Becoming a Registered Allied Health Professional in PEI

Information for internationally trained allied health professionals

General information

Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT), Medical Radiation Technology (MRT), and Respiratory Therapy (RT) became regulated health professions in Prince Edward Island on May 1, 2021. All technologists or therapists working in these professions in the province must be registered with the College of Allied Health Professionals of PEI (CAHPPEI, the College) to practice or use their respective titles.

There are three registers that MLTs, MRTs, RTs may apply for in PEI:

general register - where most allied health professionals are registered
special register - where professionals registered in other regulated Canadian provinces apply to practice in PEI for a limited time and special purpose
provisional register - for graduates awaiting results, where recent graduates can work under supervision and be registered with the College until exam results are provided by the body providing the competency exams

General registration requirements

According to PEI's Regulated Health Professions Act, all applicants applying must:

Be entitled to work in Canada;
Have reasonable proficiency in written and spoken English;
Meet education and examination requirements set out in the regulations;
Meet requirements concerning the currency of professional knowledge and skills set out in the regulations;
Not have been found guilty of an offence that, in the College Council's opinion, renders the applicants unsuitable to practise the regulated health profession; and
Not have been disciplined by a professional regulatory body for misconduct, incompetence or incapacity that, in the Council's opinion, renders the applicant unsuitable to practise the regulated health profession.

New graduates must meet any applicable requirements for internship training, supervised practice or a practicum set out in the Allied Health Professionals Regulations.

Professionals registered in regulated Canadian provinces

Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), regulated professions have mutual recognition of credentials across provinces. This means that a health professional working in MLT, MRT or RT profession who is registered and in good standing with a College in any other regulated Canadian province, can apply and get registered in PEI upon completion of the CAHPPEI Jurisprudence Examination.

Professionals who graduated or worked in unregulated Canadian provinces

Applicants who have not graduated from a Canadian post-secondary educational institution recognized by the Council, or who have not written a competency exam in a regulated province, must have their professional education assessed.

If the prior training is deemed equivalent to programs approved by the CAHPPEI Council, applicants must also successfully complete a competency exam in a regulated province.

Internationally trained professionals

Internationally trained professionals who have not graduated from a Canadian post-secondary educational institution or who have not written a competency exam in a regulated province must have their professional education assessed through a refresher program or a Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition.

New immigrants to Canada settling in the province of Prince Edward Island can get help from Immigrant & Refugee Services Association PEI (IRSA). Their Employment Assistance Services can help with the qualification recognition process.

Internationally trained MLTs can apply for a Prior Learning Assessment with Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science - CSMLS - SCSLM / Preparing for PLA.

Other internationally trained allied health professionals, please contact us for more information.

College of Allied Health Professionals of PEI