Full licence

About

A Full licence lets a physician practise independently in Nova Scotia without supervision, terms, conditions, or restrictions.

Historically, to get a Full licence in Canada, you had to meet strict requirements. These included a recognized medical degree, Licentiate status from the Medical Council of Canada, and certification from either the College of Family Physicians of Canada or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (the College) has created alternate pathways for physicians to obtain a Full licence even if they do not have Canadian certification.

If you qualify for a Full licence but want to work as a temporary physician (locum) for less than six consecutive months, you can apply for a Temporary licence. The process is the same, but you cannot renew a Temporary licence each year.

Before you apply

  1. Ensure you meet all licensing requirements listed in the credentials section below.

  2. Verify your medical degree, postgraduate training, and specialty certificates using one of the following:

  3. Connect with Nova Scotia Health or the IWK to explore practice opportunities:

Credentials

Recognized medical degree

Approved qualification

  • Certification with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
  • Certification with the College of Family Physicians of Canada
  • Eligibility for certification with the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s through the ‘Recognized Training and Certification Outside of Canada’ pathway
  • Completion of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited training in the United States of America and current certification with a Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians
  • Subspecialist affiliate status with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
  • A pass standing on the relevant Royal College certification examinations via the Practice Eligibility Route
  • Training and certification from an approved jurisdiction

Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada or an acceptable alternative

  • Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC)
  • United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Steps 1, 2 and 3
  • Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX) Components 1 and 2
  • National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Parts I, II, and III
  • Comprehensive Osteopathic Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) Levels 1, 2 and 3
  • A minimum of 5 years of recent postgraduate training and/or practice experience 

Currency of practice

Complete at least 450 hours of clinical practice in the scope of practice you intend to practice in Nova Scotia within the three years preceding your start date in Nova Scotia.

Review of qualifications

If you hold Canadian certification and are a Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC), skip to ‘Balance of Application.’ Verification of your credentials will be collected as part of that step.

For candidates without Canadian certification and the LMCC, your credentials must be reviewed first.

You start this review by submitting an ‘application for medical registration’ through physiciansapply.ca. This is separate from verifying your documents through the same portal.

Before initiating a Review of Qualifications, please ensure you have completed the following:

  • A review of the credentials checklist to ensure you meet all qualifications.
  • When applicable, have your English language test reports ready for submission.

What to expect after submitting the Review of Qualifications:

  • A Registration Agent will be assigned to your file and will be in touch to provide a list of documents to complete your review.
  • Upon receipt of all required documents and confirmation of requirements for licensure eligibility, you will receive a letter confirming your eligibility for licensure. This can be presented when securing a letter of offer.

Letter of offer

After receiving a letter confirming you are eligible for a licence, you can start to look for job openings and apply for positions. However, it’s best to wait until you get a letter of offer before starting the rest of your application. If you want to start early, check the expiry timelines for your documents. You can find more details under completing your application.

If you intend to practise privately, virtually, or on a locum basis please notify your registration agent to discuss the next steps.

Step 1

Go to the Nova Scotia More than Medicine website to see current job opportunities in Nova Scotia. Work with local health authorities to find a job:

Step 2

Note: For people who do not have a work permit, Canadian permanent residency, or Canadian citizenship.

After you get a letter of offer, Nova Scotia Health (NSH) has available in-house immigration expertise to support you through your immigration application. More information will be provided by NSH.

Completing your application

Your eligibility letter includes instructions on how to start your application on physiciansapply.ca. At this stage, you will need to provide documents to show your character, competence, and ability to practise medicine in Nova Scotia.

Follow these steps to complete your application:

  1. complete your application on physiciansapply.ca.
  2. a Registration Agent will be assigned to your file and will send you a list of required documents.
  3. submit your documents in this order:*
    1. credentials-based documents, College consent and declaration forms, and identity support documents can be submitted at any time
    2. no earlier than 12 months before your start date:
      1. references
      2. criminal record checks through CSI screening
    3. after you receive your letter of offer:
      1. letter of intent
    4. no earlier than three months before your start date:
      1. certificates of professional conduct
    5. after you get approval for your work permit (if needed):
      1. a virtual interview will be scheduled to review your licensing undertaking
      2. licensure and supervision fees will be invoiced
    6. after you arrive in Canada (if needed):
      1. work permit
  4. once all required documents are received, your file can be approved and your licence issued within 1–3 business days. Plan to get your licence at least two weeks before your first shift to allow time for credentialing/privileging, obtaining a billing number, and IT setup.

* Submitting documents in this order helps avoid duplication due to missing or expired information. However, outside factors may affect the time needed to complete your application. If you have questions about when to submit documents, contact your Registration Agent for help.

After licensure

Here are some resources to help you settle into your new life and your new practice in our province:

Checklist

    The College acknowledges that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship. We also acknowledge that people of African descent have been in Nova Scotia for over 400 years, and we honour and offer gratitude to those ancestors.