Transition to a Single Licensure Examination
In January 2026, the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR) will launch a single licensure examination.
The Council of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta (CPTA) supports adoption of CAPR’s single licensure examination in principle, subject to transitional provisions.
This examination will be accepted as the examination requirements set out in the Physical Therapists Profession Regulation for registration with the CPTA.
This marks a significant step in returning to a harmonized registration process for physiotherapists across Canada.
What’s Changing?
Currently, applicants seeking registration as a physiotherapist in Alberta must complete a two-part examination:
- Written Component: The Physiotherapy Competency Examination administered by CAPR.
- Clinical Component: Alberta’s Post-Graduate Clinical Examination (PGCE) or another Canadian physiotherapy regulator’s clinical competency evaluation for full licensure.
Starting January 2026, CAPR’s single licensure examination will replace the two-exam model. This exam will:
- Be offered eight times in 2026.
- Be conducted virtually over one day.
- Consist of a written section and an oral, scenario-based section with a single pass mark.
- Evaluate critical competencies necessary for safe and effective physiotherapy practice.
The cost of the new CAPR examination has not yet been finalized. However, it will not exceed that of the previous CAPR combined written and clinical examinations ($2,815).
Alberta’s PGCE will be discontinued with the last administration scheduled for February 2026.
Transition Period: What You Need to Know
During the transition from a two-exam model to a single-exam model, applicants and physiotherapist interns on the Provisional Register may pursue the following options. While options are presented, they are subject to deadlines and available exam seats.
For Applicants Seeking Registration
For a limited time, applicants may pursue either the two-exam pathway or single-exam pathway:
Two-exam pathway:
- Successfully complete the current CAPR written exam (written component of the Physiotherapy Competency Examination). The last administration is November 26, 2025,
- Apply for registration on the Provisional Register, which requires practice under supervision, and .
- Successfully complete either Alberta’s PGCE or the new CAPR single licensure examination to obtain registration on the General Register and independent practice
- Be aware that the number of seats for the PGCE is limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis with the last administration in February 2026.
- The new CAPR single licensure exam begins in January 2026. The January 2026 exam has limited seats, but subsequent exams will have unlimited availability. The timelines for release of results are estimated to be 4-5 weeks.
Single-exam pathway:
- Wait and successfully complete the new CAPR single licensure exam, then
- Apply for registration on the General Register, which allows for independent practice.
- Note: In this option, individuals are not eligible for registration on the Provisional Register. Successful completion of the single licensure examination allows direct eligibility for registration on the General Register and independent practice.
- The first CAPR single licensure examination is January 2026. This administration has limited seats, but subsequent exams will have unlimited availability. The timelines for release of results are estimated to be 4-5 weeks.
Key Takeaways
- Applicants who plan to become registered before the end of 2025, must follow the two-exam pathway.
- Applicants waiting for the new CAPR single licensure examination in 2026, will need to be mindful of seat availability for the first administration and timelines for release of results before being eligible to apply for registration with the CPTA.
For physiotherapist interns on the Provisional Register
Physiotherapist interns on the Provisional Register, can pursue two options to meet the clinical competency examination requirement for admittance to the General Register:
- Successfully complete Alberta’s PGCE. The last administration is February 2026. Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, or
- Successfully complete the new CAPR single licensure examination. The first administration is January 2026. The January 2026 exam has limited seats, but subsequent exams will have unlimited availability. The timelines for release of results are estimated to be 4 – 5 weeks.
Important: Registration on the Provisional Register cannot exceed two years or two failed clinical exam attempts, whichever comes first. The change in exam models does not change this legislated requirement.
For more details and updates, visit our website or contact us directly.
Please monitor CAPR website for CAPR examination updates.
