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International medical graduates are candidates who have completed postgraduate residency training outside of Canada or the United States. To be eligible for Royal College exams, candidates do not have to live in Canada or hold Canadian citizenship.
The Royal College does not grant licences to practise. Each province and territory has a medical regulatory authority that is responsible for setting the licensing criteria for that province/territory. Contact your medical regulatory authority to inquire about obtaining a licence to practise.
The Jurisdiction Approved Training route is for international medical graduates who have completed specialist training that was planned, supervised, and accredited by one of the Royal College’s approved jurisdiction’s, and completed in the country of the jurisdiction. (note: not all specialties are approved in each jurisdiction).
Please note that fees paid for an application for exam eligibility do not cover examination fees.
* Please submit your training documents to Physicians Apply for source verification, including documentation of internship (if applicable).
You can apply for assessment by registering with the Royal College and submitting your application through our online platform by the deadlines outlined below.
You will require a Royal College ID to complete this process. If you do not have a Royal College ID, complete the registration form before registering through our online platform at https://booking.royalcollege.ca. Please use Google Chrome as your browser. If you’re an existing candidate/applicant who has a Royal College ID number and has never logged into the system, you can click on “Reset your password” or “Forgot your ID” if necessary. Please read the instructions beforehand.
Submitting an application by the deadline does not guarantee the assessment process will conclude by the exam registration deadline.
The deadline to apply for exam eligibility occurs the year before you wish to take your exam.
If you miss the deadline, late fees will be applied.
Please reach out to imgcredentials@royalcollege.ca for questions pertaining to this route or the application process.
Note: Not all specialties and subspecialties are accepted in each jurisdiction. Review your jurisdiction and list of specialties accepted for additional information. For your training to be assessed, it must be completed in the country of the approved jurisdiction.
Country | Jurisdiction | Specialties and Subspecialties | Dates of acceptable training |
Australia and New Zealand | The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists | Anesthesia | 1992 to present |
The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) | Emergency Medicine | 1993 to present | |
Australasian College of Dermatologists | Dermatology | 2000 to present | |
Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | 2000 to present | |
Australasian Faculty of Occupational Medicine | Occupational Medicine | 2000 to present | |
Australian Faculty of Public Health Medicine | Community Medicine (Public Health and Preventive Medicine) | 2000 to present | |
Royal College of Pathologists of Australia | Anatomical Pathology, General Pathology | 2000 to present | |
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists | Psychiatry | 2000 to present | |
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RANZCOG) | Obstetrics and Gynecology | 1996 to present | |
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists | Ophthalmology | 1995 to present | |
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons | Specialties: Cardiac Surgery (Cardiothoracic Surgery), General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery, Urology | 1985 to present | |
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists | Diagnostic Radiology, Radiation Oncology | 1975 to present | |
The Royal Australian College of Physicians | Specialties | 1990 to present | |
Hong Kong | The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine | Anesthesia, Diagnostic Radiology (Radiology), Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Oncology (Clinical Oncology), Community Medicine (Public Health and Preventive Medicine), Emergency Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Pediatrics, Pathology, Psychiatry | 1994 to present |
Singapore | The Academy of Medicine, Singapore | Specialties: Anaesthesia (Anesthesiology), Cardiac Surgery (Cardiothoracic Surgery), Community Medicine (Public Health & Preventive Medicine), Dermatology, Diagnostic Radiology, Emergency Medicine, General Surgery, Hematological Pathology (Pathology), Internal Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Nuclear Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatrics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Rehabilitation Medicine), Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, Urology | 2000 to present |
South Africa | The Health Professions Council of South Africa | Specialties: Anatomical Pathology, Anaesthesia (Anesthesiology), Cardiac Surgery (Cardiothoracic Surgery), Community Medicine (Public Health & Preventive Medicine) (Community Health), Dermatology, Diagnostic Radiology (Radiology), General Pathology (Clinical Pathology), General Surgery, Hematological Pathology, Internal Medicine (Physicians), Medical Genetics, Medical Microbiology (Microbiological Pathology), Neurology, Neurosurgery, Nuclear Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology, Urology, Vascular Surgery | 1974 to present |
Switzerland | Swiss Medical Association | Specialties: Anaesthesia (Anesthesiology), Cardiac Surgery (Cardiothoracic Surgery), Dermatology, General Surgery, Hematological Pathology (Immunohematology), Internal Medicine, Nuclear Medicine (Radiology and Nuclear Medicine), Neurology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Occupational medicine, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, Urology | 2000 to present |
United Kingdom | The Royal College of Anaesthetists (UK) | Anesthesia | 1990 to present |
The College of Anaesthetists | Anesthesia | 1996 to present | |
Joint Committee on Higher Training in Accident & Emergency Medicine | Emergency Medicine | 1993 to present | |
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK) | Specialties: Obstetrics & Gynecology | 1984 to present | |
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (UK) | Ophthalmology
| 1988 to present | |
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (UK) | Specialties: Pediatrics | 1972 to present | |
The Royal College of Pathologists (UK) | Anatomical Pathology (Histopathology), Medical Biochemistry (Chemical Pathology) | 1996 to present | |
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh | Specialties: Community Medicine (Public Health & Preventive Medicine), Dermatology, Hematological Pathology, Internal Medicine, Medical Genetics (Clinical Genetics), Medical Microbiology (Medical Microbiology and Virology and Infectious Diseases), Neurology, Nuclear Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Rehabilitation Medicine) | 1972 to present | |
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland | Specialties: Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Occupational Medicine, Pediatrics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Rehabilitation Medicine) | 1994 to present | |
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK) | Psychiatry | 1975 to present | |
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh | Basic Surgical Training | 1976 to present | |
The Royal College of Radiologists (UK) | Radiation Oncology (Clinical Oncology), Diagnostic Radiology (Clinical Radiology) | 1975 to present |
The Practice Eligibility Route (PER) is for internationally trained physicians who may or may not have started practice, to apply for an assessment in order to receive Royal College exam eligibility and ultimately certification. This path is designed for recognized primary specialties only. (Certification in a sub-specialty requires certification in a primary specialty).
Please note that fees paid for an application for exam eligibility do not cover examination fees.
* Please submit your training documents to Physicians Apply for source verification, including documentation of internship (if applicable).Note that source verification of your documents is a criteria for specialist certification.
An affirmative preliminary assessment does not guarantee success in subsequent steps of the PER application process.
You can apply for assessment by registering with the Royal College and submitting your application through our online platform by the deadlines outlined below.
You will require a Royal College ID to complete this process. If you do not have a Royal College ID, complete the registration form before registering through our online platform at https://booking.royalcollege.ca. Please use Google Chrome as your browser. If you’re an existing candidate/applicant who has a Royal College ID number and has never logged into the system, you can click on “Reset your password” or “Forgot your ID” if necessary. Please read the instructions beforehand.
Submitting an application by the deadline does not guarantee the assessment process will conclude by the exam registration deadline.
The deadline to apply for exam eligibility occurs the year before you wish to take your exam.
If you miss the deadline, late fees will be applied.
Please reach out to per@royalcollege.ca for questions pertaining to this route or the application process.
If you are an internationally trained subspecialist in Canada and you are not Royal College certified in your primary specialty, you may be eligible to apply for assessment through the Subspecialty Examination Affiliate Program (SEAP), or the Practice Eligibility Route for the Subspecialty Examination Affiliate Program (PER-SEAP).
If you are granted eligibility to take your exam, eligibility is granted for a 5-year period. If you pass, you will be provided a Royal College attestation of its successful completion and invited to join the Royal College as a Subspecialist Affiliate.
Affiliate status allows you to maintain engagement with the Royal College and to participate in the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program, but it does not confer Royal College certification or fellowship.
Apply for an assessment through SEAP
You can apply for an assessment through SEAP if you are an internationally-trained physician who is registered with a postgraduate office in an accredited Royal College subspecialty training program and you are not Royal College certified in a primary specialty.
You can apply for a training assessment by contacting us at credentials@royalcollege.ca.
*Note: SEAP is designed to provide affiliate status in a sub-specialty and attestation of success at the sub-specialty exam. This does not confer certification.
The deadline to apply for exam eligibility occurs the year before you wish to take your exam.
If you miss the deadline, late fees will be applied.
Note:
Apply for an assessment through PER-SEAP
You can apply for an assessment through PER-SEAP if you are an internationally trained subspecialist who is already licensed and practising as a subspecialist in Canada and you are not Royal College certified in a primary specialty.
You can apply for a training assessment by contacting us at credentials@royalcollege.ca.
The deadline to apply for exam eligibility occurs the year before you wish to take your exam.
If you miss the deadline, late fees will be applied.
Note:
The credentials review is an assessment of your postgraduate medical education (PGME) and your current practice. It consists of the following 4 components:
Note: Practice during a fellowship or postgraduate medical education (PGME) is not considered independent practice; it is considered a learning experience for the specialty.
Required documents and instructions on source verification by physiciansapply.ca