The practice of veterinary medicine is regulated at the provincial/territorial level. Each province and territory has its own veterinary regulatory body and governing legislation. A veterinarian must be registered to practice in any province/territory in which they will be practising veterinary medicine. However, labour mobility agreements between the provinces and territories facilitate movement between jurisdictions for eligible candidates.
Eligibility
Individuals who are currently registered to practise veterinary medicine in another Canadian jurisdiction may be entitled to equivalent registration with the CVBC under the provisions of Chapter 7 of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) and BC’s Labour Mobility Act. For more information about the provisions of the CFTA, see the Worker’s Mobility website.
Application Form & Requirements
Although the application process for labour mobility applicants is slightly different, applicants should still review the information (about registration classes, requirements, fees and processes) that is summarized in the other sections of this Registration Application Guide.
If you believe you are entitled to registration in BC under the Labour Mobility Act because you are registered to practise veterinary medicine in another province or territory, and you would like to receive an equivalent form of registration with the CVBC, you will need to:
Registration Decisions
Registrar: Once a labour mobility application for registration is complete, it will be passed to the Registrar for review. The Registrar must determine whether or not the applicant is entitled to registration under the Labour Mobility Act, and for this purpose, the Registrar may require additional information or records (as contemplated by the Labour Mobility Act) necessary for making that assessment.
If the Registrar concludes that the applicant is entitled to registration under the Labour Mobility Act, then registration must be granted.
If the Registrar is not satisfied that an applicant is entitled to registration under the Labour Mobility Act, then the application must be referred to the Registration Committee.
Registration Committee: if the Registrar refers an application that was submitted for Labour Mobility purposes to the Registration Committee, the committee’s purpose will be to determine whether or not the applicant is entitled to be registered under the Labour Mobility Act. To achieve this purpose, the committee may require the applicant to provide any information or records the committee considers necessary, and may provide the applicant with an opportunity to be heard.
If the committee is satisfied with the applicant’s labour mobility entitlement to registration, they must direct the Registrar to grant registration, though they may impose one or more terms, conditions or requirements (as contemplated by the Labour Mobility Act ) on that registration.
If the committee is not satisfied that an applicant is entitled to registration under the Labour Mobility Act, the committee must direct the Registrar to refuse to register the applicant pursuant to labour mobility provisions. The application may then proceed as any regular application for registration, according to those requirements and processes.
Written reasons for a decision to either impose terms and conditions on a labour mobility applicant’s registration or to deny registration under the Labour Mobility Act will be provided by the Registration Committee, delivered to the applicant by personal service or registered mail.
Appeal of Registration Decisions regarding Labour Mobility Applications
If the Registration Committee directs the Registrar to register a labour mobility-entitled applicant subject to terms, conditions or requirements, or if the committee directs the Registrar to refuse to register an applicant under provisions of the Labour Mobility Act, the applicant may appeal that decision to the Supreme Court.
An appeal must be commenced (by filing a petition with the Supreme Court) within 30 days from the date the order is received by the applicant by personal service or registered mail. A petition appealing the decision must be served on the Registrar of the College of Veterinarians of BC within 14 days of its filing in the court registry
