Professional Licensing

TCM & Acupuncture Licensing

In British Columbia, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists must be licensed by the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC) before they practise or use a protected title. For internationally trained practitioners, the route runs through an education equivalency review and the Pan-Canadian Examinations.

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LICENCE TITLES

Titles in British Columbia

For the first three titles, applicants also need at least two years (60 credits) of post-secondary liberal arts or sciences study. Since the Health Professions and Occupations Act took effect on April 1, 2026, the College uses the terms “licensee” and “licence” in place of “registrant” and “registration”.

R.Ac. · R.TCM.H.

Registered Acupuncturist or Registered TCM Herbalist

Each requires at least 1,900 hours of training over at least 3 academic years, including 450 hours of practicum.

R.TCM.P.

Registered TCM Practitioner

Requires at least 2,600 hours of training over at least 4 academic years, including 650 hours of practicum. Candidates write either the Practitioners examination or both the Acupuncturists and Herbalists examinations.

Dr.TCM

Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Open to practitioners who already hold an R.TCM.P. licence and meet the College’s additional Dr.TCM education requirements.

INTERNATIONALLY TRAINED

The Route for Practitioners Trained Outside Canada

Education equivalency: CCHPBC assesses education completed outside its recognized programs case by case.
Credential evaluation report: a report with transcripts from a member of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada. The College’s examination guide names the ICES Basic report.
Pan-Canadian Examinations: a multiple-choice component and a clinical case-study component, both computer-based. They are administered by CARB-TCMPA, applied for through the College, and offered twice a year, in April and October. BC candidates may write in English or in Simplified or Traditional Chinese.
College requirements: the CCHPBC Jurisprudence Examination and the Interactive Safety Course.
Before a licence is issued: Standard First Aid and CPR-C, a criminal record check, a good-character declaration, and professional liability insurance of at least $5 million per claim.
English proficiency: the College states that the details of this requirement are being finalized. We confirm the current requirement with the College before you apply.

BEYOND BC

Other Provinces and Immigration

Ontario

The regulator is the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario (CTCMPAO). The titles are R. TCMP and R. Ac; internationally educated applicants need a WES course-by-course evaluation. Ontario does not currently have a doctor class.

CTCMPAO

Other Regulated Provinces

Alberta, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island regulate acupuncturists. A licence is issued by one province; working in another means applying to that province’s regulator.

Province by province

Immigration

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists are classified under NOC 32200 (TEER 2), a skilled occupation for Express Entry purposes. Licensing and immigration are separate processes decided by different bodies.

NOC 32200TEER 2

OUR SERVICE

How We Support Practitioners

Pathway Review

Which title fits your training and goals

Documents

Transcripts, course records and certified translations

Timeline

Planning around examination dates and deadlines

Immigration Strategy

Aligning licensing with your work permit or PR plan

FAQ

No. A licence from another country does not authorize practice in British Columbia. You must be licensed by CCHPBC before you practise or use a protected title.

For the Pan-Canadian Examinations, BC and Ontario candidates may choose Simplified or Traditional Chinese. Other steps are set by the College and should be confirmed with it directly.

It depends on how quickly your documents and equivalency review are completed and which examination sitting you can make. Because the examinations are offered only twice a year, missing an application deadline can add about six months.

No. They are separate processes, and you can plan them in parallel. What you need a licence for is practising the profession in Canada.

Requirements change frequently. The information on this page summarizes information published by CCHPBC, CARB-TCMPA and CTCMPAO as reviewed in October 2026 and is for general information only. Licensing decisions are made by the College. For current rules, see the CCHPBC website, or book a consultation for advice on your situation.