More topics

Out-of-Province Applicants

Last updated on March 27, 2024

In order to transfer to British Columbia (BC) as an Emergency Medical Assistant (EMA), you must be licensed or registered as an EMA or equivalent in your current jurisdiction. The Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board does not accept applications from applicants transferring to BC based on training, employment and/or examinations only.

All out of province applicants applying to BC that have a lapse in practice will be assessed under the Out of Province Assessment Policy and examinations/training may be required in order to be eligible for BC licensure.

Canadian Applicants

If you hold a valid Emergency Medical Assistant licence in one or more province of Canada, you can get a licence in BC.

EMA Licensing Board CFTA Comparison Chart

Please Note: Not all licence levels will transfer to BC with all the endorsements listed in Schedule 2 of the Emergency Medical Assistants Regulation. Please see the endorsement/restriction section on the Training Programs for Students page for more information on how to get an endorsement.

 

Applying for a Licence in BC

To apply for a licence in BC, follow these steps:

Once our office has received all of your documentation, you will be advised of your eligibility for licensing in BC and your exam requirements.

International Applicants

If you are licensed or registered outside of Canada and want to become licensed in BC, you must have your training and experience assessed.

To apply for licensure, applicants must determine what licence category they are applying for and then follow the instructions for that category. You can use the checklist of services as a reference to determine which licence category most closely aligns with your training and experience. Please keep in mind that your licence category includes the services for your category plus all services in the categories below i.e., each license builds on preceding licence category.

In BC, there are four licence categories an international applicant may be eligible to apply for Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Primary Care Paramedic (PCP), Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP), or Critical Care Paramedic (CCP).

Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs)

To have your EMR credentials assessed:

  1. Complete a Application for Licence form online.
  2. Provide proof of successful completion of training certificate or transcript to getanexam@gov.bc.ca or by attaching to your request for evaluation form.
  3. Have your regulatory body complete and submit the EMR Competency Form electronically.
  4. Complete an EMA Professional Experience Record form online.
  5. Undergo a criminal record check .

Once your assessment is complete, you will be advised of your eligibility for licensure, including any exam or application requirements.

Note: There are fees associated with the licensing process when a written and/or practical exam is required.

Primary Care Paramedics (PCPs) and Advanced Care Paramedics (ACPs)

PCPs and ACPs are required to undergo a credentials assessment through the Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators (COPR).

To have your PCP or ACP credentials assessed:

  1. Undergo the credentials assessment via the COPR website
  2. Complete an Application for Licence form online
  3. Complete an EMA Professional Experience Record form online
  4. Provide proof of successful completion of training certificate or transcript to getanexam@gov.bc.ca or by attaching to your application for licence form.
  5. Undergo a criminal record check.

Once your COPR assessment is complete, COPR sends the findings to the EMA Licensing Branch for review. Once your review is complete, you will be advised of your eligibility for licensure including any exam or application requirements.

Note: There are fees associated with the licensing process when a written and/or practical exam is required.

Critical Care Paramedics (CCPs)

To have your CCP credentials assessed:

  1. Complete a Application for Licence form online
  2. Provide proof of successful completion of training certificate or transcript to getanexam@gov.bc.ca or by attaching to your request for evaluation form.
  3. Have your regulatory body complete and submit CCP Competency Form electronically.
  4. Complete an EMA Professional Experience Record form online.
  5. Undergo a criminal record check.

Once your assessment is complete, you will be advised of your eligibility for licensure, including any exam or application requirements.

Note: There are fees associated with the licensing process when a written and/or practical exam is required.

Transferring from BC

To transfer from BC to another jurisdiction, you will need to verify your BC registration. The verification process is as follows:

  • Get the COPR Labour Mobility form from the jurisdiction you want to transfer to.
  • Complete Section A of the form and send by email to getalicense@gov.bc.ca.
    Note: You can mail the original to our office if the jurisdiction you want to transfer to requires an original.
  • Our office will fill out Section B of the COPR Labour Mobility form and then mail the form directly to the regulating body of that jurisdiction.

Useful Links

Canadian Emergency Medical Assistant Regulators

You must report any current licences or previous licences you have held in any jurisdiction.

You need to provide the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Branch the name and contact information of the organization that issued the licence. The branch will enquire about your status.

All licensing applicants for the EMR, PCP, ITT, ACP, or CCP level are required to successfully complete the jurisprudence examination. Applicants have three attempts to successfully complete the jurisprudence examination. The jurisprudence examination consists of 100 questions with two hours to complete and 80% is required to pass.

You must be in good standing in all jurisdictions where you have held a licence.

You cannot have a licence revoked or suspended from a previous jurisdiction.

The Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board will consider, on a case-by-case basis, situations where an applicant is not in good standing and determine if a licence should be issued.

For more information about transferring to or from B.C., please contact us.

Mailing Address:
EMA Licensing Branch
Ministry of Health
PO Box 9625 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9P1

Courier Address:
EMA Licensing Branch
Ministry of Health
1515 Blanshard Street,1st Floor
Victoria BC V8W 3C8

Phone: 250 952-1211

Toll-free: 1 877 952-1211

Email: getanexam@gov.bc.ca