Pharmacists

Pharmacists are required to have completed a bachelor's degree in pharmacy. In addition, they must pass a board examination administered by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada and, in order to practise in B.C., must also pass an English Language Fluency exam.

Before becoming fully licensed, pharmacists must have 1,000 hours of practical experience through an intern or apprentice program. The practical requirements may be reduced to 160 or 500 hours for formally licensed pharmacists who had left the industry and are applying to be re-licensed. The practical requirements may also be reduced for pharmacists who immigrate to B.C. from other countries.

The University of British Columbia's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences includes a clerkship program as part of its degree requirements, in which students work for 20 weeks in the pharmaceutical industry, usually as a technician under the guidance of a licensed pharmacist. Residency training is highly recommended for hospital pharmacists.

Because they frequently come into contact with hazardous chemical compounds, pharmacists must take workplace hazardous materials information systems training. First aid and advanced cardiac life support certifications are beneficial, but are not required. Retail pharmacists who plan to establish their own practices often take accounting and other business courses.

Pharmacists who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.

For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.

Contact the College of Pharmacists of BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.

For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.

View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

A significant number of job openings are expected in response to new job creation and the need to replace retiring workers.

The demand for pharmaceutical services is rising in response to the increasing proportion of the population who are over the age of 65. Over the last decade years, Canada's aging population has led to a rapidly increasing number of prescriptions being filled by pharmacists. The largest increase in pharmacy activity has taken place in community pharmacies that are located in food and general merchandise stores. Many jobs will be created in retail pharmacies as more supermarkets and general merchandisers open pharmacies in their stores.

The aging population is putting increased pressure on hospital pharmacies. According to the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, an increasing number of hospitals, especially in small centres, have reported long-term vacancies for pharmacists. Many pharmacists are leaving hospitals to work in community pharmacies. One reason for this may be that hospital pharmacists generally earn a lower wage than community pharmacists, despite working under more stressful conditions. Temporary vacancies that result from maternity leaves are also difficult to fill.

Industry reports a current shortage of pharmacists in B.C. In particular, rural communities are short of both community and hospital pharmacists. As such, demand for pharmacists in these smaller communities is high.

As employers in under-served regions tend to experience difficulties in hiring these professionals when vacancies occur, the B.C. provincial government has offered loan forgiveness to physiotherapist graduates who commit to work in these regions. For more details on the loan-forgiveness program, please view the StudentAid BC website at https://studentaidbc.ca/repay/repayment-help/bc-loan-forgiveness-program.

Graduates of clinical and non-clinical hospital pharmacy programs, and pharmacists with previous experience working in hospitals, are also in demand in the province. Those with doctorate of pharmacy degrees are in particularly high demand in hospitals.