Australian Pharmacy Council (APC)

The APC has dropped two requirements common elsewhere. For the Knowledge Stream Eligibility Check, applicants do not need to have any documents certified or show proof of English competency; English proficiency is instead a matter for Pharmacy Board registration. Translation rules are strict in the other direction: any document not in English must be translated by a NAATI-accredited translator, and the APC will not accept documents translated by anyone else, with both the original and the translation uploaded. Everything is lodged and paid through the Candidate Portal.

Which stream applies turns on where the degree was earned and where the applicant is registered: the Competency Stream is for graduates of recognised programs in Canada, Ireland, the UK or the USA who hold current registration there, the Knowledge Stream for graduates of programs outside those countries and Australia or New Zealand, with separate International Student and NZ Registered Pharmacist streams. The Skills Assessment Outcome is issued only after passing the OPRA exam in the Knowledge Stream, and a copy can be requested in the portal.

The APC does not charge a fee for appeals, and refunds are available only on examination fees, not the Eligibility Check or Outcome fees. A holder may request an updated Skills Assessment Outcome where something significant has changed, such as gaining general registration with the Pharmacy Board of Australia, completing work experience the APC has not previously assessed, or completing a pharmacy PhD at an Australian university. The APC states that the Department of Home Affairs sets the validity period of the outcome.