.jpg)
The Manitoba government has introduced a new streamlined registration and licensure pathway to help more internationally trained pharmacists, including those from the United States, practise in the province.
The change took effect in December 2025 and is aimed at improving access to care by reducing lengthy licensing timelines, while maintaining Manitoba’s regulatory and public safety standards.
“Pharmacists are one of the most accessible health-care providers, especially in rural and remote communities,” Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara said in a statement. “By making it easier for qualified pharmacists, including those from the U.S., to practise in Manitoba, we are improving timely access to care and strengthening our universal health-care system.”
The initiative builds on what the government claims is recent success in recruiting physicians from the U.S. and reflects a broader effort to remove barriers for qualified health professionals. Expanding the pharmacy workforce is expected to improve continuity of care and access to publicly funded services across Manitoba.
Previously, internationally trained pharmacists could face an application process lasting about four and a half years. Under the new pathway, the licensing timeline is expected to be reduced to approximately 75 days.
Eligible jurisdictions currently include the United States, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland. Applicants must be in good standing, meet recent practice requirements, complete a Manitoba jurisprudence exam, and take part in a supervised practice period.
Kevin Hamilton, registrar and CEO of the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba, said the new process will help address gaps in pharmacy care, particularly in underserved areas.
“This expedited pathway helps ensure Manitobans can receive timely, continuous pharmacy care by allowing qualified internationally trained pharmacists from select jurisdictions to enter practice sooner,” Hamilton said.
In 2025, 25 pharmacists educated in the United States became licensed to practise in Manitoba. Since the streamlined pathway was introduced, three new internationally trained applicants, including one from the U.S., are already moving through the expedited process.
The province says the changes support equitable access to care and strengthen Manitoba’s publicly funded health-care system.
