US grads using NBEO in Canada (BC)

[Dordy]

Hello everyone,

So I’m in my 4th year in a US optometry school wanting to return home to Ontario to work.

I really don’t want to pay 6,000 dollars to take the OEBC when the NBEO can be used as it’s equivalent in BC and Montreal and is required to graduate anyways.

Can somebody please help me figure out what Ontario’s requirements are for transferring a licence from BC I literally can’t find It anywhere.

This post will hopefully shed some light and help many other Canadian ods come home to practice .
Thanks

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[LVOD20]

Hey Dordy,

I've been digging deep for these answers for a few weeks now, but it's definitely not an easy find! I'm a third year in the US planning to only write the NBEO and practice in BC after graduation. A few friends and I found the Optometry Act for Ontario, but the wording is not the clearest. As I see it, there doesn't seem to be a time frame of how long someone needs to practice in another province before applying for an Ontario license. However, if you are applying after 3 years, then you do have to meet other requirements.

Here's the link: ww.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/930837
(I'm unable to post a link apparently, so I intentionally dropped one 'w' to be able to post this!)

I could have gotten this entirely wrong, so if you figure it out, please share!

 

[Dordy]

Hey Dordy,

I've been digging deep for these answers for a few weeks now, but it's definitely not an easy find! I'm a third year in the US planning to only write the NBEO and practice in BC after graduation. A few friends and I found the Optometry Act for Ontario, but the wording is not the clearest. As I see it, there doesn't seem to be a time frame of how long someone needs to practice in another province before applying for an Ontario license. However, if you are applying after 3 years, then you do have to meet other requirements.

Here's the link: ww.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/930837
(I'm unable to post a link apparently, so I intentionally dropped one 'w' to be able to post this!)

I could have gotten this entirely wrong, so if you figure it out, please share!

Hello,

Thanks so much for your reply,
So I emailed the optometry in Ontario office and here’s what they told me.

‘The additional training/assessments would only occur if the Registration Committee feels that an applicant has not practised optometry to the extent that would be permitted by a general certificate of registration. Unfortunately, we are not able to indicate a specific number of hours required. Under the Labour Mobility provisions, as part of the application process, one of the requirements is that an applicant must provide a letter of attestation from a colleague registered in good standing in the province in which the applicant is practising. The letter must include the full name and registration certificate number of the practising member, the full address of the practice location, the dates/range of dates you practised at the practice location, and the approximate number of patients you saw.“

So It looks as if there isn’t a requirement and just is a case to case review?

I think you’ll be fine in BC with the NBEO you just gotta pass your jurisprudence exam which is open book anyways let me know what you find

 

[LVOD20]

Hello,

Thanks so much for your reply,
So I emailed the optometry in Ontario office and here’s what they told me.

‘The additional training/assessments would only occur if the Registration Committee feels that an applicant has not practised optometry to the extent that would be permitted by a general certificate of registration. Unfortunately, we are not able to indicate a specific number of hours required. Under the Labour Mobility provisions, as part of the application process, one of the requirements is that an applicant must provide a letter of attestation from a colleague registered in good standing in the province in which the applicant is practising. The letter must include the full name and registration certificate number of the practising member, the full address of the practice location, the dates/range of dates you practised at the practice location, and the approximate number of patients you saw.“

So It looks as if there isn’t a requirement and just is a case to case review?

I think you’ll be fine in BC with the NBEO you just gotta pass your jurisprudence exam which is open book anyways let me know what you find

Nice! It seems like a lot of the provinces/territories are similar in the sense that they require the applicant to be in good standing with the province/territory he/she is registered in. I'll pass this along to others, thanks for emailing them!

I've lived in three provinces and hope to practice in BC, but want to do some stints up north in the Yukon or NWT or even Nunavut haha so I'm glad it's possible with just the NBEO.

 

[Dordy]

Yeah for sure!!

They also emailed me this “ In response to your question regarding the rejection of an application, I can confirm that in my time at the College, the Registration Committee has not yet rejected an application due to a lack of hours worked in another province. I have been with the College for more than five years.“

So that’s promising! Best of luck

 

[LVOD20]

So awesome and super promising, indeed! Thanks a ton and same to you