Graduates of a CCAPP accredited program
If you have a pharmacy technician diploma from a program that held provisional CCAPP accreditation prior to your graduation you have met the language proficiency requirement.
Previously certified by the Ontario College of Pharmacists
If you were previously certified by the Ontario College of Pharmacists you have met the language proficiency requirement.
All other applicants
You can demonstrate your language proficiency by submitting objective evidence (i.e., passing one of the test combinations listed below) or by submitting other evidence that you are able to speak and write in English or French with reasonable language proficiency.
Objective Evidence of Language Proficiency
The Registrar will generally accept one of the following as evidence of reasonable language proficiency:
Language proficiency test scores that fall within the SEM will be deemed as meeting OCP’s minimum language proficiency requirement.
* No minimum score set; all components are required. Please contact the testing agency for more information
NOTES:
- All components of the IELTS, MELAB and iBT-TOEFL fluency tests must be attempted at the same sitting in order for the results to meet OCP's language proficiency requirement.
- Language proficiency test scores are only valid for two years from the date of the test.
- Test scores must be sent directly to OCP by the testing institution. OCP has the ability to verify IELTS test scores online. Please submit a legible copy of your results for verification. OCP staff must be able to read the Test Report Form number in the bottom right hand corner of the report.
- Scores must be valid for you to progress from being a student to an intern, and from intern to pharmacist. If test scores have expired during your in-service training, please contact Registration staff.
Other Evidence of Language Proficiency
If you wish to provide non-objective evidence of language proficiency, your application and supporting documents will be referred to staff member to determine if your application will need to be referred to a panel of the Registration Committee.
Individuals who were previously certified by the Ontario College of Pharmacists, or have a pharmacy technician diploma from a program that held provisional CCAPP accreditation prior to their graduation have met the language proficiency requirement.
If your application is referred to a panel there is no assurances that you will be able to establish to a Panel’s satisfaction that you meet the language proficiency requirement. As well, the process of providing sufficiently persuasive information is substantially greater than that of taking one of the standard language proficiency tests. Nevertheless, individuals have the right under the legislation to have a Panel of the Registration Committee consider other evidence should he/she wish to do so.
Individuals who have taken their pharmacy technician diploma in English or French, but whose first language was not English or French, have had difficulty in satisfying a Panel of the Registration Committee that they meet the language proficiency requirement since OCP has evidence that the large majority of those persons are unable to show reasonable language proficiency through an objective examination.
There is no restriction on the type of information you may submit to a panel. However, it must be sufficiently reliable and persuasive to satisfy a panel that you possess reasonable language proficiency in English or French. The following is a list of examples you might submit:
- Evidence of a long-standing history of working in a pharmacy-related environment where services were provided in English or French verified by regulated professionals or recognized academics,
- Evidence that you obtained your pharmacy technician diploma at a pharmacy program where the language of instruction was English or French, followed by practice in an English or French speaking environment,
- Evidence of your having authored pharmacy publications in English or French, accompanied by evidence from your professor/supervisor attesting to your language proficiency,
- Evidence of previous successful English or French language proficiency test scores as listed above.
