International Optometric Bridging Program

IOBP

IOBP Logo

Are you an International Optometric Graduate looking to practice in Canada? Ontario Flag

The University of Waterloo in collaboration with the College of Optometrists of Ontario is pleased to offer the International Optometric Bridging Program (IOBP).

Designed to provide optometrists educated outside Canada and the United States with a structured orientation to Canadian standards of optometric practice, the program will provide all qualified applicants with opportunities to gain the critical language, academic and clinical skills necessary for registration in all provinces of Canada.

This program is designed to prepare the applicants to move forward to the Canadian Standard Assessment in Optometry; the examinations necessary for registration to practice optometry in Canada.

For internationally educated optometrists, the process begins with an application to the Bridging Progam:

A positive assessment in all three steps is necessary for applicants to be eligible to enter one of the Bridging Programs.

The candidate will be informed:

Writing the PLA does not assure acceptance into the Bridging Program. If the educational gap is too large, the gaps cannot be addressed within these programs and the applicant cannot be admitted.

Specific details are contained in the applicant information package below.

On the rest of this page:

Minimum Requirements for the Bridging Programs

For candidates applying to the IOBP in 2008 to 2011

Candidates must:

  1. be currently licensed or registered (or eligible to be licensed or registered) to practice optometry outside Canada, and
  2. have successfully completed either:
    1. 2 complete academic years of full-time1 undergraduate university study prior to entering an optometry school and a 4 year optometry degree2,
      or
    2. a 4 year optometry degree3 followed by 2 years of optometric work experience outside Canada

For candidates applying to the IOBP in 2012 and beyond

Candidates must:

  1. be currently licensed or registered (or eligible to be licensed or registered) to practice optometry outside Canada, and
  2. have successfully completed either:
    1. 3 complete academic years of full-time1 undergraduate university study prior to entering an optometry school and a 4 year optometry degree2,
      or
    2. a 4 year optometry degree3 followed by 3 years of optometric work experience outside Canada

Footnotes:

  1. Full-time means 5 courses per four-month term or semester with two terms per year.
  2. Ophthalmologists who have completed a minimum 3 year residency may apply for the credentialling process.
  3. For the purpose of this application, the following is accepted as equivalent to a 4 year optometry degree:
    • A 3 year optometry degree followed by a pre-registration year/period and successful completion of the final assessment. This pre-registration year/period must be endorsed by the country in which you obtained your degree.

For all candidates

Language Fluency

A standardized test of language fluency must be completed if the candidates' first language was not English. After discussions with administrators of other health professional bridging programs regarding success rates related to language, the accepted tests and minimum language requirements were agreed to as follows:

CLBPT Minimum overall average of 7.5 with no individual scores lower than 7.0
IELTS Academic, minimum overall average of 7.5 with no individual scores lower than 7.0
CanTest Minimum overall average of 4.5 with no individual scores lower than 4.0
  • CanTEST, Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI), Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa: CanTEST

Applicants who just meet the minimum scores do struggle in the program as it is a challenge for them to understand, learn and speak optometry in a new language. Therefore, in fairness to our applicants, in the future we may need to increase the minimum language requirements for entry into the Bridging Programs.

Program Dates

The next Prior Learning Assessment:

The next Bridging One Program:

The next Bridging Two Program:

Application Information Package

An Application Information Package is available detailing both the assessment process and the Bridging Programs. We ask only that you provide a name and e-mail address in order to download the form. The package is available in PDF form.

I.O.P.B. Application Request

We are very pleased to be of assistance to you throughout this process. For further information please don't hesitate to contact us by email at iobp@optometry.uwaterloo.ca.

IOBP Contact Information:

Director: Dr. Susan Cooper O.D.
Administrative Coordinator: Deb Nahlik

E-mail: iobp@optometry.uwaterloo.ca
Telephone: +1 519 888 4567, extension 37882
Hours: 08:00 - 16:00 UTC-5 (8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. EST)
Fax: +1 519 725 0784
International Optometric Bridging Program
School of Optometry
University of Waterloo
Waterloo Ontario  N2L 3G1
CANADA

Program News

Canada Wide
The IOBP services and programs are now recognized in every province of Canada.

UW resources

Funded By:

Ontario Government (trillium logo)

Ontario receives support for some skills training programs from the Government of Canada

Some Related Resources