UK Paramedic to Canada

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simon33

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Hi I am looking to move to Canada and am looking at the equivilancy process for Alberta and Ontario but am also considering New Brinswick or Nova Scotia. The exact destination is not that important as we are simply looking to move for a better quality of life.

I was hoping for any advice from anyone who has undergone the PCP equivilancy process and what the exams are like. Also any advice on paramedic work from province to province would be great.

I intend to submit my paperwork soon and I have read I then have 24 months to sit the relevant exams. I have found some info on canadian paramedic protocols which I am looking through but any extra input is greatly appreciated. I am a UK HCPC registered paramedic with 7 years experience. UK paramedics seem to be between PCP and ACP so would be applying for PCP registration. I have read through the relevant sections on the province websites but any personal experience would help a lot.

Thanks

Simon
 
Medic Tim

Medic Tim

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Hello
I am an ACP in NB, NS, BC and an EMT-Paramedic in AB.
I received a majority of my training outside of Canada and transferred it into Canada. The process can take a while and can be expensive.

A lot of the provinces in Canada follow the NOCP www.paramedic.ca as a scope of practice or something similar.

Once you license in Canada you can port your license to any other province. You may have some restrictions on your license for a bit but it isn't that huge of an issue.
On the east coast the pay is low compared to the west coast. NS is hiring ACP's for sure but I am not sure how many PCP spots are available. www.emci.ca is their website...it also has links on licensing info.

NB only runs PCPs and it can be very difficult to get a job as the system is flooded with new medics. The company that manages the provincial run system also owns the paramedic schools in the province and they are pumping them out like crazy. You would be lucky to get a casual position you didn't have to drive 1+ hour for each way.... with limited to no work. I am currently a casual in this system. I gave up my full time spot to work full time in northern alberta (oil sands). www.panb.ca is the website for our paramedic association (licensing agency)

AB- lots of work between 911 and industrial(oil field and construction) pay is much higher here. I currently have my own clinic and work 2weeks in and 2 weeks out. the company flies me back and forth each shift. I enjoy working here.
www.collegeofparamedics.org is their website..... AB does not follow the NOCP that I mentioned above....they have their own scope profiles...they are on the website.

BC- I have yet to work here but the company I work for in AB also has contracts in BC. I know they are hurting for ACP's but am not sure what their need is for PCP's.

If you have any specific questions or if I missed anything let me know.... I will do my best to answer.

AB
 
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simon33

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Thanks Tim for replying, thats some great info. Looks like Alberta may be the place to go. Can you tell me much about transferring your qualifications and how you found the process?

Thanks again
 
Medic Tim

Medic Tim

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It was pretty easy process for me. My school did a lot of the paperwork. I initially licensed in NB. NB uses the nocp guidelines. My program director had to submit paperwork showing how the program covered all the topics, skills, etc listed in the nocp profiles for PCP and later ACP.
This process took a couple months from start to finish. Once I was licensed I transferred my license into other provinces as NB does not employ ACP's.

The exam I wrote in NB was tough but not to bad. There was no practical exam.(I know NS and AB have a written and practical exam) It was based off of the NOCP profiles and did not have protocol specific(regional) questions. Some places also enforce a rule where you have to be licensed in the jurisdiction of your training before you can transfer it into another area. Because of that I had to do the NREMT-P exam in the US and license in the state of maine.

when I ported my license I had to send in an application, pay a processing fee and write a jurisdictional exam. It is open book and covers laws and regulations specific to that province. The process can take a couple weeks to a couple of months.


hope this helps.
 
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RustyShackleford

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If you need any specific information for Alberta as Tim said he works here and I work in Calgary so any help I can offer through PMs I will.
 
cprted

cprted

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Medic Tim said:
BC- I have yet to work here but the company I work for in AB also has contracts in BC. I know they are hurting for ACP's but am not sure what their need is for PCP's.
Click to expand...

BC is also hurting for PCPs, but in the rural stations where you are working part-time (translation: casual) call-out based only with no benefits ... there are a number of rural stations where the staff make decent money, but you have no set schedule, no vacation time, no guaranteed income ...

If you're ACP, you can essentially jump right into a Full-Time position in Vancouver. BCAS runs one of the few targeted ALS systems in Canada so it gives our ACPs a much different working environment than an all-ALS system such as Alberta's.
 
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zyadfares

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hi tim can you help me i need to immigration to Canada Calgary and i have diploma in paramedic from Egypt can i work there thank you
 
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