Information for Australia and New Zealand Trained Applicants
Australian Trained Applicants
Under Australian migration legislation the Australian Pharmacy Council provides skills assessments for individuals who hold an approved Australian pharmacy qualification which leads to registration in Australia and who wish to apply for migration to Australia. These Australian trained pharmacists are not required to complete either of the APC examination processes (Stream A or Stream B), but must be provided with a skills assessment to submit to Australian migration authorities as part of their migration application. The APC eligibility assessment serves this purpose for this category of applicant.
Applicants can apply to the APC for a skills assessment on completion of their studies. Their documents will be assessed and an assessment letter will be sent to them which (if their documents are all in order) will indicate that they meet the skills component of an application for migration to Australia, and they can take that letter to Australian migration authorities to initiate their migration application.
Australian trained applicants should use the standard ‘Application for Assessment of Professional Qualifications in Pharmacy’ form. They must provide certified copies of an official transcript of their academic record and a copy of their degree certificate. If they have only recently graduated and have not yet been awarded the degree, then a letter from the university they attended advising that they have completed all the requirements and will be awarded the degree will be acceptable. They are not required to provide evidence of registration before a skills assessment can be issued, although this should be included with their supporting documents if they already hold registration as a pharmacist in Australia.
New Zealand Trained Applicants
Under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement pharmacists who are registered to practise pharmacy in New Zealand may apply for registration in Australia.
Applicants who are not intending to migrate to Australia, may apply directly to the Australian pharmacy registering authorities for registration. Those applying for skilled migration to Australia must be provided with a skills assessment to submit to Australian migration authorities as part of their migration application. The APC eligibility assessment serves this purpose for this category of applicant.
New Zealand trained applicants should use the standard ‘Application for Assessment of Professional Qualifications in Pharmacy’ form.
Useful Information
Candidates must hold an appropriate visa which allows them to work under supervision in a training position. Candidates should contact their nearest migration office for further information on visas.
APC Appeals Policy
The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) has developed an appeals policy for its assessments and examinations. The policy provides for appeals to be made against the initial assessment that establishes an applicant’s eligibility to undertake the APC examination process and as a result of the examination process. A counselling and review process for examination results is also available for candidates who are resident in Australia.
Other relevant information can be found on the Whats New and FAQs pages on this website.
