International medical graduates

International medical graduates (IMGs) can apply for a licence in the provisional class, clinical observer class, assessment class or associate physician class.

These licence classes are for physicians or surgeons who obtained their medical degree outside of Canada that is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. A Canadian sponsor note is required.

Associate physician licence

The associate physician licence permits a physician—with medical training acceptable to CPSBC, and who is not eligible for any other licence class—to practise under supervision in accredited structured team-based care.

Associate physicians practise medicine within the scope of their education, qualifications, and experience in acute care, community primary care, or surgical assistant settings.

Associate physicians licensees are:

  • not licensed for independent practice
  • must not act in the capacity as the most responsible physician
  • are only allowed to practise medicine in the provision of services in connection with fulfilling the terms set out in their health authority sponsorship letter

Requirements

To be eligible for the associate physician licence, an applicant must:

  • have a medical degree from a medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools which includes a Canadian sponsor note
  • meet CPSBC's English language proficiency requirements
  • have Canadian citizenship, be a permanent resident or be legally able to live and work in BC
  • be current in clinical practice (e.g. worked at least 24 weeks in the preceding three years) at the time of licensure with CPSBC
    • Applicants who have secured employment with a health authority are eligible for retraining to regain their clinical currency
    • Work in associate physician or clinical assistant roles do not count towards currency for independent practice

Training requirement for acute care

  • have completed a minimum of one year accredited training as a medical or surgical specialist prior to applying for licensure
    • The training must meet the qualification required to perform clinical work for which the health authority is hiring the associate physician.
    • The training must be from an accredited program from any country, verified to the satisfaction of CPSBC.

Training requirement for community primary care

  • have completed a minimum of one year accredited training as a general practitioner prior to applying for licensure
    • The training must be from an accredited program from any country, verified to the satisfaction of CPSBC.

Note: CPSBC is currently not accepting applications for associate physicians in community primary care settings.

Training requirement for surgical assist

  • have completed a minimum of one year accredited training as a medical or surgical specialist or as a general practitioner prior to applying for licensure
    • The training must include four weeks of surgical training, excluding obstetrics and gynecology.
    • The training must be from an accredited program from any country, verified to the satisfaction of CPSBC.
Canada Free Trade Agreement

Applicants who hold a clinical or surgical assistant licence in Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, may qualify to apply under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Ontario, Quebec and territories are excluded. For more information, email licensing@cpsbc.ca.

How to apply

All applications (including applications under the CFTA) for the associate physician licence must be initiated through Health Match BC. CPSBC does not offer a direct application pathway.

All applications (including applications under the CFTA) for the associate physician licence must be initiated through Health Match BC. CPSBC does not offer a direct application pathway.

Applicants register with Health Match BC and upload a recent CV.

Health Match BC will work with eligible physicians to:

  1. apply for open positions as they are made available
  2. submit preliminary assessment documentation to CPSBC

Health Match BC initiates the preliminary assessment by forwarding the applicant's preliminary assessment documentation to CPSBC.

CPSBC reviews the preliminary assessment documentation to determine the applicant's initial eligibility for the associate physician licence.

CPSBC mails a letter to the applicant, two weeks after CPSBC receives the preliminary assessment documentation from Health Match BC. The letter outlines pre-licensure requirements that the applicant must meet.

The applicant must fulfill pre-licensure requirements outlined in the letter, including providing either a sponsorship letter or a contract of supervision that confirms employment and program accreditation.

Once all the pre-licensure requirements are met, a CPSBC file manager is assigned to the applicant. The file manager will email an application package to the applicant.

The applicant must submit to CPSBC a completed application along with required documentation.

This step can take a minimum of six to eight weeks. The file manager reviews the completed application to ensure that no additional follow-up is required.

Common causes of delay in this step are:

  • receipt of work permit – CPSBC cannot issue a licence before the applicant provides proof of legal ability to work in British Columbia
  • certificates of professional conduct
  • source verification of medical degree, postgraduate training, and specialty certification
  • an identified fit to practice or ethical practice issue

If no additional follow-up is required, the file manager will put forward the applicant's completed application for a final review and approval.

Once the file is approved, the applicant will be asked to pay annual licence fees. Following payment of fees, a licence will be issued within three business days.

Licensure in the associate physician class is contingent on the following:

  • submission of a complete application for licensure
  • submission of written documentation confirming that the employment position offered to the associate physician applicant is in a health authority associate physician program that has been accredited by CPSBC
  • sponsorship letter from the health authority that confirms employment for the applicant in the accredited associate physician program
  • compliance with the requirements for licensure under the Health Professions and Occupations Act and related CPSBC Bylaws
  • the health authority obtains/maintains program accreditation

Maintaining the licence

Ongoing licensure in the associate physician class is maintained by

  • satisfactory completion of the annual licence renewal form,
  • online payment of the annual licence renewal fee as detailed in schedule B of CPSBC Bylaws,
  • payment of any other outstanding fine, fee, penalty fee, debt, levy or costs owed to CPSBC,
  • ongoing compliance with continuing competency requirements,
  • ongoing professional liability coverage or protection, and
  • provision of certificates of professional conduct, where applicable.

Cancellation of the licence

Associate physician licence is cancelled if:

  • the licensee ceases to engage in the practice of medicine in accordance with the terms outlined through the program accreditation,
  • the licensee’s sponsorship is withdrawn because of competency concerns,
  • the licensee’s sponsorship is withdrawn for reasons other than competency concerns and an alternative sponsor is not identified within seven days,
  • the program in which the associate physician works loses its accreditation or there is a substantive change to the program of associate physicians’ job description.

For more information about the licence requirements, refer to:

Health authority employment

Associate physicians practise under the direction and supervision of attending physicians in acute care and community primary care settings. The employment opportunity is through an accredited associate physician program that is reviewed by CPSBC.

See list of accredited associate physician programs

Program accreditation

Health authorities looking to employ associate physicians are required to obtain program accreditation from CPSBC.

Apply for program accreditation