How Much Does It Cost for a Nigerian Pharmacist to Relocate to Canada? 🇨🇦
Pharmacy is a strictly regulated profession in Canada. An internationally educated pharmacist must clear PEBC certification (Document Evaluation and Qualifying Exam Parts I and II; the Evaluating Exam is no longer required from January 2027, and October 2026 was its last sitting), pass a provincial jurisprudence exam, and register with a provincial college before practising. Licensing is the largest cost on this pathway, well above the immigration fees.
Quick Numbers
Total Cost
₦3.3M – ₦4.1M
Starting Salary
C$78,000/yr
Pharmacists (NOC 31120) (2025)
Nigerians Who Moved
Not officially published
Nigerian pharmacists to Canada
Source Rank
2
Step-by-Step: Registration & Costs
1PEBC Document EvaluationDocument Evaluation fee
First step of PEBC certification — confirms your Nigerian pharmacy credentials are eligible for the exams.
2PEBC Qualifying Examination (Parts I and II)Qualifying I CAD 870 + Qualifying II CAD 1,950 (2027 fees)
From January 2027, international pharmacy graduates no longer need to pass the PEBC Evaluating Exam; the October 2026 sitting was the last. After Document Evaluation, you go straight to the Qualifying Exam Part I (MCQ) and Part II (OSCE).
3Register with a provincial college (e.g. Ontario College of Pharmacists)OCP 2026 fees, all + HST: initial application CAD 453.89, application CAD 113.77, jurisprudence exam CAD 208.08, Part A registration CAD 907.67
After PEBC, pass the provincial jurisprudence (OPEE) exam and register for a Certificate of Registration to practise.
4Apply for permanent residence via Express EntryProcessing (CAD 990) + Right of PR fee (CAD 600)
Pharmacists are in-demand in several PNP streams; PR via Express Entry is points-based and does not require an employer sponsor.
Other Costs to Budget For
OCP/PEBC typically require IELTS Academic; CAD figure is approximate and FX-dependent.
Official source ↗What You'll Earn: Pharmacists (NOC 31120) (2025)
Entry
C$78,000
per year
After 2 Years
C$108,206
per year
Top of Band
C$130,650
per year
Job Bank national band: low CAD 40.00/hr, median CAD 55.49/hr, high CAD 67.00/hr. Annualized at ~37.5 hrs/wk (illustrative). Source ↗
Important Things to Know
- Pharmacy is strictly regulated — PEBC certification plus provincial registration is mandatory to practise.
- Licensing is the dominant cost: PEBC alone is ~CAD 3,535 single-attempt (2027 fees), far above the immigration fees.
- Re-sitting any PEBC exam adds the full per-exam fee again.
- PR via Express Entry/PNP is points-based and does not require employer sponsorship.
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Start Free CalculatorFrequently Asked Questions
What does it cost to get licensed as a pharmacist in Canada?
PEBC certification is about CAD 3,535 for single attempts (Document Evaluation 715, Qualifying Part I 870, Part II 1,950 at 2027 fees; the Evaluating Exam is no longer required from January 2027), plus a provincial jurisprudence exam and registration fees. Re-sits add the per-exam fee again.
Can I practise pharmacy right after immigrating?
No. You must complete PEBC certification, pass the provincial jurisprudence exam, and register with a provincial college (e.g. the Ontario College of Pharmacists) before practising.
Do I need an employer to sponsor me?
Not for permanent residence. Express Entry and most PNP streams are points-based. Pharmacist is in demand in several provinces, which can help your application.
Related guides
Same profession, other countries
See cost breakdowns for this profession in other countries
Compare what it costs Nigerian pharmacists to relocate to each top destination.
Sources & Verification
We reviewed this page against official sources on 8 Oct 2026; each figure links to its source where an official one exists. We do not use AI training data for any costs, fees, or policy claims.
Verification Notes
OCP new-applicant fees are from the OCP 2026 Schedule of Fees PDF; all are subject to HST.
Job Bank national median pharmacist wage was not captured inline; only low/high bands are verified, and annual figures are illustrative.
IELTS cost in Nigeria is NGN-priced; the CAD equivalent is approximate and FX-dependent.
PEBC end-to-end timeline (commonly 18-36 months) is an estimate, not an official PEBC-published figure.
No official migration statistic for Nigerian pharmacists to Canada was found.
Written by Max Ayobami
Founder of Japa Calculator, Nigeria's first data-driven relocation decision tool. Every cost figure and expert tip on this page is independently researched and verified against official government and regulatory body sources.