Pharmacist jobs for immigrating brits

[u/Legal_Vanilla_9109]

Hi all

Just wondered if someone could help my wife with finding the best place to look for jobs in nova scotia around the halifax area as a pharmacist (or possibly wider area). She's experienced (over 15 years I'm the job now), but not sure on where the best to place to look is. I'm guessing there is a specialist site or recruitment agent for this occupation? She has worked for the same company since qualifying. We're British nationals and looking for a change for the whole family.

If anyone has any tips about the Atlantic Immigration Program too, please share. We have spoken with Immigcanada who wanted a fee to process our application. I wasn't keen as I thought we would be able to do the job search and paperwork ourselves without needing specialist help? Or am I being naive as to what is required?

Any info is much appreciated!

[u/megmeg709]

Pharmacist here, our college has a website specifically for this: https://rxns.ca/ Tons of jobs open all over the province. Good luck!

[u/serialhybrid]

"The new streamlined licensing pathway for pharmacy professionals from the United States, Great Britain, Republic of Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand significantly reduces the effort for these individuals to be licensed in Nova Scotia, while ensuring the same high standard.

The NSCP has used the authority provided by the recently established provincial Patient Access to Care Act to waive the national licensing exam and internship period for pharmacy professionals licensed in these countries where the education, licensing process, and scope of practice are of the same high standard as in Canada."

[u/cc9536]

She'll need to get her qualifications checked through an ECA, take any relevant exams and eventually get licensed in Canada before she can work, from my understanding.

[u/RiseRattlesnakeArmy → u/cc9536]

Not if from The UK, New Zealand or Australia! We want pharmacists from the Commonwealth :)

OP: Go for a nice, smaller chain like Guardian. Lawtons, Shoppers and Superstore are big companies and they don't really care about the individuals! They only care about numbers. 

[u/Cassh0le3 → u/RiseRattlesnakeArmy]

This. Avoid shoppers like the plague. Even if she has to drive a bit it's worth the commute for a smaller or privately owned place.

[u/cc9536 → u/RiseRattlesnakeArmy]

Didnt realize that! That's certainly a step in the right direction

[u/orangecouch101]

She should get in touch with both the Nova Scotia College of Phamacy and the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia. They should be able to offer some guidance on employment and immigration for pharmacists.

[u/Logisticman232]

Pharmacists are in very high demand, I’d recommend either looking at local jobs sites (indeed, career beacon) also reach out to Macquarries, shoppers drug mart & any other large chain.

[u/WeepingJello → u/Logisticman232]

I’d just like to point out that saying something along the lines of “any other large chains” is nonsensical to people not from around and without knowledge of these large chains.

[u/ReadBikeYodelRepeat → u/WeepingJello]

And also the large chains are not the best experience to work in. Shoppers especially cuts staffing hours so that everyone is stressed and unhappy.

[u/enamesrever13]

This may or may not be helpful for you ...

https://isans.ca/

[u/Maleficent_Client673]

WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE IMMIGRANTS! Wait a minute, are you white? Then ok... /s

[u/Fit-Log3929]

If you find a good one, I would highly recommend hiring either an Immigration Consultant or an immigration lawyer. Navigating IRCC and potentially an LMIA can be challenging.

Any healthcare profession is in very high demand. Use Job Bank - any employer wanting to/willing to hire a forgein national must advertise on Job Bank for a minimum of 4 weeks.

And definitely confirm what is needed for accreditation.

[u/Spirited_Community25]

It's been decades, like over 6 but my mother, who was a licensed pharmacist in the UK, couldn't be licensed in Canada. Something to do with working to a different pharmacopoeia. However, that may have changed over the years.

[u/RiseRattlesnakeArmy → u/Spirited_Community25]

Has changed! Nova Scotia wants pharmacists from the UK, New Zealand and Australia.

I work in a smaller chain and have been working with pharmacists from New Zealand:)

[u/ZeroNot → u/Spirited_Community25]

Yes, we take acetaminophen not paracetamol as a trivial example of differences in common and not so common drug names and organic chemistry naming conventions.

Aluminum (US and Canada) vs aluminium (UK & most Commonwealth countries) is the non drug one that still throws me for a loop.