Returning to Canada with a Physiotherapy degree from the UK
Every year hundreds of Canadians study at, and go on to graduate from, Physiotherapy Schools in the UK. The question many prospective students have before they go is “can I practice in Canada once I graduate?”
The short answer is yes, you can. So long as a student graduates from an accredited university with the mandatory number of clinical practicing hours during your degree, you will return to Canada, receive an evaluation from the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) and then, once that is passed, you will be able to practice Physiotherapy in Canada.
This page will explain the CAPR process and what you need to know about returning to Canada with a Physiotherapy degree from the UK but should you have any more questions reach out to an StudyIn consultant.
CAPR
The Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) is the Canadian regulatory body for the practice of physiotherapy in Canada. They evaluate a Physiotherapy student’s qualifications and administer an exam to test the student’s competencies in Physiotherapy. Each province and territory in Canada has its own regulatory bodies, CAPR acts as a pan-Canadian federation to assist each regulatory body, they will not issue the practicing licence, provinces and territories have the sole authority to do this.
CAPR reviews the education and qualifications of international physiotherapy graduates upon their return to Canada to determine whether they are as qualified as their Canadian-educated counterparts. Both domestic and internationally-educated physiotherapists are administered the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) to determine a candidate’s readiness for safe, effective and independent physiotherapy practice.
Clinical Practice Hours
Whether you study MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) or BSc Physiotherapy you will need to meet CAPR’s minimum number of clinical practice hours, listed below. Both:
• A minimum of 1025 hours supervised clinical education in total AND
• A minimum of 100 hours in musculoskeletal, 100 hours in neurological and 40 hours in cardiorespiratory conditions
MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) courses at UK Physiotherapy Schools will include the necessary clinical practice hours in the 2-year degree to pass the CAPR requirements and the majority of BSc Physiotherapy courses will include sufficient clinical practice hours as part of the 3-year degree.
Some BSc Physiotherapy courses do not sufficiently complete the required hours but most will assist students in making up Canada’s requirement so that all of a student’s practical needs are met. Speak to StudyIn to inform you which UK Physiotherapy Schools are accredited in Canada and provide Canadian students with sufficient clinical practice hours.
Note: MSc Physiotherapy, where “Pre-registration” is not listed, will not provide you with sufficient clinical practice hours to qualify to practice physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy Application Service
StudyIn would recommend that prospective Physiotherapy students inquire about our Physiotherapy Application Service to arm you with the best opportunity to receive an offer from a UK Physiotherapy School. There are both free and paid options within the service and this will ensure you are familiar with the application process, what schools best suit your requirements and will give you the best chance of receiving an offer.
To learn more about studying Physiotherapy in the UK, the process of returning to Canada with your degree or our application services, reach out to book a consultation with an StudyIn consultant today!
Need more questions answered? Read our Physiotherapy in the UK FAQ page here.
