# Express Entry for regulated professions and validity of language test



## little.miss (Nov 15, 2013)

Hi just wondered if anyone can advise. I'm working in the UK within healthcare, and it's regulated in UK, as it is an Canada. I haven't sat any licensing exams to practice in Canada. But I was wondering if whether this makes a difference to my scoring in the ranking system for Express Entry, whether I've sat my exams and gained licensing or not for Canada. I will be applying for an ECA to get my UK credentials assessed.

I already have sat my IELTs English exam last year, and so it will expire early next year. I was wondering what happens while in the pool and your IELTs certificate expires - will your application become invalid? And what happens if in the case you're invited and this has expired?


----------



## conflict73 (Oct 18, 2013)

Depends on you destination province, depends on your regulated profession? In Canada professions are regulated provincially and not federally in healthcare. What profession are you?


----------



## little.miss (Nov 15, 2013)

I work as a pharmacist in hospital. I'm interested in BC (Vancouver), or maybe Alberta (Calgary/Edmonton) or Quebec (Montreal).


----------



## conflict73 (Oct 18, 2013)

Try Goodling health professions act Alberta, the regulated body will be able to help you. I had to have my qualifications assessed from uk to practice here in Alberta.


----------



## sanazahidkhan (May 23, 2014)

little.miss said:


> Hi just wondered if anyone can advise. I'm working in the UK within healthcare, and it's regulated in UK, as it is an Canada. I haven't sat any licensing exams to practice in Canada. But I was wondering if whether this makes a difference to my scoring in the ranking system for Express Entry, whether I've sat my exams and gained licensing or not for Canada. I will be applying for an ECA to get my UK credentials assessed.
> 
> I already have sat my IELTs English exam last year, and so it will expire early next year. I was wondering what happens while in the pool and your IELTs certificate expires - will your application become invalid? And what happens if in the case you're invited and this has expired?


I also want to know what happens if our ielts result expires before we get invited??


----------



## little.miss (Nov 15, 2013)

Thanks for that. I'll be applying for my ECA with PEBC the pharmacy board for Canada. Does the Express Entry ranking system, and invitations to apply rank you on just the ECA's result (along with the other criteria, like age etc), or does it actually rank you on whether you've already gained your license to practice? I'm thinking it might be based on just your your ECA? I'm guessing this since looking through the Express Entry application, it doesn't ask whether you've gained license to practice.


----------



## conflict73 (Oct 18, 2013)

I'm afraid I don't know about that, I'm from Canada originally so didn't have to go through that.


----------



## little.miss (Nov 15, 2013)

No worries, thanks for advising. Found the Alberta sites for healthcare and for pharmacists which will be useful to have a good look through for info.


----------



## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

College of BC Pharmacists
(once upon a time I was a lead technician in BC... I came to the UK to get married and have been told that I need to re-do the apprenticeship before registering with the Pharmacy Council because I was unlicensed when I left Vancouver... sadly, I'm no longer in the dispensary, as I didn't want to work for apprenticeship wages and re-learn a job that I'd been doing for 12 years).


----------



## conflict73 (Oct 18, 2013)

Don't blame you!


----------



## little.miss (Nov 15, 2013)

Thanks for the link WestCoastCandianGirl.
Oh that's interesting, how do you compare pharmacy in the UK compared to Canada? 
I don't blame you either. It's a tough step - I'm calculating it would take about 2 years to gain licensing for me in Canada, plus a lot of money too . I've also been working for a while, about 15 years in pharmacy, and a bit reluctant to go through more exams. I was wondering if it's hard to find an alternative career which doesn't licensing in Canada, but one in which I can use my pharmacy knowledge and maybe transferable skills?


----------



## little.miss (Nov 15, 2013)

Just another question...
I just wondered, say, if you do get an invitation to apply, and CIC realise that you've not actually gained licensing to practice in Canada, would they then turn you down? Since looking through the initial comprehensive ranking and express entry pool, it doesn't actually ask if you have obtained licensing, only asks for the ECA...


----------



## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

I shouldn't think so... they realise that there are rules/regs required by the provincial regulating bodies that need to be followed before you can be licenced to work in Canada, so while you may meet the licensing criteria, they (the Canadian Government) don't necessarily require you to be licensed in Canada before you arrive (besides, it's not necessarily easy for one to get licensed from outside of Canada).

I would imagine that the assumption is that you're bringing skills to Canada and once you pay a boat load of money to your regulating body, pass the required licensing exams etc and are considered professional practice worthy you'll actually follow through and start practicing and not just simply decide to go and apply for unemployment (Jobseekers Allowance) or for welfare (the Canadian term for what the UK calls "benefits").


----------



## conflict73 (Oct 18, 2013)

I agree, for my regulatory body I had to apply from England to do the paperwork (8) months just to apply for provisional status and then sit exams here...... but now I'm fully licensed and progressing. You'll get there, just be persistent.


----------



## little.miss (Nov 15, 2013)

That's good to know, thanks for the advice and encouragement. Yeah, i'll need to persist and keep trying. A bit daunting with all these stages to get through, but I guess I need to make a start and try.


----------

