Dual U.S/Canadian Citizenship

[Pinser555]

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With all this talk about job shortages in the U.S. I have been thinking that my dual citizenship status may come of some use after graduation. I was wondering what loopholes I have to jump through after graduating from an American school to gain a canadian RPH license. The PEBC website wasn't really clear stating it was a provincial matter. I was also wondering what the market outlook for pharmacists is in Canada, specifically in Quebec, Ontario, and Toronto? Is it better than the U.S.'s outlook?

Thanks...

 

[WVUPharm2007]

You are basically seen as a Canadian graduate with no intern hours. You have to do your intern hours (varies by province...it's like 2 months in Ontario...1000 hours in Alberta...) and take all of the boards.

The job outlook went from great to shaky after McGuinty's people decided to cut generic reimbursement rates in half in Ontario. Several people had jobs they were promised after graduation disappear by a stroke of the pen. Similar cuts are expected in other provinces.

I was *this* close to getting my wife on at Shoppers' Drug Mart and myself on at an Ontario hospital before it all went down. Now nobody is hiring except Loblaw's. And they are only hiring because they are expanding the amount of pharmacies they have ala Walgreens in the US back in the 90s. Getting a job in Toronto was tough before this mess. I imagine its impossible for an American grad now.

If I can't find anything in the US, I may reconsider Canada and look at Calgary or Edmonton before they screw everything up in Alberta, too.

 

[Pinser555]

So similar cuts are in store for other provinces as well? Sound like those cuts may not be feasible in the long run? But as history shows practicality is not always reality. Thanks for the input!

 

[SomeGuy]

OP: Don't expect to get licensed in Quebec unless you're fluent in French.

I was *this* close to getting my wife on at Shoppers' Drug Mart and myself on at an Ontario hospital before it all went down.

Wow, you must really not like your wife 😉

Now nobody is hiring except Loblaw's. And they are only hiring because they are expanding the amount of pharmacies they have ala Walgreens in the US back in the 90s. Getting a job in Toronto was tough before this mess. I imagine its impossible for an American grad now.

I think you have a better understanding of the situation than most here.

For those that don't know, Loblaw's is a grocery chain that will likely get wrecked by Wal-Mart when they fully diverse into food sales.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

OP: Don't expect to get licensed in Quebec unless you're fluent in French.

Wow, you must really not like your wife 😉


I think you have a better understanding of the situation than most here.

For those that don't know, Loblaw's is a grocery chain that will likely get wrecked by Wal-Mart when they fully diverse into food sales.

SDM just kinda STOPPED answering my emails and phone calls. All of them.

You know anyone else that does a lot of pharmacist importation? From what I understand, they import Irish, British, and South African pharmacists up there like people in Baltimore import heroin.

 

[KKHeal]

With all this talk about job shortages in the U.S. I have been thinking that my dual citizenship status may come of some use after graduation. I was wondering what loopholes I have to jump through after graduating from an American school to gain a canadian RPH license. The PEBC website wasn't really clear stating it was a provincial matter. I was also wondering what the market outlook for pharmacists is in Canada, specifically in Quebec, Ontario, and Toronto? Is it better than the U.S.'s outlook?

Thanks...

Interesting to also see someone else with similar dual citizenship 🙂 I am also thinking in the same line.
But just that the pay up there isnt as crazy as the retail pay down here. But we'll continue to monitor the market, see what happens. I like the situation in Quebec whereby you can get your own Franchise unlike working for the retail chains here!

 

[Pinser555]

I am bilingual in french as my parents are from Montreal 🙂. From what I understand retail pay is really pretty good, around 45 or so an hour varying by province. Are there any practing Canadian pharmacists here that could share some info?