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This pathway shows you how to apply for a Skills Assessment Outcome so that you can register and work as a pharmacist in Australia. It applies if you completed your pharmacy qualification in any country other than Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK or the USA.
You'll need this outcome issued to:
This process applies if you completed a pharmacy qualification in any country that is not:
Your qualification needs to incorporate the knowledge of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences that form the foundation of the pathway to general registration in Australia.
The qualification must also be the equivalent of either:
As well as holding a pharmacy qualification, you must be either:
If any of the above criteria are not true for you, this pathway does not apply to you. See Skills assessments.
Skills Assessment structure
The process for requesting a Skills Assessment Outcome has 2 parts:
There is no expiry on the eligibility check.
Time frames
Make sure you lodge your application at least 8 weeks prior to the registration closing date.
Cost:
These are the documents you will need for your Eligibility Check application.
Before you start, translate any non-English documents into English. It must be a translation of the full document.
We will not accept an extract translation of the document unless it is provided from an Australian Government Department, such as the Department of Home Affairs.
You must use a translator who is accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). We will not accept documents that have been translated by anyone else.
You will need to submit both original and English-translated documents.
When you apply for an Eligibility Check in the Candidate Portal, you will include the following:
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Passport |
If you do not have a current passport, you can complete your application with an alternative Australian or New Zealand identification document. The only accepted alternatives include:
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Official photo-bearing document |
We require an official ID as proof of identity. This must be an ID document issued by an overseas or Australian authority. It must include your photo. |
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Birth certificate |
We require a birth certificate as proof of identity. If you do not have a birth certificate you can provide a second photo-bearing document (see above). |
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Qualification certificate or letter of completion |
You must include your qualification certificate or letter of completion if your certificate has not yet been issued.
If you have more than one qualification, please combine them into one file. |
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Academic transcript |
The academic transcript issued by the education provider must:
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Evidence of registration |
You must provide evidence that you're eligible to register as a pharmacist in the country you completed your qualification. Provide one of the following:
To obtain this evidence, contact your pharmacy registration authority, not your university. If the document is to show ‘eligibility to commence the registration process’, it must refer to both you and your university by name. |
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Agent authorisation form (optional) |
If you want to nominate someone to communicate with us on your behalf, upload the original APC Agent Authorisation Form. Both you and your agent must sign the agent’s authority. |
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Evidence of name change (optional) |
Your name must appear the same way on all your documents. If you have changed your name, you need to upload proof of any name change in the portal. If your name is spelt incorrectly in any of your documents, you will need to have them corrected by the organisation who originally issued them. Documents that prove a change of name include:
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We are currently improving this process to better align with and support your career prospects. We therefore are not currently accepting work experience applications.
You may be able to provide evidence of your work experience directly to the Department of Home Affairs
For more information on the criteria that your qualification needs to meet, see our Assessment Standards.
For specific details about the required documents, see our Skills Assessment Documents Policy.
You do not need to:
If you leave out any documents or provide incorrect information, the process will take longer than usual.
The eligibility check is the first step in your journey to receiving a Skills Assessment Outcome and becoming a pharmacist in Australia.
Cost: AU$810
Timeframe: 8 - 12 weeks
Step 1
You must have completed a pharmacy qualification in any country that is not:
Your qualification needs to incorporate the knowledge of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences that form the foundation of the pathway to general registration in Australia. We'll assess it to check that it does. If it doesn't, we cannot accept it.
As well as holding a pharmacy qualification, you must also be either:
If any of the information above is not true for you, this process does not apply to you. See Skills Assessments.
Step 2
You'll need to provide us with documents to:
Ensure that your name is displayed the same across all documents. If you have changed your name you will need to provide evidence of this in your application.
See your document checklist in the tab above.
You may want us to communicate with another person, such as a migration agent or family member, instead of you. This is not required - it is optional if you choose.
If you want to nominate someone else to work with us, download and fill in our Agent Authorisation form. Both you and your nominated agent must sign it.
Your nominated agent must use a different email address to yours.
You'll need upload the completed form in the Candidate Portal.
If you nominate someone else, we'll only talk to your authorised agent about your application.
Step 3
We cannot guarantee that your application will be assessed in time to register for your preferred exam. It may help if you lodge your application at least 8 weeks prior the registration closing date.
Your card must be issued by a bank in your country of residence. If you have payment issues please contact us.
Step 4
It will take us about 8 - 12 weeks to complete your eligibility check.
If you provide the wrong documents or leave any out, the process will take longer than usual.
We may email you to tell you we need more information.
If we ask for more information, you have 6 months (180 days) to get this to us.
If we do not receive the correct information from you within 6 months, our system will close your application. If this happens, you'll need to re-apply and pay the fee again.
We'll tell you (or your agent) by email whether or not you can sit the KAPS/ OPRA™ exam.
To ensure our exams remain contemporary and fit-for-purpose the KAPS exam will be replaced by the Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment (OPRA™) exam from March 2025.
The final Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences (KAPS) exam will be held in November 2024.
The first Overseas Pharmacist Readiness Assessment (OPRA™) exam will be held from March 2025.
When you pass the KAPS/OPRA™ exam, you can then request a copy of your Skills Assessment Outcome.
Once you have a Skills Assessment Outcome from us, you can use it to:
Your outcome will be valid for 3 years from the date we release exam results.
The Department of Home Affairs sets the validity period for your Skills Assessment outcome for visa applications. APC is unable to change the validity period.
If something significant changes after we issue your Skills Assessment outcome, you can ask us for an updated Skills Assessment.
When you pass the KAPS/OPRA™ exam, you can apply to the Pharmacy Board of Australia (PharmBA) for provisional registration and approval of supervised practice.
After you’ve completed 75% of your supervised practice hours, you will then sit the Board registration exams: Intern Written Exam (with APC), Oral Exam (with PharmBA).
Some candidates contact professional organisations, family contacts, or extended networks to understand what opportunities exist at that time to find a supervised practice setting. Others may already have an offer to work in a pharmacy.
In any case, you must have your registration and arrangements approved by PharmBA before enrolling in and beginning supervised practice.
We suggest calling Ahpra to chat about your particular circumstances and goals.
The Australasian College of Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia provide learning courses that are designed to help overseas trained pharmacists prepare for a career in Australian pharmacy and understand the Australian pharmacy context.
These courses are not a requirement as part of registration. They are not mandatory. This means it is your choice, only if you would like the extra support.
Foundations of Australian Community Pharmacy
The Australasian College of Pharmacy
Introduction to pharmacy in Australia
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
These courses are run by organisations that are not affiliated with APC.
Learn about other pathways to getting your pharmacy qualification recognised so you can migrate to, or register as a pharmacist in, Australia
More details