Registering with CPSA
To practise medicine in Alberta, all physicians must have a practice permit with CPSA.
Practising medicine is a serious responsibility, and part of CPSA’s job is to confirm you have all the training and credentials needed to enter the workforce and care for Albertans. We register physicians, physician assistants and medical learners.
Registration FAQs
To see more FAQs about Registration, click on All FAQs and filter by "Registration"
All FAQsAm I eligible for the Approved Jurisdiction Route for international medical graduates?
International medical graduates (IMGs) from approved jurisdictions who meet CPSA’s other registration requirements may be eligible for the Approved Jurisdiction Route to registration. CPSA’s registration team reviews physician applications to determine eligibility, and for what route.
How can I apply for the Approved Jurisdiction Route for international medical graduates?
Physicians don’t apply directly for this route to registration. Your first step is to apply for independent practice. Our registration team will then review your application and let you know which route to registration you qualify for.
How do I apply for the Practice Eligibility Route (PER) through the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada?
For details on the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada’s practice eligibility route (PER), please visit their Practice Eligibility Route page.
What is a Competency Assessment?
A Competency Assessment is a structured evaluation of a physician’s clinical practice on the Provisional Register. It assesses the physician’s practice against the community standard in Alberta.
Which jurisdictions are considered approved?
CPSA maintains a list of certifications from specific jurisdictions that have been deemed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to be equivalent to Canadian specialty credentials.
Interested in seeing live registration statistics?
These statistics are live numbers related to CPSA’s Registration & Assessments Program.
For other statistics, such as quarterly physician resource statistics and year-over-year Registration highlights, please refer to our Statistics page.
Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you.
Local: 780-969-4924
Toll-free: 1-800-320-8624 (in Canada)
Fax: 780-424-0805