Overseas qualified pharmacists from countries other than New Zealand, seeking general registration in Australia are required to pass an examination conducted under the auspices of the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC). This is divided into two Streams, A and B.
In essence, the easiest way to figure which stream to go for is to consider your eligibility:
For Stream A you must:
- Have completed an approved pharmacy qualification.
- Be registered, be eligible for registration or eligibility for the commencement of registration in the country where the initial pharmacy qualification was achieved.
For Stream B you must:
- Have completed an approved pharmacy qualification from an accredited institution in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada or Ireland.
- Be currently registered to practice as a pharmacist in the country where the initial pharmacy qualification was achieved (eg the United Kingdom, United States, Canada or Ireland).
Stream A
This is the longer route to pharmacy practice in Australia. This stream is exclusively for students who have studied at an approved program of study and are yet to become registered pharmacists.
Interns must complete supervised practise in accordance with the requirements set out in the Board's Supervised practice arrangements registration standard and pass the Board Registration Examination which is also detailed in the Board's Examinations for general registration standard. Via this route, a pharmacist must complete the Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences (KAPS) examination.
Stream B
This is mainly for overseas, non-indigenous pharmacists from:
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Canada
- United States of America
Pharmacists applying via this route must complete the Competency Assessment of Overseas Pharmacists (CAOP).
If you are planning to work in Australia make sure you are eligible for their VISA requirements.
