Paramedicine Overview

Regulation of Paramedics in Canada

Paramedicine is a regulated profession in all ten provinces in Canada. By law, individuals must obtain registration/licensure /certification to practice as a paramedic. In Canada, provincial organizations (Regulatory Colleges or Government Regulators) are responsible for registering/licensing/certifying paramedics.

Individuals Trained in Canada

Individuals trained in Canada that wish to be registered/licensed/certified as a paramedic must successfully complete an entry to practice examination. Seven provinces utilize the COPR examination, while the remaining three use their own provincial examination.

Individuals Trained Outside Canada

If an individual has completed his/her paramedic education outside of Canada, he/she must first complete a preliminary assessment of their qualifications and educational credentials by COPR and meet any provincial regulatory requirements. It is important to note that regulatory requirements vary by province. For full information on registration/licensure/certification in each province, individuals should review the Regulation of Paramedics section of the COPR website and contact the regulator in the province he/she would like to work.

If the education of an international applicant was not completed in English or French, he/she would be required to demonstrate official language proficiency.

The preliminary assessment and registration/licensure/certification processes can be lengthy and expensive. Applicants may wish to consider using the Cost Estimator to get a sense of the costs involved in applying and qualifying for registration/licensure/certification as a paramedic in Canada.