Information and Application Process
COPR administers three (3) entry to practice examinations:
- The Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) examination is used as the EMR entry to practice examination in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
- The Primary Care Paramedic (PCP) and Advanced Care Paramedic (ACP) examinations are used as the PCP and ACP entry to practice examinations in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
COPR examinations are based on the 2011 National Occupational Competency Profile (NOCP).
COPR Examination Handbook
The COPR Entry to Practice Examination Handbook offers candidates detailed information regarding the examination application process.
Examination Application Steps
Before applying, carefully review the steps below. To start an application or return to an existing application, click the “Access the Applicant Portal” button.
Note: COPR and the examination provider communicate with applicants via email. It is critical to monitor your email (including junk folders) from the time you submit an application to write an examination until you receive notification of pass/fail. Failure to do so may result in missing an important message and/or timeline for the examination and could result in forfeiting the examination and a portion or all of the examination fee.
Canadian Educated
Candidates must write the COPR Entry to Practice Examination within twelve (12) months of completing an approved educational program, unless an exception is granted by a provincial regulator. Note: Refer to the eligibility exception information below.
Candidates may apply prior to the completion of the educational program. However, all educational requirements must be completed and documentation submitted at least 14 calendar days prior to the examination date or forfeit the examination and examination fee. Refer to Step 4 for a list of acceptable documentation.
Approved educational programs:
- A Canadian Paramedic Program approved by a jurisdiction where the practice of paramedicine is regulated by legislation; or
- A Canadian Paramedic Educational Program listed on Accreditation Canada’s List of Accredited / Registered Paramedic programs.
Number of Attempts
A candidate is permitted to take a maximum of three (3) attempts at the COPR Entry to Practice Examination. If not successful after the third attempt, it will be necessary to contact the provincial regulator to determine the appropriate remedial education and seek authorization to apply for a fourth or subsequent attempt. Note: Refer to the eligibility exception information below.
Eligibility exceptions
Download Form: Eligibility Exception Letter
An Eligibility Exception Letter is required in the following circumstances:
- The educational program was completed more than twelve (12) months prior to the examination date
- Remedial education has been completed prior to the fourth or subsequent examination attempt at the same practice level
- It is required by the provincial regulator to write a COPR examination (e.g., license reinstatement)
- Other circumstances in which a provincial regulator has deemed it necessary for a candidate to write a COPR entry to practice examination
Download and save the letter to your desktop and then complete section A. Save the document and forward it to the appropriate provincial regulator. It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide proof of provincial regulator authorization to access the examination.
Internationally Educated
An internationally educated individual who has successfully completed the COPR assessment process may proceed with applying for the PCP/ACP examination.
Click here to review the COPR Examination Prerequisite policy
The application for a COPR examination is a two-part process. You must complete the application and reserve a seat for each COPR examination attempt. Payment must be made online using a credit card at the time of application. Refer to step 3 for information about seat reservations.
How to apply: Access the COPR applicant portal to apply for the COPR Entry to Practice Examination. Application instructions are available here and the troubleshooting guide is available here.
Candidates may apply for an examination prior to the completion of the educational program however, they must have all requirements completed and documentation submitted at least 14 calendar days prior to the examination date or forfeit the examination and examination fee. Candidates are responsible to submit an official/signed transcript, certificate or letter from the educational institution to the applicant portal. COPR does not receive transcripts directly from educational institutions or provincial paramedic regulators.
Application Deadline: Approximately seven (7) weeks prior to the examination. Applications must be submitted by 10:00pm CST on the deadline date. To view the application deadlines, refer to the examination dates page.
You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been successfully submitted.
After submitting an application, candidates are required to reserve a seat. Refer to Step 3 for more information.
Candidates who have submitted an examination application by the deadline must also reserve an examination seat. Approximately five (5) weeks prior to the examination date, Meazure Learning will email the candidate instructions on how to reserve an examination seat. Candidates have a one-week time period to complete this step. The deadline is four (4) weeks prior to the examination.
Failure to reserve an examination seat during this one-week period will result in forfeiting the examination and a portion or all of the examination fee.
For specific reservation window dates, refer to the examination application submission confirmation email.
When appropriate, alternative accessible arrangements may be available to candidates who require testing accommodation.
To request a testing accommodation for a physical, cognitive or other protected characteristic, complete the accommodation request section of the online examination application. Ensure the Examination Disability Information Form is completed by a qualified Regulated Health Care Professional and upload it to your application.
The online examination application can be saved until you have the required documentation to submit. Requests for testing accommodations, with documentation, are to be submitted using the online application by the application deadline.
Note: Requests for accommodation received by COPR after the application deadline will not be considered, except in unusual circumstances, such as a recent injury.
Approved accommodations are valid for one examination session only. You must submit a new request for any future examination session by submitting the request with the online examination application.
The fee for each examination attempt is:
- $650.00 (PCP & ACP) plus applicable taxes.
- $550.00 (EMR) plus applicable taxes.
Payment must be made online using a credit card at the time of application. An official tax receipt is available to download from the applicant portal. Click on the Fees and Receipts link within the applicant portal to access your receipt.
Please note: COPR cannot accept group registration or group payments from employers / sponsors. Examination fees must be paid with each individual application.
Cancellations
Cancellation requests must be submitted via the applicant portal. To cancel an application, log into the applicant portal and select “Examinations”, locate your application, and select cancel. The refund policy will apply.
Refunds
Refunds will be provided to candidates who cancel their COPR Examination application or who have not satisfied the registration pre-requisites based on the schedule below. Refunds are calculated based on the date of cancellation up until 10:00pm CST. Refund requests received after this time are calculated based on the following day.
- 28+ calendar days before the examination: 100% refund
- 22 – 27 calendar days before the examination: 75% refund
- 15 – 21 calendar days before the examination: 50% refund
- 14 days before the examination: No Refund
Failure to take the Examination
A refund will not be provided to a candidate who does not take the examination at the scheduled date/time (no show) unless the failure to take the examination is due to:
- Death in the immediate family; or
- Sudden incapacitating illness or injury; or
- Other circumstance deemed by COPR to be commensurate to (1) or (2)
Please note: The COPR Examination Purchase Refund Policy is under review.
Click here to view the current COPR Examination Purchase Refund Policy.
All required graduation and/or eligibility documentation must be uploaded to the COPR applicant portal at the time of applying or at least 14 days prior to the examination. Failing to upload required documents by the deadline will result in the examination application being cancelled. The refund policy will apply.
Required documentation
Documentation of successful completion of the educational program is required. Submit one of:
- A copy of an official/signed transcript*; or
- A copy of a graduation certificate; or
- A signed letter from the educational institute’s authorized representative confirming successful completion.
*The transcript must clearly state the educational program has been completed. Transcripts that list courses but do not state the program has been completed will not be accepted.
Eligibility Exceptions
If a provincial regulator has authorized an exception to the eligibility requirements as outlined in Step 1, ensure the Eligibility Exception letter has been completed and uploaded.
If notified by COPR, via email or the comment section in the application, that more information is required, provide this information at least 14 days prior to the examination date. Monitor your email for important notifications.
Candidates who falsify documents will not be allowed to write the Examination. If falsification is discovered after the Examination has been taken, the Examination results will be null and void.
Instructions
Log into the applicant portal and select Examinations. If documentation is required, the application status will display as “waiting for documents”. Select Review to access the option to upload a document. A confirmation email is sent after the documentation has been reviewed and approved.
To monitor the status of an Examination Application, log into the COPR applicant portal and select “Examinations”, where any existing applications are displayed. Note the examination date and the listed status:
New: Examination application is saved but not submitted.
Submitted: Examination application submitted, pending review.
Waiting for documents: Examination application submitted but incomplete. Waiting for proof of educational program completion or eligibility exception letter, if applicable.
Eligible: Examination application is complete and the candidate is approved to write the examination.
Cancelled: Examination application has been cancelled.
Refunded: Examination fee has been refunded, according to the refund policy.
Before Examination Day, review the COPR Examination Handbook and note the virtual proctoring requirements. NEW: Download the secure Guardian Browser here.
It is mandatory that you use the Test It Out function in the Meazure Learning examination site to verify your computer and internet connection meet all requirements. Use the Guardian Browser when running this test and refer to the reservation confirmation email from Meazure Learning for the link and login details.
Review the study guide and virtual proctoring quick reference guide available on the preparing for the examination page.
COPR examination items are linked to the 2011 National Occupation Competency Profile (NOCP).
Refer to the confirmation email from Meazure Learning to access the examination site. Plan to login 30 minutes prior to the scheduled reservation time, using the Guardian browser instead of Chrome, Safari or Firefox.
Examination results are released 3 – 4 weeks after the examination date. When the results are available, email notification with instructions on how to view results in the COPR applicant portal is sent to candidates. Please do not contact the examination provider or COPR for examination results. Results are distributed by COPR across the country simultaneously.
Instructions:
- Wait for email notification from COPR that examination results are available
- Log into the COPR applicant portal and select “Examinations”.
• The Examination Applications page lists existing applications.
• Note the examination date and the listed status: Pass or Fail
• Click Review and then click Score Report to access your individual score report. To access a PDF version of the report click Print located in the top right corner of the report. Depending on your browser, the print menu will provide the option to save as a PDF (this may not be an option on a mobile device).
Manual Verification of Results
Unsuccessful candidates can request a manual verification of their results whereby a manual review of the questions and responses would be conducted to confirm the exam score. The non-refundable fee for this manual verification is $200.00 (+tax) for PCP/ACP and $100 (+tax) for EMR. An application for manual verification of results may be made to COPR within forty-five (45) calendar days from the date of receipt of the examination results. Candidates can submit a request by emailing the COPR Examination Manager at exam@copr.ca to have this service conducted.
Formal Review
A candidate, who has failed the COPR Entry to Practice Examination, may request a formal review of their exam to the Chair of COPR Examination Committee. A candidate’s examination results may be reviewed only based on suspected irregularities in the examination process, and not because of alleged errors in content of the examination. The content of an examination is not subject for review at the request of the candidate either singly or as a group. A request to review the examination results based on process must present evidence that the alleged irregularity materially affected the candidate’s performance. The existence of irregularities is in itself not sufficient to reverse the results of the examination. An application for Formal Review may be made to COPR within forty-five (45) calendar days from the date of receipt of the examination results. Candidates can submit a request by emailing the COPR Examination Manager at exam@copr.ca.
Formal Appeal
Following receipt of the decision of the Chair of the COPR Examination Committee, if the candidate still feels his/her situation was not accorded due consideration, the candidate can choose to submit an appeal to the COPR Board of Directors. This appeal must be sent by registered mail, accompanied by a payment of $200.00 (+ tax). An appeal of the formal review decision must be received by COPR within thirty (30) days of the candidate’s receipt of the Chair’s formal review decision.
COPR will forward the appeal request and the supporting documents to COPR’s Board of Directors for its consideration and the Board of Directors will respond in writing to the candidate’s appeal, with its decision, within forty-five (45) days of receipt by the COPR of the appeal letter.
The COPR Board of Directors will render one of the following decisions:
- confirm that the policies and procedures pertinent to the situation were followed and uphold the decision of the Chair of the COPR Examination Committee;
- determine that the policies and procedures pertinent to the situation were either inadequate or not followed completely and refer the matter back to the Chair for a decision based on reviewing or following the policies and procedures completely.
- take whatever action the Board of Directors considers appropriate that is not inconsistent with the generally accepted principles of the Chair.