Temporary Registration

Temporary Registration

On March 16, 2020, the Provincial Health Officer requested all health regulators to begin emergency registration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, eligible individuals may apply for temporary registration with the College to provide pharmacy services during this health emergency.

There are four classes under this type of registration:

Class Who is Eligible to Apply Scope of Practice
Temporary Pharmacist
  1. Currently registered as the equivalent of a full pharmacist in another jurisdiction in Canada or in the United States, and have no limitations, conditions or restrictions on practice; OR
  2. Former registrant who was registered as a full pharmacist within the last 3 years; OR
  3. Non-practising pharmacist who was registered as a full pharmacist within the last 3 years.
Can perform restricted activities/pharmacy services as if they are a full pharmacist, including drug administration by injection and intranasal route if certified for drug administration.
Temporary Pharmacy Technician
  1. Currently registered as the equivalent of a pharmacy technician in another jurisdiction in Canada, and have no limitations, restrictions or conditions on practice; OR
  2. Former registrant who was registered as a pharmacy technician within the last 3 years; OR
  3. Non-practising pharmacy technician who was registered as a pharmacy technician within the last 3 years.

Can perform restricted activities/pharmacy services as if they are a pharmacy technician.

Temporary Limited Pharmacist
  1. Pharmacy graduates who have completed their Structured Practical Training (SPT) requirements but not all the required assessments for registration; OR
  2. Pharmacy graduates who have completed their Jurisprudence Exam, PEBC Evaluating (if applicable) and PEBC Qualifying Exams, but not their SPT.
Can perform restricted activities/pharmacy services under the supervision of a full pharmacist.
Temporary Student Pharmacist
  1. Pharmacy students enrolled in a recognized pharmacy education program outside BC.
Can perform restricted activities/pharmacy services under the supervision of a full pharmacist.*

* and for the purposes of immunization, if certified for drug administration, may also be supervised by another healthcare professional that has this scope of practice and is registered with their respective college.

The application requirements and process for this type of registration have been streamlined to reduce barriers and expedite the registration process.

Here are the steps to register with the College:

  1. Apply to be a temporary registrant
    Complete the Application for Temporary Registration
     
    1. If you have never been registered/pre-registered with the College, you will have to submit two pieces of government issued identification, of which at least one must have a photograph taken during adulthood.
       
    2. f you are currently registered in another jurisdiction and the College is unable to verify your registration and standing online, you must provide evidence from your pharmacy regulatory authority to confirm that you are registered as the equivalent of a full pharmacist or pharmacy technician in another jurisdiction in Canada or in the United States, and have no limitations, conditions or restrictions on practice.
       
    3. For pharmacists: If you currently have certification from your jurisdiction to administer drugs via injection only or if you have administered drugs by injection in the past 3 years, you can apply for drug administration by injection. If you do not have a transferable drug administration certification by intranasal route you MUST NOT administer drugs via intranasal route when temporary registration is granted.
       
    4. You must have professional liability insurance for temporary registration. Contact the BC Pharmacy Association to purchase professional liability insurance at a reduced rate for this registrant class.

Submit the application to the Registration Department by email [email protected] or by fax to 604-733-2493 or 1-800-377-8129.

Allow up to 3 business days for processing.

The College will send you a confirmation notice when your temporary registration is granted. Note that you will be notified when your temporary registration period will end when the Registrar or the Registration Committee has determined the end date of this emergency.

When a Declared Emergency Lasts 12 Months or Longer

In order to maintain your temporary registration, you are required to submit the HPA TR2 form every 12 months.*Note: Temporary Limited Pharmacist registration is permitted to be maintained every 12 months up to 2 times only (i.e. maximum 3 years of temporary limited registration).  You will receive a notice approximately 6 weeks prior to the deadline date advising you to submit your form. Do NOT submit the form prior to receiving the notice.The form should be submitted to the College by email to: [email protected] or by fax to: 604-733-2493.

If the required form is not received by the College by the specified deadline, your temporary registration will end on the next business day after the deadline. If you wish to register as a temporary registrant again, you will be required to apply for temporary registration again by completing the requirements outlined above.