Pharmacists must apply through the Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada for International Pharmacists. Please visit here for more information.
• Pharmacy technicians must apply directly with the NSCP.

Yes, you must hold an active license/registration that authorizes you to practice directly with patients to be eligible for the streamlined licensing pathway.

However, if you were previously licensed/registered in one of the designated jurisdictions (listed above), you may still be eligible to apply under the streamlined licensing pathway if:

• Your pharmacy regulatory authority in the designated jurisdiction confirms that you would be eligible to resume licensure/registration – with only the payment of fee being outstanding; and
• You have practiced sufficient direct patient care in the last two years to maintain your competence to practice.

Good standing means you meet all of the following criteria:

• You are not the subject of an outstanding complaint in any jurisdiction.
• You are not the subject of an outstanding disciplinary or remedial process in any jurisdiction.
• Your practice is not prohibited by suspension or revocation.
• Your practice is not limited by any conditions, restrictions, or other agreements in any jurisdiction.
• You have been assessed by the regulatory authority to have the capacity, competency and character to safely and ethically practice.

The NSCP is assessing the processes for granting and overseeing pharmacist and pharmacy technician licenses in other countries to identify those that are equivalent to Canada. We are assessing the education/training requirements, entry-to-practice licensure requirements, scope and common practice for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the country, and the regulatory oversight of the profession. To date, only the five countries listed above have been deemed equivalent.

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS:

Letters of Standing must be requested through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) via your NABP eProfile Account.

Information about the eLTP is available at https://nabp.pharmacy/programs/licensure/licensure-transfer/. If you have questions about the eLTP and obtaining your letter of standing, please contact eltp@nabp.pharmacy.

If you are or have been licensed/registered in a jurisdiction outside of the U.S., you must also provide a letter of standing from each of these  non-U.S. pharmacy regulatory authorities. The letter from the non-U.S. pharmacy regulator authority should include the following information:

• confirmation of registration
• classification of license/registration to practice,
• any conditions currently associated with the applicant’s license/registration to practice,
• complete list of any complaints, discipline matters, discipline proceedings and sanctions, including any settlements, warnings and cautions, and
• confirmation that there are no outstanding complaints against the applicant.

A letter from another pharmacy regulatory authority should include all of the information above. If not, please have them complete the Letter of Standing Form.

FOR NON-U.S. APPLICANTS:

Provide a letter of standing from all pharmacy regulatory authorities with which you are/have been licensed/registered.

The letter should include the following information:

• confirmation of registration
• classification of license/registration to practice,
• any conditions currently associated with the applicant’s license/registration to practice,
• complete list of any complaints, discipline matters, discipline proceedings and sanctions, including any settlements, warnings and cautions, and
• confirmation that there are no outstanding complaints against the applicant.

A letter from another pharmacy regulatory authority should include all of the information above. If not, please have them complete the Letter of Standing Form.

The NSCP is committed to processing completed applications through the streamlined pathway in 5 business days.

Please note: We cannot begin to process your application until it is complete and we have received all required information from you. If you do not provide all the required information on your application or if additional documents are required (e.g., because of your professional conduct or criminal record history) this will impact the time it takes to process your application.

Click on the following link to access the  breakdown of fees (including tax) for 2024.

Schedule of Fees

You must submit two pieces of any government issued identification, one of which must be a government-issued passport. Government issued identification must be valid (not expired).

Please submit colour scans of your identity documents by email.

• You must provide proof of name change (e.g., marriage certificate) if the name on the government-issued photo identification document differs from the one on your application.
• Identity documents in a language other than English must be accompanied by the original, certified translation from a certified translator.

You must complete a criminal record check through CSI Screening by visiting https://csiscreening.com.

• The criminal record check cannot be completed more than three months before your application is processed.
• Screening must include all countries (including each state/province/region) in which you have lived for more than three months since turning 19 years old OR in the last 10 years, whichever is shorter.

Note: It usually takes 2-3 weeks before the NSCP will receive your results from CSI.

If you are successful in your application, you will be issued a Transition Direct Patient Care Licence. This licence entitles you to practice to the full scope of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician, without conditions.

After 28 days, you will be required to submit a report completed by your pharmacy manager or another NSCP licencee stating that your practice and/or conduct has not raised concern about your capacity to practice safely and ethically. The completion of this report does not involve supervision or assessment of skills – only that your professional practice and conduct has not raised concerns.

The average home price in Halifax in October 2023 was $419,717, lower than the national average of $716,828. Home prices are usually higher in the city of Halifax than in rural areas.

The average cost of rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Halifax in August 2023 was $1863/month. Similarly, rental prices are usually higher in the city of Halifax in comparison to rural areas.

Compensation for pharmacy professionals in Nova Scotia is determined by the hiring pharmacies based on their own policies and practices.

After you connect with your Career Navigator, they will help to answer any questions you have specific to your unique personal situation.

Immigration to Nova Scotia can be dependent on multiple factors, such as your nationality, education, work experience, and family situation. Once you connect with your Career Navigator, they will help you navigate the immigration process and will connect you with the proper groups.

Yes, you can. Your Career Navigator will be your first point of contact, who will ask you about your career goals, experiences, and why you want to move to Nova Scotia. Based on your preferences, your Career Navigator can connect you with a matching pharmacy professional who can share more about their experience with the pharmacy profession, health care system, culture, lifestyle, and opportunities in Nova Scotia.

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