Pharmacist

Working in Ontario

Pharmacists in Ontario work as part of a health care team and provide care for patients. Pharmacists must be able to communicate well with patients to find out about their medication history, to give them information on drug use, and to help patients deal with any health problems that can be treated with or caused by drugs.

To practice pharmacy in Ontario, you must have a Certificate of Registration (license) as a Pharmacist from the Council of the Ontario College of Pharmacists. If you are an internationally trained pharmacist and you want to practise in Ontario, you can contact the College directly, or view the career map in the ‘Tools and Information’ section of this page.

Tools and Information

The Ontario Government has partnered with the Ontario College of Pharmacists to create a Career Map for internationally trained pharmacists. The Career Map explains in detail every step of the registration process including language requirements, labour market conditions, the credential assessment process, licensing fees and other important information.

You can also view the e-career map for internationally trained pharmacists. E-career maps are interactive guides that outline the process for registering in a profession or trade.

Getting Help

If you are qualified in your profession but new to Ontario, you may benefit from a bridging program. Bridging programs help qualified immigrants move more quickly into their professions without duplicating what they have already learned.

Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology
Bridge Training for Internationally Educated Pharmacy Technicians Program

This project will help 14 internationally trained pharmacy technicians get licensed by offering them courses in occupation-specific language, workplace culture and communications, technical skills, exam preparation and work placements.

Contact: Amanda Baskwill, Project Manager
Phone: (416) 289-5000 ext 8265
Fax: (416) 289-5169
E-mail: abaskwill@centennialcollege.ca

University of Toronto - Faculty of Pharmacy
Pharmacy Language Assessment Validation

This project will help the University of Toronto validate its International Pharmacy Graduate Language Assessment (IPGLA) program. Successful validation of the IPGLA will allow it to satisfy the language assessment needs of the Canadian Pharmacy Skills program, and the Ontario College of Pharmacists.

Contact: Zubin Austin, Assistant Professor and Ontario College of Pharmacists Professorship in Pharmacy Practice
Phone: (416) 978-0186
E-mail: zubin.austin@utoronto.ca
Website: www.pharmacy.utoronto.ca/

George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology
Pre-Health Science Program for Internationally Trained Individuals

This program is adapting an existing high-demand George Brown Pre-Health Science program to better meet the particular needs of internationally trained individuals.

The changes include occupation-specific language training and core curriculum tailored to address the barriers and gaps that internationally trained individuals face when looking for work in the health care sector.

Participants gain workplace experience through an unpaid work placement and will have access to one-on-one career counselling throughout the program.

Contact: Paul Zanettos, Media Relations Consultant
Phone: (416) 415-5000 Ext. 3428
E-mail: pzanetto@georgebrown.ca
Website: www.georgebrown.ca

Mohawk College
Health Sector Pre-Bridging Language Acquisition Project

This project helps participants prepare to enter health sector bridging projects by improving their language from CLB 5 to CLB 7. Four online modules of fifty hours each will help participants develop language skills and improve interpersonal communications by presenting material in a Canadian health care context.

Contact:
Muzeria Nuredini
Phone: 905-575-2024
Email: muzeria.nuredini@mohawkcollege.ca

University of Toronto - Standardized Patient Program
Improving Medical Literacy: An Assessment and Training Program

Participants in this project will have their listening, speaking, writing and reading skills assessed.

The project includes a 40-hour language training program with online and in-class work.

This project builds on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s Communication and Cultural Competence project.

Contact: Lynn Russell, Project Manager
Phone: (416) 967-5547
E-mail: l.russell@utoronto.ca
Website: www.utoronto.ca

Regulatory Body

Council of the Ontario College of Pharmacists
483 Huron Street
Toronto, ON M5R 2R4
Phone: 416-962-4861
Fax: 416-847-8200
Email: dcroteau@ocpharma.com
Website: www.ocpinfo.com

Learning More

To learn about occupations in Canada, visit the Working in Canada website. This site will help you identify the name of your occupation in Canada. It will also give you important information about your profession in many regions of Canada, including job duties, skill requirements and wage rates. To learn about your occupation, visit the website and click the ‘Start’ button on the main page.

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