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International Assessments

Applicant Portal Instructions

Introduction

In Canada, provincial Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Paramedic regulators have the legislated authority to grant registration/licensure/certification to individuals to practise as EMRs and paramedics.  The Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators (COPR) assists many of the regulators in assessing credentials of international applicants prior to those applicants completing provincial regulatory requirements. COPR will assess both the Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) and Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) designations. 

NOTE: If you are seeking registration/licensure/certification in British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, or Quebec, you need to contact the provincial regulator for those jurisdictions.

To be assessed for the EMR or Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) designation, or inquiries related to the assessment process for non-Paramedics, you are required to contact the provincial regulator of the province where registration/licensure/certification is sought. 

Our assessment process consists of four steps. Upon completion of those steps, we will provide a summary of assessment findings, and a recommendation of designation equivalency, to the respective provincial regulator for consideration. You will then be contacted by the regulator regarding completion of provincial regulatory requirements. It should be noted that regulatory requirements differ in each provincial jurisdiction. For more information on provincial regulatory requirements click here. 

NOTE: In early 2026, we will transition the assessment criteria for international applicants from the National Occupational Competency Profile (NOCP) to the Canadian Paramedic Competence Framework (CPCF). More information about the CPCF is available here.

Review the International Assessment Application Instructions.

COPR Assessment of International Applicants Handbook

The COPR Assessment of International Applicants Handbook offers detailed information regarding the following assessment application process:

  • Initial Application Requirements
  • Competency Self-Assessment Tool
  • Eligibility Assessment Application Requirements
  • Examinations
  • Application File Review
  • Fees
  • Translation of Documents
  • Next Steps

Steps to Complete the COPR Assessment Process

Step 1 – Complete the Initial Application Form

  • The online initial application form is used for providing demographic information and to create a COPR “account”.
  • Applicant portal questions? Review the troubleshooting guide.

Step 2 – Complete the Competency Self-Assessment Tool

  • A scoring scale is included as a pre-assessment tool to assist you in determining your readiness for registration/licensure/certification in Canada as a PCP or ACP. The tool is based on the 2011 National Occupational Competency Profile (NOCP) for Paramedics working in Canada.

Step 3 – Complete the Eligibility Assessment Application Form

This step requires you to identify the province for which you wish to apply for registration/licensure/certification.

You will be required to upload/submit the following documentation:

    • Two forms of government-issued, notarized identification.
    • Course outlines or curriculums
    • Verification of Currency in Practice
    • Credential Authentication Report
    • Language Proficiency Requirements
    • Letter of Regulatory Standing (if applicable)
    • Verification of Employment (if applicable)
    • Curriculum Vitae (resume)

To verify regulatory standing and/or employment, the following forms must be completed and submitted directly to us by the regulator and/or employer. For those having trouble accessing the electronic forms, please have the regulator and/or employer email or mail a letter of standing to us.

All documents must be translated and uploaded/submitted in English or French dependent on the jurisdiction you are seeking registration/licensure/certification in.  For more information refer to the Assessment of International Applicants Handbook.

It is important to provide all of the information requested, as only fully completed applications can be processed. You can move between questions and upload documents as they become available to you. Work can be saved at any time and returned to later.

Step 4 – Examination  

Upon completion of steps 1-3, you will be advised regarding next steps involving completion of an examination. If you are pursuing registration/licensure/certification in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, you are required to complete the COPR Entry to Practice Examination. 

NOTE: We are transitioning our examinations from the NOCP to the CPCF. While the transition will be gradual and include an overlap of the NOCP and CPCF, you are encouraged to be aware of the timelines and informed as to which examination you are applying for. Click here for the timelines.

Assessment Fees

  • Initial application fee – $100 (Note: This fee is non-refundable)
  • Eligibility assessment application fee – $600
  • COPR examination $650

COPR payments can be made online using VISA or MasterCard.

Please note: Provincial Paramedic Regulators have registration/licensure/certification fees.

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