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, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
- 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.
Provincial paramedic regulators have the authority to grant certification/licensure/registration to individuals to practice as paramedics and EMR’s. You are responsible for confirming the certification/licensure/ registration requirements with the provincial regulator where you want to work, including the timeframe to meet the requirements and limits to the number of examination attempts.
COPR Examination Handbook
The COPR Entry to Practice Examination Handbook offers candidates detailed information regarding the examination application process.
The website for the examination provider, Meazure Learning, may contain generic information. COPR requirements outlined in the Examination Handbook, on the COPR website and in COPR email communications supersede Meazure Learning information.
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 Meazure Learning 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.
The COPR Examination is an entry to practice examination used solely for the purpose of entering the paramedic profession in Canada.
To write a COPR Entry to Practice Examination, a candidate must meet one of the following criteria:
- A graduate of a Paramedic program, located in Canada, approved by a jurisdiction where the practice of paramedicine is regulated by legislation; or
- A graduate of a Canadian Paramedic educational program listed on Accreditation Canada’s List of Accredited / Registered Paramedic programs; or
- An internationally educated individual who has completed the COPR assessment process and been advised by COPR to proceed with applying for the PCP or ACP examination; or
- An individual approved by a Canadian Paramedic Regulator to undertake the COPR Entry to Practice Examination*.
*If you require the approval of a paramedic regulator to access the examination, complete the Examination Eligibility Confirmation Letter and submit it to your application by the documentation deadline. Download and save the letter to your desktop and then complete section A. Save the document and forward it to the appropriate provincial regulator. You are responsible for providing proof of provincial regulator authorization to access the examination.
Timelines and number of Attempts
COPR does not limit the number of attempts or the timeframe to write the Entry to Practice Examinations. It is the candidate’s responsibility to be aware of individual provincial requirements regarding timelines to pass an entry to practice examination prior to certification/licensure/registration and whether the provincial regulator has a “number of attempts” requirement.
Candidates must report all attempts at a Canadian paramedic entry to practice examination for the same designation on their application. The number of attempts does not reset when a refresher course is taken, or another full paramedic program is completed.
Click here to review the COPR Examination Eligibility 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 before completion 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 four (4) weeks before 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 approximately 15 minutes after your application has been successfully submitted and the invoice paid.
After applying, 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 three to four (3-4) weeks before the examination date, Meazure Learning will email the candidate instructions to reserve an examination seat. The deadline is two (2) weeks before the examination.
Failure to reserve an examination seat during the reservation period will result in forfeiting the examination. The refund policy applies.
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 such as a medical doctor or psychologist who has assessed and treated you within the last year. The qualified regulated health professional must have specific training and expertise for the disability for which accommodation is requested and must be certified or licensed to practise in their field. This is the only acceptable documentation.
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.
Examination fees include a non-refundable administration fee of $150 plus applicable taxes. Payment must be made online using a credit card at the time of application.
Please note: COPR cannot accept group registration or group payments from employers/sponsors. Examination fees must be paid with each individual application.
Receipts
An official receipt is available to download from the applicant portal. Click “include paid” in the My Invoices area within the applicant portal to access your receipt.
Cancellations
Cancellation requests must be submitted via the applicant portal. The refund policy will apply.
Refunds
Candidates who cancel their examination application a minimum of 14 calendar days prior to the examination (defined as 10:00 PM CST on the 14th calendar day prior to the examination) will receive 100% refund, less the administrative fee.
Candidates who cancel their examination application after 10:00 PM CST on the 14th calendar day prior to the examination will not receive a refund unless it is due to extenuating circumstances, as outlined below.
Candidates who do not reserve their seat or submit their transcripts 14 calendar days before the examination forfeit their examination and will receive a 100% refund, less the administrative fee.
Failure to take the Examination
No refund will 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 the following extenuating circumstances:
- Death in the immediate family; or
- Sudden incapacitating illness or injury; or
- Other circumstances deemed by COPR to be beyond the candidate’s control.
Candidates have 10 business days after the examination date to submit a refund request for extenuating circumstances, with supporting documentation, to the COPR Examination Manager (exam@copr.ca) outlining the situation that prevented them from taking the Examination on the scheduled examination day. If the refund request is approved, 100% of the examination fee, less the administration fee, may be refunded.
Click here to view the current COPR Examination 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 the 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.
If a provincial regulator has approved access to an examination as outlined in the eligibility policy, ensure the Examination Eligibility Confirmation 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 before 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. If documentation is required, the application status will display as awaiting documents or returned for updates. Select Update to review and update your documentation. 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 review the application.
Before Examination Day, review the COPR Examination Handbook and note the virtual proctoring requirements.
Download the Guardian Browser to your computer.
Ensure you have valid (not expired) government-issued photo identification to use on the day of the examination.
It is mandatory that you use the Meazure Learning Test it Out tool to verify your computer and internet connection meet all requirements. Refer to the reservation confirmation email from Meazure Learning for the Examination site link and login details.
Review the study guide and online 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 Meazure Learning confirmation email to access the examination site. Plan to login 30 minutes prior to the scheduled reservation time.
When the results are available, email notification with instructions on viewing 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 an email notification from COPR that examination results are available
- Log into the COPR applicant portal.
• Check My Exams for the examination status (Passed/Failed)
• Click My Documents to access the individual score report in PDF format.
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.