International Applicants

The Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology has collaborated with participating members of the Association of Canadian Psychology Regulating Organizations (ACPRO) to make application for registration by internationally-educated psychologists more streamlined and consistent across participating Canadian jurisdictions. ACPRO has developed a portal where internationally-educated applicants can now begin their application for licensure in Canada. The ACPRO portal serves as a single window of entry for participating Canadian jurisdictions. The ACPRO portal will compile and authenticate required standard application documentation, including:

1. Identity documents
2. Education documents*
3. Registration/license documents
4. Language proficiency test results
5. Criminal background check

The fee for the ACPRO Portal is $500 (US Dollars).  Once you have completed this process, you may authorize the ACPRO portal to provide your application package to the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology for evaluation for registration in Nova Scotia. The ACPRO portal does not determine your eligibility for registration.

*As part of the process for International Applications, the ACPRO portal includes an evaluation of whether the applicant’s degrees are equivalent in academic level to a Canadian degree.

The purpose of the statement from the evaluation service is to indicate to the Board whether the academic credentials are comparable in academic level to degrees granted by a Canadian university. 

Evaluation results must demonstrate that your highest degree in psychology is at the required academic level in order for you to become registered on that basis. The minimum level of degree acceptable to the NSBEP for registration purposes is a master’s degree.

For more information, please click here.

International applicants must also complete the Board’s online application form, which is specific to regulatory requirements in the province of Nova Scotia.  You can begin the NSBEP online application at any stage; however, this step does not replace the required process with the ACPRO Portal.

2.1 a) Here is a link to the NSBEP Online Application Guide, which should be reviewed before starting with the Online Application:
https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Online_International_NSBEP_Application_Form_Guide.pdf

2.1 b) Here is a link to the actual NSBEP Online Application System:
https://secure.nsbep.org/regular_applicant_login.php

Once steps 1 (ACPRO Portal) and 2 (NSBEP Online Application Requirements) are completed, the Board will review your complete application package.

The Board’s assessment process and criteria are outlined in the following PDF:
https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Registration_Requirements_International.pdf

Once steps 1 & 2 are complete (1. ACPRO Portal process completed – Report shared with NSBEP & 2. the NSBEP Online Application Requirements), the Board of Examiners will review your application at the next available Board meeting.  The Board typically meets every calendar month.  Due to the workload volume and required processes for the Registration / Review Subcommittees and the Board, it is necessary for the the Board to impose a two week cutoff for any agenda items.  This means that all agenda items must be complete and submitted two weeks in advance of monthly meetings.  This includes but is not limited to the following: applications for registration, requests for oral exams, or any other registration items.  In the event that an applicant misses the monthly deadline, no documentation has to be re-completed or resubmitted, the application will simply be reviewed at the next meeting.

A listing of all Board meeting dates, is available via the following link:
https://www.nsbep.org/about-nsbep/information-for-registrantsfor-all-registrantsnewsmeeting_dates/

Once the Board of Examiners has completed its assessment of your application materials, you will be contacted in writing, typically within 2 weeks.  To facilitate this communication, the registration decision will be sent to you via email.

There are three possible outcomes following this assessment by the Board:

1. If both the academic and experience requirements are met, and it is determined that you possess equivalent registration with another psychology regulatory body, the Board may approve your name for placement on the Register of Psychologists, pending your completion of a Transfer Interview.  In other words, your application would be approved, but you must complete an in-person interview before you would be granted registration.  Every effort is made so that the interview can be conducted at a time convenient to the applicant and subject to the Board’s schedule.  Information concerning the Transfer Interview is available via the below link:
   https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Transfer_Interview_Information_International_Applicants.pdf
2. If your academic credentials are approved, but you have not met the legislated psychological experience requirement and/or you do not possess equivalent registration with another psychology regulatory body, the Board may approve your name for placement on the Register of Candidates.  Placement on the Register of candidates would include completing the legislated period of Candidate Register supervision and examinations.  Supervision is completed while one is registered as a Psychologist (Candidate Register) and working in Nova Scotia.  For information on the examinations and candidacy requirements, please visit the FAQ page for Candidate Registrants, available via the following URL:
   https://www.nsbep.org/information-for-registrants/for-candidate-registrants/faq/
3. If it is determined that you do not possess a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology that meets the criteria of acceptable degrees in psychology and/or you do not meet other requirements noted in the criteria at the top of this page including equivalent registration with another psychology regulatory body, the Board must decline the application. In the event that your application is declined, you will be informed in writing of the criteria not met and provided with the opportunity to appeal this decision.  Please review the process here: https://www.nsbep.org/downloads/Registration_Appeal_Process.pdf

Information concerning the registration fees and professional liability requirements is outlined via this link:
https://www.nsbep.org/about-nsbep/all-fees/

For information on requesting documentation related to your application for registration, please click here for the Policy.

If an application for registration is approved for placement on the Register of Psychologists, the Board requires the applicant to complete a Transfer Interview and Attestation Process

Once the above processes are completed, and the registration fee is paid, the applicant is registered with the NSBEP. Information concerning the registration fees and professional liability requirements is outlined via this link:
https://www.nsbep.org/about-nsbep/all-fees/