Have you worked as an Optician outside of Canada?

If you are an internationally trained optician or have background in optics or health care, you may be eligible to become an optician through the PLAR process.

What is PLAR?

PLAR stands for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition and is a process that allows applicants who have not been educated in an accredited Canadian institution the opportunity to become licensed opticians.

The first step to becoming a Canadian optician is deciding which province you want to live in. You will want to review the Immigrating as an Optician section on this website to familiarize yourself with the many advantages and benefits of living in various parts the country.

Once you have decided on the province where you want to live, you should contact the regulatory body for opticians in that province.

Provincial Regulatory Bodies

PLAR Process

Every province handles the PLAR a little differently, but in general you can expect the following:

1. Application

The provincial regulatory body will provide you with an application or registration package. You will be asked to provide various documentation, including any applicable education or work experience.

2. Case Based Interview (CBI)

The Case Based Interview is a chance for you to share your practical knowledge. The interviewers will ask you about your own experience dispensing eyeglasses and fitting contact lenses (if applicable).

The interview will be divided into three categories:

Core

Eyeglasses

Contact Lenses

In some provinces you do not need to be a qualified contact lens fitter in order to become a registered optician. In those cases, you will need to answer the ‘Core’ and ‘Eyeglasses’ questions, but the ‘Contact Lenses’ section is optional. In some provinces (example: Ontario) you must qualify as a contact fitter as well as an eyeglass dispenser in order to register. In this case, you will be required to answer question from all three sections.

The approach of the CBI is conversational. The interviewers will provide you with hypothetical scenarios, to which you will provide proposed courses of action. The interview will be about 3 hours long with an optional short break after each section.

3. Competency Gap Analysis (CGA)

The Competency Gap Analysis is an online tool which will help determine any gaps in your knowledge that you need to improve on. It is important to note that the CGA is not a test; you do not simply pass or fail. The CGA is a way for us to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses according to the NACOR list of National Competencies for Canadian opticians. Because of this, the CGA is divided into three sections:

Core

Eyeglasses

Contact Lenses

In some provinces you do not need to be a qualified contact lens fitter in order to become a registered optician. If that is the case you will need to challenge the ‘Core’ and ‘Eyeglasses’ sections, but ‘Contact Lenses’ would be optional. In other provinces (example: Ontario) you must qualify as a contact dispenser as well as an eyeglass dispenser in order to register. In this case, you would be required to challenge all three sections.

Each section will provide you with a series of multiple choice questions. You will have 5 hours to complete the three sections, and an optional short break after each section.

For examples of the types of questions you will be asked during the CGA, complete the PLAR Sample Quiz on this website.

4. Review of Results

The Registration Committee will look at your whole application, including your CGA and interview results. From this evaluation, the Committee will determine what you need to do next to become a licensed optician.

5. Decision

After the Registration Committee assesses all of the information gathered they will come to a decision. There are two possible outcomes of PLAR:

Bridging: If gaps in learning are identified at any point in the process the Committee may refer the applicant to complete a specified bridging program.

Examination: If the Committee is confident that an applicant’s prior learning is comparable to that of accredited and recognized education in Canada they may allow the applicant to proceed to challenge the national licensing exam.

National Optical Sciences Examination

The National Optical Sciences Examination is a practical exam and is often referred to as the NACOR exam because it is administered by the National Alliance of Canadian Optician Regulators (NACOR).

To find out more information about the national exam and how to apply, you can visit the Examinations page of this website or contact NACOR or the regulatory body for opticians in your province.

After successfully challenging the exam, an applicant becomes eligible to register as an optician across Canada.

PLAR Fees

PLAR candidates can expect to pay a document assessment and/or application fee, Competency Gap Analysis (CGA) fee and Case Based Interview (CBI) fee.

Each regulatory body has their own fee schedule. For more detailed information about the various fees, please visit the Licensing Calculator page or contact the provincial regulatory bodies directly.

Ready to start the PLAR process?

If you think you are ready to start the PLAR process, and you know which province you would like to live and work in, you can follow the links below to contact the regulatory body in that province or start the application online!

College of Opticians of British Columbia Online Application

Alberta College and Association of Opticians

College of Opticians of Saskatchewan

The Opticians of Manitoba

College of Opticians of Ontario

Ordre des opticiens d’ordonnances du Québec

College of Opticians of Nova Scotia

College of Opticians of New Brunswick

Dispensing Opticians Board of Prince Edward Island

College of Opticians of Newfoundland and Labrador