Transfer to Alberta from Another Province or Territory

Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)

Under the CFTA, you could be eligible for independent practice under one of CPSA’s two main registers.

CPSA General Register

You may be eligible for the General Register through the CFTA if:

• you currently have a full unrestricted licence in another Canadian jurisdiction,
• you passed a practice readiness assessment (PRA) through your current licensing authority, which meets the standards established by the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada and CPSA, and
• you meet CPSA’s eligibility requirements.

CPSA Provisional Register Conditional Practice

You may be eligible for the Provisional Register Conditional Practice through the CFTA if:

• • you currently have a provisional licence in another Canadian jurisdiction,
  • you have no conditions or restrictions on your current licence, or the conditions or restrictions can be accommodated by the CPSA,
  • you passed a practice readiness assessment (PRA) through your current licensing authority which meets the standards established by the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada and is satisfactory to the Alberta Registrar, and
  • you meet CPSA’s eligibility requirements.

New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA)

If you are a physician in Alberta, British Columbia or Saskatchewan, you could benefit from the  New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA). This agreement lets physicians practising in any of these three provinces register in another as long as they meet the requirements set out in their desired province.

If you have a full licence in B.C. or Saskatchewan, with LMCC certification and CCFP and/or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certification, you may be eligible for an Alberta practice permit. The NWPTA does not apply to Limited, Interim, Inactive, Courtesy, Student or Honorary registration.

Apply for an Alberta Practice Permit

In order to transfer to Alberta from another province or territory, you still need to complete the full CPSA application process. Based on the details you share in your application, we may determine that you are eligible for a practice permit under the Labour Mobility Act, the CFTA or the NWPTA.