Am I eligible?
The NSPR offers a streamlined licensing pathway for pharmacy technicians from Great Britain to work in Nova Scotia, Canada – no national competency exam (PEBC) or internship required!
Pharmacy technicians eligible to apply for this new licensing pathway must:
1. Hold an active licence/registration, with no conditions or restrictions, in one of the following jurisdictions:
Note: You may also be eligible for the streamlined pathway if you have ever held a licence/registration in the designated jurisdiction above (even if you do not currently hold a licence/registration there).
2. Have sufficient practiced experience as a pharmacy technician in that jurisdiction or in Canada within the last two years to maintain your competence to practise.
Please contact registrations@nspharmacy.ca for more information.
For more information, including FAQs, visit www.RxNS.ca.
Complete the Application for Registration as a Transition Direct Patient Care Pharmacy Technician: Pharmacy Technicians from Eligible International Jurisdictions.
The application includes a declaration that you:
- understand the continuing education requirements for renewal of your licensure for the following year; and
- that you have practiced sufficient direct patient care pharmacy within the two preceding years in the jurisdiction where you are currently licensed/registered to maintain the competence to practice direct patient care pharmacy.
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.
Download and submit the Statement of Disclosure Form.
An applicant must submit two pieces of government issued identification, one of which must be an approved government issued photo identification document. An approved government issued photo identification must be valid (not expired) and can be any one of the following:
- Federally issued passport
- Driver’s license issued by a Canadian jurisdiction
- Identification card issued by a Canadian jurisdiction
- Certificate of Indian Status
- Canadian Citizenship Certificate/Card
- Canadian Permanent Resident Card
Please submit colour scans of your identity documents to the Registrations & Licensing Team by email.
Identity documents in a language other than English must be accompanied by the original, certified translation from a certified translator.
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.
Jurisprudence Examination
Successfully complete the NSPR Jurisprudence Examination. For more information please visit our jurisprudence examination page here.
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 NSPR will receive your results from CSI.
Professional Liability Insurance
Provide the NSPR with a certificate of insurance from an approved insurance provider who meets the criteria as set out in the regulations.
You have two options for insurance:
Payment of Applicable Fees
Submit the required registration and licensing fees to proceed with your application.
- View Fees: Schedule of Fees
- How to Pay: A payment link will be emailed to you following submission of your application.
- Payment Methods: We accept VISA, VISA Debit, MasterCard, and Debit Mastercard.
Obtain Licence and Complete Transition Period
If you are successful in your application, you will be issued a Transition Direct Patient Care Pharmacy Technician Licence for the duration of the transition period. This licence entitles you to practice to the full scope of a pharmacy technician without conditions.
Your Transition Direct Patient Care Pharmacy Technician Licence will not convert to a full license until the NSPR receives the Pharmacy Technician Transition Period Report, from your assurance provider which declares that your practice and/or conduct has not raised concern regarding your capacity to safely and ethically engage in pharmacy practice.
You must practice as a transition direct patient care pharmacy technician in Nova Scotia for at least 28 business days before your assurance provider can submit the completed report.
Note: The transition period will be longer if you delay the start date of your practice as a Transition Direct Patient Care pharmacy technician In Nova Scotia.
Upon completing the requirements to become a pharmacy technician in Nova Scotia, the NSPR will provide the applicant with a certificate of registration and licensure that must be displayed in the pharmacy where the applicant will be practising.
