Overview
What is credentialling?
The credentialling process determines whether or not the education and qualifications of an internationally-educated physiotherapist (IEPT) are substantially different from those of a physiotherapist educated in Canada. The requirements are based on the minimum academic and clinical practice components of Canadian physiotherapy courses that have been approved by Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC).
If an IEPT has graduated from a program very similar to one approved by PEAC, their credentials are deemed to be not substantially different from those possessed by physiotherapists trained in Canada.
Who is credentialling for?
The CAPR’s Credentialling Program is mandatory for all physiotherapists who have been educated outside Canada and wish to practise in Yukon Territory or any province (excluding Quebec). It is a necessary prerequisite to the Physiotherapy Competency Exam (PCE) which is used to evaluate both Canadian and internationally-educated physiotherapists.
What documentation is required?
Credentialling applicants must provide notarized copies of documents proving their identity and physiotherapy education. They must also instruct their schools to send documentation to CAPR. If the applicant was educated in a country other than Australia, United States of America, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or France, they must take [one of the pre-approved language tests listed on our website] and have the language testing organization submit the results to CAPR. Finally, if any documents are in a language other than English or French the applicant must submit an official translation (not a notarized copy but the translation itself) of those documents. For more details please see the Credentialling Policies.
How long does it take to complete credentialling?
Our benchmark for completing an applicant’s assessment is 10 to 12 weeks for physiotherapy education programs we are familiar with and 16 to 18 weeks for programs we are not familiar with. These times are measured from the time that all the required documents have been received. We do not guarantee a specific processing time. Our most current processing/wait times are published on our website and updated on a weekly basis.
What are the outcomes of the credentialling process?
There are three possible results from the credentialling process:
- Education is not substantially different from Canadian education – Applicants are deemed eligible for the PCE. This is valid for two years.
- Minor gaps in supervised clinical practice hours – When an applicant does not meet the required hours of supervised clinical practice, they may be eligible to address these gaps through work experience.
- Major gaps in academic credentials – Applicants are informed their credentials and qualifications are substantially different and they are not eligible to apply for the PCE.
How can potential employers assist IEPTs?
Due to privacy policies, CAPR is unable to disclose any information about a past, present or potential credentialling applicant. If you wish to communicate with CAPR about an applicant’s file or on behalf of an applicant, the applicant must first complete Consent to Disclose Credentialling Information Form which can be downloaded from our website.
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the credentialling process through studying the Credentialling Application Process Guide and the Credentialling Policies. CAPR also strongly encourages applicants to avoid taking action (e.g. accepting a job, moving) in anticipation of a positive credentialling result or receiving a result within a specific time period.
Do you have other questions?
Our credentialling staff is available to answer questions on a wide range of topics and issues related to the Credentialling Program, as well as to provide assistance in interpreting CAPR credentialling policies and procedures.
Contact information for CAPR is available on the website.